Hi, my mom died last week, and left a lot of orchids behind. I have no idea what I’m doing. They all looked dehydrated and I panicked and watered them with ice cubes earlier this week. Besides never doing that again, how can I rehab these guys? Do I just get them back on a regular feeding and watering schedule? The first orchid seems to have an infection? I included a picture of what orchid supplies my mom had left. Thank you for any advice.
by kanine509
24 Comments
They are extremely dehydrated. Give them a good soak. Fill the sink up with water and set the whole pot in there for an hour (but don’t submerge the leaves or stem).
Are they entirely in moss or is the moss just a top dressing?
Ice (probably) won’t kill them but there’s no reason to do it. Just water them normally when the potting medium is mostly dry. That can take a week or more if they’re potted in moss. You can start fertilizing them (follow the instructions on the orchid fertilizer) when you water but I’d wait until they’re hydrated first so you don’t accidentally give them a fertilizer burn.
I’m very sorry for your loss.
As another commenter mentioned, skip the ice cubes, give these a really good soak. Like, leave them in a sink with standing water for 45 minutes to an hour.
Once they’ve been soaked and returned to their window, touch the potting soil every other day, to get a sense of how fast it dries out. Plan on soaking them again, one week after the first soak. If the soil is still wet, you can skip the water and try again in another week.
This is a pretty reductionist approach but it should keep them alive long enough to determine a more accurate watering frequency. Just keep em alive for a while, you can figure out fertility later.
I concur with the comments saying to submerge in water. I regularly leave mine in a sink/bathtub full of water and often times while I’m gone at work or even overnight
Except for a couple brown ones – the collection can recover.
I too am a fan of soaking.
Since many are in moss, you just need to get the moss wet, and then let it dry.
Feel it now. Its bone dry.. crispy.
Dont let it get that way. Soft dry is acceptable to rewater
My condolences on your loss. I concur with other comments — give them a soak, I’ll bet they will be fine! Don’t worry about fertilizing. Only detail I would add: don’t leave any standing water in the crown of the plant (where the leaves come together) to avoid rot; you are soaking the pot/roots.
That’s quite the collection. You really must save them, that’s what you mom would have wanted. So sorry for your loss. Please keep us updated.
I’m so sorry for your loss.
I submerge mine in a cooking pot and use a spritzer to get the air roots (not the leaves, just the air roots). Sinks are good. Bathtubs. Whatever works for you will be fine for them.
Because they’re a little dried out (wrinkled leaves), you may want to water every 3-4 days until the leaves plump up and the wrinkles disappear. You can overwater healthy orchids, but your guys will appreciate the higher watering frequency, especially if it’s winter where you are and the humidity is low.
First, please know that orchids are incredibly resilient. Please take care of yourself and the other members of your family, friends, etc.
These orchids seem to be in sphagnum. They also seem to be mostly or all phalaenopsis orchids. These plants live with their roots holding on to trees. They like air at their roots. My advice would be to give them each some water but not too much. See if you can fluff the sphagnum a bit to allow it to stay fluffy. Orchids need air. Most will survive dehydration but not drowning so use a light hand as you begin to rehydrate them. I don’t know if the family will want to share them or if you want to care for them going forward. If you think there are too many for you to care for there may be a local orchid society that could help you rehome some.
I’m an orchid hobbyist and my mom passed away this past August. My plants have been muddling through as I cope with this loss and some health issues I have. The plants will be ok. Please look after yourself and your loved ones. You have a lot on your plate. ❤️🩹
Hi there, I’m sorry to hear about your mother’s passing. It’s very kind of you to look after her plants.
Do you keep orchids normally? She has some different varieties mixed in with the phals, I was wondering if you’d like more specific info but didn’t want to assume. I don’t know how much time or effort you can spare to look after these and didn’t want to give too many suggestions unless they’re wanted.
Since you mentioned the first photo, that spot actually looks like a leaf that got sunburnt to me but I can’t be sure from the photo. If it looks dried out, it’s probably that. If it’s not dry or looks like it’s spreading, it might be better to snip the leaf off with cleaned shears or sharp scissors, but sunburn will usually heal over and just leave a localized scar.
Water water water
Damn, water them, please
This one hit too close to home since my mom’s health is failing and her orchids aren’t doing well, either. I’m very sorry for your loss. Others here have offered good ideas, but I think it’s important to not tie how you honor your mother to the health of her orchids.
Plants come and go, and not all plants can be saved. We shouldn’t be expected to keep or care for everything left behind by those who pass before us. Obviously, that’s different when it comes to kids or pets, but nobody should be forced to become a gardener to keep the plants of the deceased alive. Same idea with being forced to replace your furniture, car, or tableware with theirs, etc. Whatever joy the orchids gave her in life was enough, and any additional joy they give you is a bonus. But don’t make it a job or feel that if the orchids fail you have somehow failed her. Again, very sorry for your loss.
Sending love during this time. And hopefully this care helps you in some way 🫂
Watch MissOrchidGirl on YouTube. A lot of great video “how to” videos. Start with watering and see what bounces back.
Good luck and im sorry for your loss.
Water with water. Never ice. People that recommend that work for nurseries that want your plants to die so you buy more. For now id put them all in the shower and water them really good with warm but not hot water and let them drain well. Water 1 to 2x a week. Use a good fertalizer like the ones from better grow, per directions.
Needs a good soaking in warm water
I’m sorry for your loss. If any of this ever becomes too overwhelming for you, consider contacting a local orchid club and donating them. I mean even on here you might find someone local that would take them. Hell, I’m a sucker for sickly looking plants. I love knowing I can bring them back and help them recover. It’s not enough for me that they live…I want ALL my plants to thrive.
OP, there is some good advice in here but I just wanted to say that this is a lot. And it’s okay if you can’t/don’t want to keep every plant. I can’t speak for your mom and what she would want but it’s so important to take care of yourself especially when going through something like this- regardless of what anyone’s opinion is. While it’s a really sensitive decision, I personally would pick a few plants that look the best/were her favorites and re-home the rest. I just wanted to add that there is no shame in not taking on a whole collection- especially as a plant newbie ❤️ if I passed I would most certainly not expect my loved ones to keep every single plant alive. I wouldn’t want to overwhelm them while they’re already dealing with so much. If you want to keep them all, I highly recommend doing a deep dive on YouTube- miss orchid girl has a lot of good info
My condolences 😔
This would be lovely and you can do it! It must seem overwhelming right now but they look like established orchids…? Be cautious- they hate drastic changes in temperature. So moving them from one home to another, If there is a big temperature difference (cold there) would be a big threat. Other than how rewarding would this be years from now to know they’re your mom’s plants and you kept them alive!? With a little time and help from this thread you could make them happy plants that bloom for you,🩷👏🫶
Way too dry, please water! Do not be afraid to water! I don’t soak; I water and leave it in there and have never had any problems with rot. Good luck
In picture 3, I see a baby orchid (keiki) which is a clone of the mama plant. Eventually, when it grows big enough and has a strong root system, you will be able to cut it from the flower stem and plant it in a pot of its own! Any of the brown orchid leaves can be gently tugged and if they fall off, throw them away. Never cut the leaves as they will separate themselves from the plant when they are ready to release. You can cut the brown flower stems off, but leave the green flower stems as they can bring you more blooms. Good luck and enjoy caring for your mother’s collection! I hope it brings you joy, as I’m sure it did for her 🙂
Yes they could probably use a soak, BUT – they need to be drained afterwards! Many commenters aren’t mentioning that part. Don’t just put them back full of water.
So sorry for your loss. Please water them and keep
them alive in her honor!
You have my sincere sympathy.
If you’re overwhelmed by all of this, you could reach out to a local orchid club and see if anyone could help you.
You might find someone like me, who loves nursing friends’ plants back to health and then returning them when the plants and the friend are feeling better, or you might find someone who could be your zoom orchid mentor.
If you’re feeling like you can’t handle all of this, you might find someone in a local orchid club who could raffle these plants to members and then donate the money to a charity that has meaning to you. Other thoughts would be offering these plants to your mom’s friends and neighbors.
Don’t feel pressured to save all of them.
But if you could drag them into the bathtub and soak them in room temperature water, the plants will definitely perk up a bit.