Don't underestimate the will of orchids to survive. The magnificent flowers from the rainforest can look back on more than 60 million years of evolution and are not easily defeated. Find out how to save an orchid with root rot and leaf shedding here.

Dried orchids can often be saved

Saving a Phalaenopsis with rotten roots - this is how it works

The regulation of the water balance is the greatest challenge in the care of orchids. This also applies to the Phalaenopsis orchid, which can be bought at discounters and hardware stores. Well-meaning beginners tend to water the epiphytic exotic so heavily that the roots rot. The leaves then dry up because they are no longer supplied with water. How to save the floral jewel:

  • Unpot the orchid and shake or rinse off the wet substrate completely
  • Cut off all dead roots with a disinfected knife
  • Aerial roots and leaves that are still green must not be cut off
  • Fill a glass jar with filtered rainwater
  • Place the orchid in it so that the tip of the stem or the ends of the roots touch the surface of the water
  • Change the water at least once a week

You can now watch the new roots sprout in the bright, warm location at temperatures of 22 to 25 degrees Celsius. Then put the orchid in a transparent pot with a mixture of sphagnum and fine-grain orchid soil. Only when a new, vigorous system of aerial roots has developed do you pot the rescued orchid in normal pine bark substrate. Until then, of course, several months to a year will pass.

Saving orchids without leaves - this is how the plan works

If an orchid sheds all its leaves in the middle of the season, hopes for another flowering period are gone. If you can rule out that this is a natural vegetation cycle - various species of orchids regularly shed all their leaves - we recommend the following rescue measures:

  • As long as there are still an aerial root or two, there is hope
  • Cut off any existing flower stalks, because they take up too much strength
  • Spend the leafless orchid in a bright, warm window seat
  • Spray daily with soft water and water very sparingly
  • Fertilize with liquid orchid fertilizer every 2 to 3 weeks

Give the orchid a few weeks or months to gather new strength. If it lacks the power for a new leaf dress, it will at least produce an offshoot. The child thrives near the trunk. If the offspring has at least 2 aerial roots and leaves of their own, they can be separated and nurtured in their own pot.

tips

Those who are familiar with the rescue plan for orchids can get hold of the expensive exotic species at a bargain price in the supermarket. Phalaenopsis, Miltonia or Dendrobium that have been tended to the point of ruin by untrained staff are sometimes offered at a ridiculous price. With a little skill and these first aid measures, you can breathe new life into a dying orchid.

Category:

Indoor plants