- Lack of water causes the leaves to wilt - This is how the rescue plan works
- Waterlogging blocks the water supply - Here's how to solve the problem
Wilted leaves on orchids indicate that care has been neglected. Exotic plants usually react to an imbalance in the water balance with this type of damage. You can read here where the causes are to be found. Withered leaves are transformed back into juicy green, shiny leaves.
If the orchids let their leaves droop, they probably lack water
Lack of water causes the leaves to wilt - This is how the rescue plan works
Orchid experts tirelessly preach to water orchids sparingly. However, the airy orchid substrate (€8.00) should not dry out completely. If you are too stingy with water, the leaves will wilt and droop. If the aerial roots are almost white due to extreme drought, the damage can be repaired as follows:
- Fill a bucket with lime-free, lukewarm water
- Place the pot in it up to the root collar
- Soak until no more air bubbles rise
If you now take the orchid out of the water, the previously white aerial roots have turned a rich green again. Water or immerse the plant once or twice a week in summer and every 2 weeks in winter to keep the water balance in balance.
Waterlogging blocks the water supply - Here's how to solve the problem
Too much water causes orchids to wilt, similar to drought. If rotten brown roots shimmer through the transparent walls of the pot, the plant is suffering from waterlogging. As a result of the rot, the aerial roots no longer transport moisture to the leaves, causing them to wither. How to act correctly now:
- Repot the orchid to completely remove the wet substrate
- Cut off any mushy roots with a sharp, sanitized knife
- Do not cut off the withered leaves
Pot the orchid in fresh substrate. In the first 5 to 6 days the plant is not watered or submerged. Only the leaves are sprayed daily with soft water. Once the orchid has recovered from the stress, resume the care protocol with extended watering or dipping intervals.
tips
If only the lower leaf on a Phalaenopsis is wilted and limp, this is a normal aging process. The orchid then absorbs the remaining nutrients from the leaf, causing it to turn yellow. Once it has completely died, pluck or cut out the leaf.