Question
QUESTION: Hi,
I have a phalaenopsis (2 years) which during this last year has produced lots of roots, most of them aerial but no flower spike. However what concerns me most is that everytime it grows a leaf the bottom ones start to shrivel and drop off. At the moment it has only 2 leaves which are not so big with a new one growing, all the others have fallen off!

Anabelle

ANSWER: Hi Anabelle,

From your description of the phalaenopsis plant and what has been happening, I believe it needs to be repotted into fresh orchid media.  Why do I believe this you ask?  You said it has lots of aerial roots, only able to support 2 leaves at a time, new leaves are not as large as the older ones, no flower spike in 2 years.  

Why all of this is happening is due to the roots within the pot probably having become rotten and the aerial roots are not able to sustain the plant.  Speaking of aerial roots, are they healthy?  Are they plump and firm or are they a little wrinkled?  Do you only water them or do you also feed it some fertilizer too?  Orchids are like you and I, not able to survive on water alone.  

To repot it, go to your local garden center or nursery and purchase a small bag of medium size orchid bark.  Unpot the phalaenopsis and remove all of the old potting media.  Check the roots and remove any that are soft and mushy as they are rotten and no longer of any use to the orchid.  Place about an inch of bark into the pot then lower the roots into it until the bottom leaf is just below the pot rim.  Add more bark all around it while trying to keep the orchid in the center of the pot.  When it is full, gently press down on the bark to slightly compact it.  Water it thoroughly then place it in a warm shady place for about 3 weeks.  Do not water it during this time but you can mist or lightly spray it each morning to help maintain humidity.  Once it is ready, move it back to where you had been growing it.  

I assume you know how to care for it since you didn't ask for help on that.  But, if you would like some tips on growing, write back and I'll give you a few suggestions.  It would help to know where you live so I can tailor it to your general climate.  

Jim Kawasaki
San Jose, Ca.


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thank you so much for your answer. I will repot it... actually they are 2 plants in one pot so I guess I will need to separate them if I manage! You asked whether the aerial roots are healthy... most of them are, only one or two are wrinkled. Also I do not feed them fertilizer often... am afraid of burning roots as it happened to me once! I would love to have some expert tips on growing them... and possibly making them flower! I live in Malta ( mediterranean island, just South of Italy) its quite hot but I don't have much humidity in the house!

Thanks again

Anabelle  

Answer
Hi again Anabelle,

You live in Malta?  Wow!  Isn't the internet wonderful, how you can ask questions or correspond with persons all around the world almost instantly.  

If they are two separate plants, that makes potting them much easier.  Just pull them apart but you may have to help the roots by untangling them.  Remove any soft mushy roots as they are dead.  Place them in pots just barely large enough to contain the roots.  Soaking the roots for 30 minutes will help soften them a little, making it easier to handle them while repotting.  

You really should fertilize them to help promote good healthy growth and flowering.  When you mix the fertlizer in water, use 1/4 the amount suggested as phalaenopsis do not require lots of it.  Also, once a month, water twice with plain water to help leach out any fertlizer salts that may accumulate within the pot.  Water once, wait 1 hour then water again.  

Grow it in bright shade (no direct sun), temperatures between 60F to 85F (18C to 30C), try to keep humidity above 50%, some light air movement.  Water when the potting mix becomes barely moist.  In the fall, allow it to experience night temperatures of 55F (14C) for about 3 weeks to let it know that blooming season is approaching.  If all goes well, you should see a bloom spike appear mid to late fall, slowly grow longer with buds appearing and by early to mid winter the flowers will appear.  

If humidity is a problem, try lightly misting it in the mornings, this should help a little.  Also, place the pot on a plastic tray filled with small pebbles, fill the tray with water.  Just make sure the bottom of the pot does not sit in the water, it should be above.  

Hope this helped.  

Jim Kawasaki
San Jose, Ca.