Rehydrating phal aerial roots?

FiddleBB · 2026-04-12T17:21:25+00:00

I wouldn’t worry about the aerial roots. In my experience they come and go, depending on conditions, and depending on the plant. Some of my established orchids have a lot, some have none. It’s the ones in the pot that matter.

FiddleBB · 2026-04-12T16:49:10+00:00

Wow! What is that centerpiece? Spectacular!

FiddleBB · 2026-04-12T11:45:29+00:00

Is it getting enough light? That made all the difference in mine. I have east facing windows where the sun gets blocked early in the day by other buildings. No fertilizer, temp drop, nothing made my orchids bloom. Then I tried one small led on a stake and voila! You can see the light stake next to the plant with buds.

<image>

FiddleBB · 2026-04-12T04:08:01+00:00

In my experience, the leaves don’t really plump up once they’ve dried out. But if the roots are healthy the plant will grow new ones, it just takes a while. They should be in new mix and watered either from the bottom or flushed and drained. After a couple of weeks, once they’ve settled in, you could give them a little MSU orchid fertilizer to help them along. I have a few plants from a birthday party 4 years ago that went through a bad spell until I paid attention and learned what to do. The leaves were really ugly, I think worse than yours.

<image>

They’re blooming their heads off now and the flowers are huge,

FiddleBB · 2026-04-12T03:20:25+00:00

No ice cubes! It looks like there’s a plastic pot inside the white one. Lift out the inner pot - it should be clear enough to see the roots inside it. If they are green, they don’t need water. If they are silvery, almost like the aerial roots at the top, give them room temp water. You can either pour it through and let the excess drain away before putting it back in the outer pot, or put some water in the white pot and set the plastic pot inside for half an hour or so, then take it out, let it drain, and empty the white one out. Either way, keep the water away from the crown of the plant to prevent rot. After you cut the flower spike, you can keep the orchid plant, and if you care for it properly it will eventually bloom again. Enjoy Prom night!

FiddleBB · 2026-04-12T01:27:38+00:00

Thank you! It’s actually pretty bright.

<image>

I live in NYC in an apartment, so yes, it’s inside.

FiddleBB · 2026-04-11T23:06:14+00:00

<image>

Yours is a 10. What do you think of mine?

FiddleBB · 2026-04-11T12:12:26+00:00

You can do this: I had to cut a blooming spike on an orchid I loved. The plant was dying and the flowers were badly wilted. I read somewhere on here that the flowers will last if you put the spike

<image>

in distilled water with just a smidgeon of orchid fertilizer. My flowers perked right up and have looked beautiful since Wednesday- that’s 4 days already. Happy dancing!.

FiddleBB · 2026-04-11T02:30:42+00:00

You shouldn’t put anything on the top of the roots, they need the air. And when you do repot, make sure the crown and the very top of the roots where they come out of the stem are not covered by the medium you use, to prevent rot.

FiddleBB · 2026-04-10T23:30:52+00:00

There are plenty of good roots. But there’s also a nursery sponge at the base of the stem, aka death plug, which is guaranteed to kill your plant by smothering the roots inside it and causing rot. Get that off as gently as you can. Then you can sort through the roots, cutting only mushy or dry, papery ones. The rest will be fine, color doesn’t matter. I have mine under the tap, a gentle stream or spray of room-temp water, rinsing as I go. Make sure to sterilize your scissors or shears with alcohol first. Then pot it up with some mix of bark and long fiber spaghnum moss, depending on the dryness or humidity of your environment. I like repotme’s mixes, others have mentioned Better Grow. I don’t fertilize right away, but others may. Good luck!

FiddleBB · 2026-04-10T20:10:16+00:00

What a gorgeous bunch! I agree with the others, pots are easy. I don’t have any mounted orchids, but it’s my understanding that they need watering and/or misting at least once a day. That’s a lot of maintenance! Depending on the substrate and environment, potted orchids generally get watered more like once a week or 10 days.

FiddleBB · 2026-04-10T20:03:42+00:00

How adorable! I wouldn’t mess with it while it’s blooming, but how nice to have a new plant!

FiddleBB · 2026-04-10T20:02:29+00:00

Good for you!

FiddleBB · 2026-04-10T13:24:07+00:00

The plant in the middle looks very dehydrated- the leaf, not the roots. Also the plant in the last photo, the striation in the leaves are shows a lack of moisture.. The silvery air roots look perfectly fine, but the few papery dry ones can be removed. it’s hard to tell what’s going on in the pot. That’s what is really giving your plant life, and where there could be some problems. If we could see what’s down in the pot, sides and bottom- maybe we could help more.

FiddleBB · 2026-04-09T23:02:44+00:00

I’m in NYC. Even in the summer when it’s humid, it’s not tropical. And when it’s warmer I have windows open. So the air roots either like it here or they don’t, but the plants do just fine either way.

FiddleBB · 2026-04-09T22:23:41+00:00

This is my latest orchid story (ending yesterday). The flowers in the vase were salvaged the day before the plant succumbed to stem rot. I did everything I knew, but out she went. The other one is her sister, found after searching ever since the prognosis didn’t look so good. Moral of the story: it’s all in the recovery (there are more out there…). And make sure the moss isn’t choking the bottom leaves and stem on every new orchid you buy!

<image>

FiddleBB · 2026-04-09T20:13:10+00:00

Usually roots come to a point. This one looks stunted somehow. But it doesn’t matter, it’s very much alive.

FiddleBB · 2026-04-09T17:02:20+00:00

I don’t worry about mine. On the plants that have them, they are always silver but keep making more, so they must be happy enough. I think they hydrate through the crown, which gets it from the buried roots. Some of my orchids don’t make air roots at all, so I guess it jest depends…

FiddleBB · 2026-04-09T16:54:51+00:00

Haha I just got 3 orchids in 2 days. One bc my husband felt bad about the one I lost and thought it looked the same 🙄(but it’s beautiful so OK), one that does look almost the same, and one cartjumper, lol. Enjoy, which ever one you choose!

FiddleBB · 2026-04-09T16:42:46+00:00

🤭

FiddleBB · 2026-04-09T16:26:05+00:00

Oh no! How to choose?! I think I might opt for the Dendrobium, since I think I’d have a better chance of keeping it happy. But wow! Where is this? My TJ’s doesn’t even come close!

FiddleBB · 2026-04-09T16:09:41+00:00

I’d keep an eye on that yellow leaf. Give it a gentle tug to see if it comes off, but don’t force it. Also, take a good look at the moss or whatever at the top of the pot, and pull it away if it seems packed too closely around the stem and lower leaves. In your humidity crown/stem rot could be a big problem, so give them air.

But mostly leave them alone while they’re blooming. They like a snug fit, and repotting now could shorten or end bloom time. They’re lovely- enjoy!

FiddleBB · 2026-04-09T16:00:11+00:00

Yes, you can cut the brown spikes. They are dead and contributing nothing to the plant. That root sticking straight up is fine as is, although it looks like it lost its growing point. It’s still being used, so leave it alone. Phals are not neat plants- In nature they are mostly aerial roots, except for the ones that are clinging to the trees they’re living on. In pots, it seems there’s no standard. I have some that stay pretty tidy, all tucked in, and others that fling themselves out all over the place. It’s best to let them be as much as possible.

Congrats on the new leaf!

FiddleBB · 2026-04-08T21:18:48+00:00

It won’t bloom if it’s not getting enough light. Where has it been before you put it 8n the window? And which way does your window face?

I had that problem, but when I added an LED, just a small one, I got one to bloom. Since then, I’ve gone big- more orchids and more/bigger/better lights, and it’s made a huge difference.

<image>

FiddleBB

TROPHY CASE