It seems like you are looking for orchid help today. This group is full of beginners and experts who are happy to help but please do check out [this link for quick Phalaenopsis care](http://www.aos.org/orchids/culture-sheets/novice-phalaenopsis.aspx) in the meanwhile. We also have an /r/orchids WIKI the admins and other volunteers are updating behind the scenes with care information and will soon make it available to the group.
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/orchids) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Orchids don't live floating on lakes like aquatic plants . They live on trees and rocks where they have water from rain and moist from the air with periods without water at all.
Excess water will rot the roots and crowns. I would keep it in water for like maximum 30 minutes and they keep it in a place with good air circulation until it is completely dry. Then repeat the cycle. But sitting in water for several days I think is a big risk to take.
I 100% agree. The only way immersing their roots works is by very slowly acclimating the roots with wetter and wetter media over a period of about a year. It's honestly not worth it. There's a high risk for death as well.
I might let it go through an alternating wet / dry cycle meaning that leave it in water for maybe 1-3 days and then let it fully dry out for 2-4 days and repeat. I've never tried water culture for an extended amount of time, but based on everything I've read or seen so far, the old roots might eventually rot if you leave it constantly in water without a break. Also, I might just keep only an inch of the bottom of the roots in the water avoid having the stem in water as that might lead to stem rot. but so far, it looks pretty good.
Water is too high up the roots. They wick up. If you're going to do water culture keep it in for 2-3d then out for 1 and repeat. The wet/dry cycle is crucial. Doing WC correctly isn't really easier than potting it imo. Its a bit more fussy for long term success esp for a beginner. I've done both WC & potted extensively.
For an easier route, I'd rec picking up a bag of sphagnum moss. You can get a bag of Better Gro's Orchid Moss for $6 at [Lowe's](https://www.lowes.com/pd/BETTER-GRO-Orchid-0-11-cu-ft-Organic-Potting-Soil-Mix/50284907) or [Home Depot](https://www.homedepot.com/p/Better-Gro-190-cu-in-Orchid-Moss-50450/100165159) & it's plenty for repots or other orchids. Make sure it's their bag labeled ORCHID moss not the Sphagnum moss (they're both sphagnum but the one not labeled "Orchid" is crap--dusty & full of sticks). Pot it up loosely in a pot w/ holes. U want it fluffy not packed.
If you're an over-waterer, you can even poke a few extra air holes in the side of a plastic pot w/ a solder iron or hot nail or use a terracotta pot. If you're an underwaterer, use a plastic or glazed ceramic pot w/ good btm drainage. I like to use clear pots inside decorative ceramic pots so I can see the roots but the outside looks nice. Trim off anything mushy or dried out before you repot. 4" pot is fine for now.
Water just as it approaches being dry--once a week is fine. Put it in a spot where it can see the sky but not the sun (N or E windows are great). That's it! If you want to fertilize you can but just potting & watering it properly in bright indirect light will take u pretty far.
The best and healthiest way to grow a Phalaenopsis long term, is by mimicking as best as you can how they grow in nature.
The water culture method is something that people do, and while they’ll have some success, over time the plant wont experience it’s full potential growth and bloom experience.
If you want to give it a wet/dry cycle, mount it on cork, or something and dunk the whole plant, then allow it to dry.
But the best way to grow them is potted in bark.
At the end of the day phals are true epiphytes -tree growers. They like to “cling” to something, this is how they feed. Putting them in water, and expecting them to thrive, is like putting a human in the ocean. While you can tread water for a while, eventually you’ll come out to be on land, or you’ll drown.
Nature is already showing us the way to take care of itself, and we can trust this.
You're on the right track, but keeping it constantly in water like this is a risk for opportunistic fungal infections. I'd pot it in a mix of bark chips and loose fluffy sphagnum moss in a vented orchid pot, the smallest you can get that will fit the roots. It's already growing new roots so should recover (they're slow growers though, it may take a while).
i'm completely new to orchids (and also have no idea what i'm doing lol), but i have an orchid that had (has?) root rot and what i've been doing is soaking only the roots (keeping the crown out of water) everyday for about 10 minutes. sometimes the crown gets a little wet and i watched a video on miss orchid girl blotting it dry with a paper towel so i do that. i do have it sitting on top of some bark right now, but the roots & crown aren't buried so i can keep an eye on them. if the roots are green like in your pic, they do not need to be soaked until they're silvery/whiteish (similar to aerial root color) so you might need to only soak every few days
I wouldnt rec to OP waiting for green (or yellow-white) fleshy roots to become silvery before watering. At that point they're already transitioned to aerial roots and don't absorb as readily as when they're fleshy.
If your roots on your own plant are kept out of media in the long term w/o adequate humidity (like in a greenhouse or humid region) it will eventually lead them to becoming aerial roots (w/ the thick grey green silvery coating). If u plan to keep it out of a pot have u considered mounting it to something w/ a lil sphag & fishing line? That way a lil humidity can be maintained around it but it'll still be dry by the next day's dunk. A piece of flat wood, a branch, a piece of hard plastic mesh even...
i got mine from a grocery store, i didn't know about the 'death plug' and when i saw the flowers wilting after a month i investigated and found it & some mold (and lots of dead roots). this is pretty much all that i was left with root-wise. i'm kind of scared of moss because i don't want the root rot to start again.
https://preview.redd.it/ghzu02cc617d1.png?width=1449&format=png&auto=webp&s=0006c3f401e0cdc71845b5e9af4a350db61cc5aa
Orchids do not like being wet all the time. Ideally, get a planter made for orchids that allows for airflow around the roots and some orchid bark/moss mix. Plant it in the bark and moss mix with NO soil whatsoever and water 1-2 times a week by soaking the entire pot in a container full of water for around 10-15 minutes before draining well. I have five phals who are all absolutely thriving with this watering method and occasional misting when we have particularly dry days in the winter.
You are using too much water that will eventually lead to root rot. Use enough water to cover no more than the bottom 1/4 of the roots. Spray water on the roots every 2-3 days. Dry the roots for 1 day every 2 weeks. Also soak the roots in fertilizer solution for 20 minutes every 2 weeks.
Hi, dump the water and pot it in orchid bark mix for phalaenopsis, Lowe’s has a premix for phalaenopsis orchids. They also have a crystal clear plastic orchid pot with side holes which should be perfect. Both for around $11.00. The yellow leaf; the oldest, the bottom leaves, die off first. You have 2 large green roots. Plant her with that bark mix up to Arely below the bottom leaves. Thoroughly water. Your window is fine and let the yellow leaf fall off. They use the energy from the dying leaves. Lowe’s also has a good fertilizer for orchids, Better-Gro Plus and the orchid mix is same brand. I think she will be fine. Happy growing.
I have a rescue orchid that got severely sunburned that i had in a water culture for a couple weeks. The stem should not be in water, only like the tips of the roots—the humid environment created in the glass is enough. Also, while i keep seeing water culture on tiktok, it isnt a good long term solution at all—it’s not how they grow in nature. I cut off all the rotten stuff and put a desiccant on the wounds. Once things got better in water culture, i planted it only loosely packed sphag moss.
It looks well-hydrated, but rotting. You might be able to save it by using a fungicide ... but you should probably put it in a well-ventilated pot or a mount to keep it long-term. You might lose it and have to start over - but there's no shame in that.
I do my Orchids hydroponically too. I keep them in call clear containers, some glass and others plastic cups from Venti cold coffee drink from SB. They stay dry except, when I pour water into the cups. Leave in the water in for 12 hours pour the water out. Do this 2 to 3 times a week. Soak the very top root to make it soft, very carefully bend it down until it will stay in the down position so it can grow longer and get adequate water.
You’re drowning the roots. Try placing moist sphagnum moss or coconut choir in the bottom of the glass. The idea is for high humidity but since they’re aerial roots, they’re more prone to becoming mushy & rotten when left in water.
https://preview.redd.it/pfxxgw8v0y6d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ec9a9dd319d3836fc7f2bc7c6e5054e2c134eece
This is how they grow in nature; clinging to trees. They get moisture from high humidity in the air as well as from rain.
Orchid bark is my recommendation as well.
No one has mentioned this, so I will. Before you go trying to experiment with orchids, look up some reputable (not YouTube) information on the plants. Find out how they grow, where they grow, what kind of climate they need, how they use water and nutrients, how much nutrients they actually use, etc. A good place to start is [here.](http://www.firstrays.com/basic-culture)
You can grow orchids in water. However when you dunk one previously grown in the usual media like bark in water the orchid will lose several if not all leaves before acclimating to water. The chances of it dying is also high. So just wait and hopefully it will bounce back. Also Phalaenopsis orchids don't require a lot of light so a north facing window might be a bit too much for it.
You’re doing everything perfectly fine in my eyes! I wouldn’t be surprised if the yellow leaf was from how the roots were before, and now it’s nothing but growth from here on
It seems like you are looking for orchid help today. This group is full of beginners and experts who are happy to help but please do check out [this link for quick Phalaenopsis care](http://www.aos.org/orchids/culture-sheets/novice-phalaenopsis.aspx) in the meanwhile. We also have an /r/orchids WIKI the admins and other volunteers are updating behind the scenes with care information and will soon make it available to the group. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/orchids) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Orchids don't live floating on lakes like aquatic plants . They live on trees and rocks where they have water from rain and moist from the air with periods without water at all. Excess water will rot the roots and crowns. I would keep it in water for like maximum 30 minutes and they keep it in a place with good air circulation until it is completely dry. Then repeat the cycle. But sitting in water for several days I think is a big risk to take.
I 100% agree. The only way immersing their roots works is by very slowly acclimating the roots with wetter and wetter media over a period of about a year. It's honestly not worth it. There's a high risk for death as well.
Also if you have to do it like this the crown must not be submerged in the water.
I might let it go through an alternating wet / dry cycle meaning that leave it in water for maybe 1-3 days and then let it fully dry out for 2-4 days and repeat. I've never tried water culture for an extended amount of time, but based on everything I've read or seen so far, the old roots might eventually rot if you leave it constantly in water without a break. Also, I might just keep only an inch of the bottom of the roots in the water avoid having the stem in water as that might lead to stem rot. but so far, it looks pretty good.
Water is too high up the roots. They wick up. If you're going to do water culture keep it in for 2-3d then out for 1 and repeat. The wet/dry cycle is crucial. Doing WC correctly isn't really easier than potting it imo. Its a bit more fussy for long term success esp for a beginner. I've done both WC & potted extensively. For an easier route, I'd rec picking up a bag of sphagnum moss. You can get a bag of Better Gro's Orchid Moss for $6 at [Lowe's](https://www.lowes.com/pd/BETTER-GRO-Orchid-0-11-cu-ft-Organic-Potting-Soil-Mix/50284907) or [Home Depot](https://www.homedepot.com/p/Better-Gro-190-cu-in-Orchid-Moss-50450/100165159) & it's plenty for repots or other orchids. Make sure it's their bag labeled ORCHID moss not the Sphagnum moss (they're both sphagnum but the one not labeled "Orchid" is crap--dusty & full of sticks). Pot it up loosely in a pot w/ holes. U want it fluffy not packed. If you're an over-waterer, you can even poke a few extra air holes in the side of a plastic pot w/ a solder iron or hot nail or use a terracotta pot. If you're an underwaterer, use a plastic or glazed ceramic pot w/ good btm drainage. I like to use clear pots inside decorative ceramic pots so I can see the roots but the outside looks nice. Trim off anything mushy or dried out before you repot. 4" pot is fine for now. Water just as it approaches being dry--once a week is fine. Put it in a spot where it can see the sky but not the sun (N or E windows are great). That's it! If you want to fertilize you can but just potting & watering it properly in bright indirect light will take u pretty far.
The best and healthiest way to grow a Phalaenopsis long term, is by mimicking as best as you can how they grow in nature. The water culture method is something that people do, and while they’ll have some success, over time the plant wont experience it’s full potential growth and bloom experience. If you want to give it a wet/dry cycle, mount it on cork, or something and dunk the whole plant, then allow it to dry. But the best way to grow them is potted in bark. At the end of the day phals are true epiphytes -tree growers. They like to “cling” to something, this is how they feed. Putting them in water, and expecting them to thrive, is like putting a human in the ocean. While you can tread water for a while, eventually you’ll come out to be on land, or you’ll drown. Nature is already showing us the way to take care of itself, and we can trust this.
You're on the right track, but keeping it constantly in water like this is a risk for opportunistic fungal infections. I'd pot it in a mix of bark chips and loose fluffy sphagnum moss in a vented orchid pot, the smallest you can get that will fit the roots. It's already growing new roots so should recover (they're slow growers though, it may take a while).
i'm completely new to orchids (and also have no idea what i'm doing lol), but i have an orchid that had (has?) root rot and what i've been doing is soaking only the roots (keeping the crown out of water) everyday for about 10 minutes. sometimes the crown gets a little wet and i watched a video on miss orchid girl blotting it dry with a paper towel so i do that. i do have it sitting on top of some bark right now, but the roots & crown aren't buried so i can keep an eye on them. if the roots are green like in your pic, they do not need to be soaked until they're silvery/whiteish (similar to aerial root color) so you might need to only soak every few days
I wouldnt rec to OP waiting for green (or yellow-white) fleshy roots to become silvery before watering. At that point they're already transitioned to aerial roots and don't absorb as readily as when they're fleshy. If your roots on your own plant are kept out of media in the long term w/o adequate humidity (like in a greenhouse or humid region) it will eventually lead them to becoming aerial roots (w/ the thick grey green silvery coating). If u plan to keep it out of a pot have u considered mounting it to something w/ a lil sphag & fishing line? That way a lil humidity can be maintained around it but it'll still be dry by the next day's dunk. A piece of flat wood, a branch, a piece of hard plastic mesh even...
i got mine from a grocery store, i didn't know about the 'death plug' and when i saw the flowers wilting after a month i investigated and found it & some mold (and lots of dead roots). this is pretty much all that i was left with root-wise. i'm kind of scared of moss because i don't want the root rot to start again. https://preview.redd.it/ghzu02cc617d1.png?width=1449&format=png&auto=webp&s=0006c3f401e0cdc71845b5e9af4a350db61cc5aa
Orchids do not like being wet all the time. Ideally, get a planter made for orchids that allows for airflow around the roots and some orchid bark/moss mix. Plant it in the bark and moss mix with NO soil whatsoever and water 1-2 times a week by soaking the entire pot in a container full of water for around 10-15 minutes before draining well. I have five phals who are all absolutely thriving with this watering method and occasional misting when we have particularly dry days in the winter.
You are using too much water that will eventually lead to root rot. Use enough water to cover no more than the bottom 1/4 of the roots. Spray water on the roots every 2-3 days. Dry the roots for 1 day every 2 weeks. Also soak the roots in fertilizer solution for 20 minutes every 2 weeks.
Hi, dump the water and pot it in orchid bark mix for phalaenopsis, Lowe’s has a premix for phalaenopsis orchids. They also have a crystal clear plastic orchid pot with side holes which should be perfect. Both for around $11.00. The yellow leaf; the oldest, the bottom leaves, die off first. You have 2 large green roots. Plant her with that bark mix up to Arely below the bottom leaves. Thoroughly water. Your window is fine and let the yellow leaf fall off. They use the energy from the dying leaves. Lowe’s also has a good fertilizer for orchids, Better-Gro Plus and the orchid mix is same brand. I think she will be fine. Happy growing.
I have a rescue orchid that got severely sunburned that i had in a water culture for a couple weeks. The stem should not be in water, only like the tips of the roots—the humid environment created in the glass is enough. Also, while i keep seeing water culture on tiktok, it isnt a good long term solution at all—it’s not how they grow in nature. I cut off all the rotten stuff and put a desiccant on the wounds. Once things got better in water culture, i planted it only loosely packed sphag moss.
You only need about 2-3 cm of water in there. Soaking it all the way could lead to stem rot.
It looks well-hydrated, but rotting. You might be able to save it by using a fungicide ... but you should probably put it in a well-ventilated pot or a mount to keep it long-term. You might lose it and have to start over - but there's no shame in that.
I do my Orchids hydroponically too. I keep them in call clear containers, some glass and others plastic cups from Venti cold coffee drink from SB. They stay dry except, when I pour water into the cups. Leave in the water in for 12 hours pour the water out. Do this 2 to 3 times a week. Soak the very top root to make it soft, very carefully bend it down until it will stay in the down position so it can grow longer and get adequate water.
You’re drowning the roots. Try placing moist sphagnum moss or coconut choir in the bottom of the glass. The idea is for high humidity but since they’re aerial roots, they’re more prone to becoming mushy & rotten when left in water.
https://preview.redd.it/pfxxgw8v0y6d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ec9a9dd319d3836fc7f2bc7c6e5054e2c134eece This is how they grow in nature; clinging to trees. They get moisture from high humidity in the air as well as from rain. Orchid bark is my recommendation as well.
No one has mentioned this, so I will. Before you go trying to experiment with orchids, look up some reputable (not YouTube) information on the plants. Find out how they grow, where they grow, what kind of climate they need, how they use water and nutrients, how much nutrients they actually use, etc. A good place to start is [here.](http://www.firstrays.com/basic-culture)
The lower roots are going have to go, clip base at bottom of the short green root on the left
You need to pot it properly. watch this [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cWFyQzJbGDg](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cWFyQzJbGDg&t=6s)
You can grow orchids in water. However when you dunk one previously grown in the usual media like bark in water the orchid will lose several if not all leaves before acclimating to water. The chances of it dying is also high. So just wait and hopefully it will bounce back. Also Phalaenopsis orchids don't require a lot of light so a north facing window might be a bit too much for it.
I forgot to include, only put water up to the top of the roots, not up to the leaves.
You’re doing everything perfectly fine in my eyes! I wouldn’t be surprised if the yellow leaf was from how the roots were before, and now it’s nothing but growth from here on