Hi
What you have is a phalaenopsis. In my opinion, transplanting is not a good way to save a sick plant, unless you specifically know that the problem is in the media.

The crown looks a little rotten - I would soak in a fungicidal solution (physan20 works great) and something with a rooting stimulant (superthrive is recommended by some people) and then put it in a zip lock bag with some sphagnum moss. Put in a warm place with a bit of diffuse sunlight and hope for the best!

Calvin_orchidlover, I love orchids too. That's why is so sad to see a orchid gets sick and you know nothing to save it. Kind like your little baby gets sick, right? Anyway, thanks for your prompt reply to my problem, and thanks for your advice. I went out tonight bought a bag of sheet moss, there is other kind is Spanish moss, that's all they got. I would like to know if sheet moss is ok to go in the zip bag with the orchid late, otherwise i will go to find sphagnum moss as well as the fungicidal solution tomorrow. I really hope my favorite orchid will survive. Thanks for your help, you have a pleasant evening.

I don't know about sheet moss...I don't think it's commonly used for orchids. But if it retains water but isn't too wet (dries out after a few days), then it'll be OK for emergency purposes. Sphagnum moss is the preferred kind. Wrap it loosely around the roots. Also aerate the bag regularly so the air doesn't get stale. The purpose now is to keep humidity high.

Just wondering, did you ever repot the plant (not counting this time)? Orchid media, especially bark, breaks down over time, and can suffocate and damage the roots. It takes 1-2 yrs to break down. Normally orchids are repotted in the spring when new roots show up.

It looks like the roots are rotted. Phals get root rot pretty easily if you're not careful (I think I killed my first phal, so I know the feeling). But I don't mean to discourage you! I had another phal that fully recovered and even bloomed. It looks like the leaves aren't too wrinkled, which is good. Yours still might have some hope--it still has five roots. As said above, just treat with fungicide and don't keep it "too" wet (don't want crown rot too). Wish you best of luck!

orchid_123, thanks for your reply! I will definitely go out to get the right kind moss, like calvin_orchidlover and you said: sphagnum moss today. I am new to this lovely orchid web discussion page, kind new to growing orchid as well.(I have 5 lovely orchids at home) So I will have to learn from each of you here to make a better life for my orchids in the future. I already have a feeling I like this website. People sounded honest, caring, generous, and very helpful when bad things happen to any of our members, no matter to their orchid or to a indivisual. (I have read some discussions yesterday when search for needed information)So I am very cheerful that I've found the help I needed and found this lovely group of people who are all orchid and plant lovers. I certainly will come here more frequently. Thanks for your help, appreciated very much!

orchid_123, I forgot to mention this that I didn't repot it till like 4 yrs later since i bought it, which is just about 2 to 3 month ago. The reason I repoted it is that it was not doing well. the pop-up roots rotted mainly on one side of the pot. (it bloomed last spring through the summer though) I felt this was something wrong with the whole pot so i thought i should repot. But just found out few days ago that my repotting didn't work. It got worse than before. that is why I am here searching for some help. I am already soaking the orchid mix yesterday for 2nd repotting, but due to the advices i received from this discussion site, I don't thinging I will repot it till it recovers and has new growth comes out, right? So, guess I should take the barks out to dry now. Oh, by the way, can you tell me what kind orchid mix is the best brand of orchid mix? I don't think Schultz is very good for phal, just my personal experience.

calvin_orchidlover, I called Lows and Home Depot for physan 20, they don't have it. I went to Canadidan Tire to look for it today, but the manager for that department said they have not got it, they only have Garden Fungicide. So it comes back to your suggestion of physan 20, could I use Green Earth (Brand) Garden Fungicide, spraying it instead? Do I have other options if Garden Fungicide is not good enough for this purpose? Also, should I dip the roos into the stimulating powder before it goes in the zip bag? I am orchid grower 101, I could use all your suggestions. Thanks a lot!

Ah Jann didn't know you were a fellow canuck! Sadly lots of the things our friends down south find readily, we can only procure with much difficulty.

Orchid mixes are very tricky, because every brand will sell itself as the best, and every good grower will suggest a different mix. The mix must fit your conditions and more importantly your watering habits. I suck at watering, so I put things in pure sphagnum/coconut which holds water for longer. Everything dies in bark for me.

Not sure if root stimulating powder works - my experiences with it have not been good because the powder is not water soluble. Some people try soaking the roots in sugar water (1 tbspn / litre) to help. Not sure if this actually works.

The point is, you can either pull the plant out of the pot and put it in a bag with some moist sphagnum moss and hope that the warm humid conditions will help new roots grow. Or, you can leave it in the pot it is in right now, water by soaking (allowing the bark to get nearly completely dry all the way through) and hope new roots grow. However, this may be a bit too much trouble to save a plant. Any chance you can get a replacement easily? Even the best growers have problems rerooting plants on the decline, especially if you live somewhere that doesn't have nice buoyant warm breezes and soft warm rain showers (aka not canada)

Hi calvin, I did find sphagnum moss on my 3nd shopping today of saving an orchid mission. This time I called the Canadian Tire on west end of the city first, I can't believe to hear they got it. My husband and I rushed there and got a big bag. There are only two bags left. So I soaked some for a whole night last night, probably will wrap around the roots and put it into a clear and clean plastic bag really soon since the largest zip bag does not fit. I will give the sphagnum moss a chance too on my repotting. I still have two more question though, how long the moss should be soaked exactly? should I drain the water till no more drips? A fellow canadian from Windsor,ahh.

Hi
I'm Canadian also! Didn't know there was this many of us here!
Jann, I got this recipe from a different orchid forum. They said it was real good for "sick" orchids. I haven't tried it yet but it doesn't look to have anything that would hurt.

3/4 cup sugar
1 finely crushed vitamin (Centrum)
1/2 tsp epsom salt
1/2 - 1 tsp dishwashing soap
Mix all togather submerge plant & all for 4 hrs. drain, Dip towel in solution then wring out till just damp. Wrap plant in towel and place in a warm place overnight. Remove from towel, rinse with tepid water, to remove resdue sugar. Replant.

As I said I haven't tried it but if one of my plants as unwell would.

Kathy in Cold Manitoba!

Interesting technique, Kathy!

From your pics, it has a good chance of surviving... Once you have it replanted in your preferred media, try to keep the plant under a grow light for 10 hours or more and keep it as close as possible (12" - 20" away) to the light source but make sure the leaves do not get too warm (when touched).

Good luck!

Hey everyone,I hope you're having a good day!Everyone is pretty spot on with their comments. Let me add my 2cents worth. I looked at your plant,I think it has a really good chance.

Ok I am really bad on watering like Calvin. I grow my phals in straight spaghnum moss(fresh spaghnum has a antibacterial quality, added bonus).By "fresh Spaghnum" I mean the stuff you just took out of the bag,It hasn't been watered repeatedly over the last year. You get an added boost from the spagh,it initiates new root growth. I have tried the "spagh in a bag" method it failed miserably for me. I pot my phals up in straight spaghnum that is the correct size for the roots,that means even if the leaves are big the pot must be smaller if you don't have that many roots. I soak my moss for awhile(until it feels good and wet,it usually only takes a hour). Then I squeeze it out before I put it in the pot. I would put granite chips in the bottom of the pot to give it weight. If you can anchor the plant into place with like hair pins or a pot clip,that always helps the plant. If you want to increase the humidity put a big zip-lock bag over the top of it,Like a tent. If I were you I think I might put a heating pad on low under the pot too. All my plants are in their light garden in the basement on heating pads. The pads make them very happy in the chilly basement.
Kathy's vitamin treatment seems like it might help,I don't know how well the vitamins will be picked up since they're made for human consumption not plant consumption;but it's worth a try. Hope my take on it helps.Ginnibug

I too have heard great things about heating pads and bottom heat for stimulating new growth. One thing you might want to try if the sphagnum is too dense, is to mix a little bit of perlite in with it. The stuff doesn't hold much water but really puffs up the moss.

As Gin mentioned squeeze the moss after soaking until it feels like a moist/damp sponge, not sopping wet.

I think the other important thing that I forgot the mention earlier is that I wait until the moss is just about all the way dry before watering again. I prefer clear pots so I can see whats going on it that pot. You can tell what kind of moisture you have left in there. But I would assume if you are having trouble readily getting moss,you will be hard pressed to find clear pots.

One other thing, if all you can find is the garden fungicide try it. See if you can find the 3-1 fungicide and bug control. You can also dust any trimming that you need to do with cinnamon,it has certain beneficial qualities.

At some point you'll just have to break down and order your other needs online.

One thing to remember: if the product label says it's okay for roses, it's okay for orchids.

Hi Kathy, thank you for your recipe. Eventhough this orchid is already treated & sitting in the ziploc now, but I will definite give your recipe a try if any of my other orchids needs to be treated when they are sick. If it works that will be a well-learned lesson which is a bonus, right? Well....you keep warm & enjoy the very cold Manitoba winter, kathy.

Here is a link that might be useful: My orchid is sick, please help

My sincere thanks to everyone who has come to my rescure mission by giving suggessions and showing concerns/good wishes. I feel I have found the right place looking for help. I think I will just stick around.

So far the orchid is treated and sitting in the ziploc to recover. I check it everyday and have not seen anything worse than it was before. I hope it will be okay.

Good night!

Here is a link that might be useful: My Orchid Is Sick, Please Help!

Hi Kathy, I have one orchid is having the same problem as the previous one, because most of my orchids were bought during those couple of years. I like to explore the option you offered with sugar, centrum, salt, dish detergent solution. I just want to make sure I got this right, do you put any water in, or just the solid solution as it is in your recipe?

Jann from Windsor, Ontario where is -2 today

Hello everyone out there,I hope you all had a good weekend. It's kindly sad that the orchid I tried to save has died & I saw its two very green leaves fall off in the zip bag tonight. The few roots are still green and intact, but there is little bit white-creamy-looking stuff on the trunk. Will the trunk with roots grow without leaves? I know is not possible, but still like to ask. Thank you!

No it is time to throw it away - sorry.

Brooke

Thank you all very much for your commments and ideals! The latest status report is that one of my orchid is died; another four, I repotted them in sphagnum filled clear pots since all of them have few roots rotted and died. They are placed in the southwest location by the window & look quite ok. One is continueing blooming, one is growing a new leave, and another one is getting more buds on the branch. I took one of your advice, dusted all the roots and branches with cinnamon before I did repotting. Hope they will be okay for another couple of yrs.

Please do not dust "all the roots" with cinnamon. Used like that, the cinnamon will dry the roots and prevent them form absorbing watere. Only dust new cuts with cinnamon.

Did anyone mention not to leave water in the crown? If any water gets in the crown get a tissue or paper towel and blot it right away as standing water in the crown can cause crown rot.