If there are dried plant parts on an orchid, this is no reason to throw in the towel right away. With a little luck and these tips, you can breathe floral life back into the noble houseplant.
Often a dried up orchid can be revived
Drought doesn't always mean the death sentence
In contrast to waterlogging, an orchid tolerates drought for a long time if regular watering is neglected. Thanks to its aerial roots, the plant supplies itself with a minimum amount of water as long as there is sufficiently high humidity in the room. In the struggle for survival, the plagued plant pulls in its flowers, individual leaves and shoots. As long as turgid aerial roots or green plant parts can still be discovered, the orchid is not dead.
Rescue plan for a dried up orchid
If the orchid signals its will to survive with silvery-green aerial roots or a single leaf, use this strategy to help the plant with its floral arms:
- Cut off dried leaves, shoots and pseudobulbs with a sharp knife
- Fill a bucket with room temperature, lime-free water
- Dip the roots in it until no more air bubbles rise
- Repot the orchid and cut off all aerial roots that are no longer silvery-green
The root bath brings out any aerial roots that are still alive by turning them green or creamy white. As long as the plagued orchid can fall back on at least 2 to 3 vital strands, there is still hope. Remove the dried out substrate and pot the plant in fresh orchid soil. Since high humidity is now essential for survival, spray the entire orchid with soft water every day.
Remove flower stalks with a heavy heart
If a dried-up orchid tries to sprout a flower stalk or a pseudobulb after the water bath, this process should be consistently prevented. The growth of young aerial roots is now the focus. In order for the plant to invest all of its energy reserves in it, cut off excess flower stalks with a heavy heart during this phase.
tips
The symptoms of waterlogging and dryness are confusingly similar. Since the roots rot in the permanently wet substrate, the supply of water to the leaves, flowers and shoots comes to a complete standstill. Therefore, before taking any action, check the moisture content of the orchid soil.