Question

I received 2 months ago for my birthday a huge purple, what I believe to be, phalaenopsis orchid. The stem is about 2.5 feet from the crown to the flowers. It had about 14 large blooms and a number of buds.  There was a small spike which has continued to grow taller and is now almost 16 inches. It came in a glass container with purple glass beads.

I was concerned because the container did not have drainage holes and I was worried about the roots being over watered. I was able to water the orchid and then tip the container so the water drained out.  I watered it twice in 6 weeks when I noticed that the first blooms were beginning to wilt. I thought they were just at their end and soon going to fall off but they didn't and soon a bottom leaf was turning yellow and all the leaves were thinning.

I worried that the glass container was holding in too much moisture and that the roots weren't happy.  Something else that tipped me off was little flies around the plant.  They were thinner than fruit flies and after looking up pictures they seem to be shore flies. I took it to a local plant shop which repotted it for me in bark.

It抯 been about a week since repotting and the plant didn抰 seem any happier so I started looking up info online.  I've spent the last 3 hours reading different postings and answers in your orchid section. Really helpful! I decided to check to see if the local shop removed the rotted roots like you suggest. They had not and I cut nearly 90% of the roots completely off! (poor baby, my plant that is).  I also removed the yellowed and still very wet sphagnum moss and saw two small white bugs moving around on the moss. I wasn抰 sure if this was just the larvae of the flies or something else.

I lost 2 leaves in the process (they just fell off) and I have 6 leaves left. 1 which is nearly at its end, 3 which are wrinkling and the other 2 (the newest) which are thinned but not wrinkled or yellow.

I still have all the blooms and the spike is still growing. There are not many roots, if any that are supporting this plant. There may be one or two roots that are still good but I'm not sure if they're still working as there is a brown ring at one of the joints even though the root is green.

I know the blooms and the spike are using a lot of nutrients, should I cut them in hopes of saving the plant? Should I try the roots in a bag thing even though there are blooms? Is my plant past the point of no return in which case I should just enjoy the last blooms? I'd appreciate any help given my plant is in full bloom.

Thank you so much!


Answer
Sounds like you are moving in the right direction in saving your plant.  Several additional suggestions:1) make sure the plant is potted in a plastic pot small enough to just accommodate the reduced root mass, 2) cut off the flower spiek just below the lowest flower, 3) water the new potting mix once to week.  You may save the plant but it will be a while before you know.  Once you see new leaaf and root growth you know that you have a chance of saving the plant.  Lots of patience will be required before this plant is restored to its former glory.