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Orchid petals are falling off #855557

Asked November 20, 2023, 1:22 AM EST

Smaller stems and petals are drooping and wilting, then falling off. Then one of the larger green stems has changed to yellowish brown.

Ramsey County Minnesota

Expert Response

Hello Sherilyn, happy to help.

I see a couple of issues that may be causing the decline of your moth orchid (Phalaenopsis). Have heart, it's not too late.

First, I'm familiar with the container your moth orchid came in. Most are sold that way. It's a pot with no holes for drainage. Yours has a water mark near the bottom that I can see which means there's water sitting in there.

Orchids actually live in the tropics -- holding onto trees with their roots mostly. They get their moisture from the rains. This means they do not do well sitting in water. So take the inner pot out and set it on a plate to catch any excess water but be sure to empty that too. When you water them, do it holding the pot over the sink to allow all the water to drain out. Be sure to wet those whitish covered roots I see hanging over the pot. That whitish outer coat will turn transparent when wet allowing you to see the green root underneath. They'll turn opaque again as they dry.

I tried zooming in on your photos to see what kind of plant material the orchid is planted in but I couldn't tell. It should be a bark-like material. When watering, they'll absorb water and slowly let some out to the roots over the next few days. If the material is like potting soil, I recommend buying orchid potting mix which contains tree bark. Carefully shake out the potting mix until you see mostly roots (no need to clean them off you don't want to damage them), then while suspending the roots in the cleaned out pot, shake orchid mix in and around them. Tap the pot to settle and add more if needed. Be sure the mix is integrated among any roots in the pot. Having roots outside the pot free of potting mix is not a problem.

If you repot, I suggest getting an orchid pot of the same or slightly larger size. They're designed with bigger holes on the sides like slits. Regular potting soil won't stay inside those kinds of pots but bark will.

Finally, I see that the leaves are not drooping or yellow which tells me they have a long way before they succumb to over watering. You may lose your flowers but the plant will send out new flower stalks next winter (24-25) and bloom again. After the flowers drop off, cut the stem to just above the second or third node above the potting mix level.

Get some orchid food and include only half the recommended amount in your weekly watering starting in late February. (I usually take a break from fertilizing between December and March when the days get longer and I see new plant growth on my other houseplants.)

I could go on and on about orchids. Here's a hint. Make sure that the room your orchid is in has a temperature swing of about 8 to 12 degrees from day to night starting in late October. Those cooler nights will tell the plant to send out a flower stalk and you'll have blooms by late December or early January. But bright, indirect light all year long is always imperative. Without that, you won't get flowers.

Here's a link to more information about growing Phalaenopsis orchids.

Good-luck!

eGardener Replied November 21, 2023, 12:02 PM EST

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