If you notice symptoms of your orchid’s dying and are unsure of what to do, this article on how to save a dying orchid is for you!
Though orchids may not be a low-maintenance plant and require several care requirements, they’re quite rewarding to grow nonetheless. The beautiful blooms make up for all the demands! However, if your orchid stops growing and blooming and starts to show wilting or spots on leaves, you might naturally be afraid of your prized orchid dying out. Hence, check out this article on the several reasons why you might be seeing such symptoms and how to save a dying orchid.
How To Save A Dying Orchid?
1) If Your Orchid Leaves Drop or Are Wrinkled
Noticing some wrinkled leaves on your orchid? This could be a sign of either underwatering or overwatering. Depending on the type of orchid you have, you must determine the actual cause. For example, as moth orchids lack pseudobulbs (organs that store water and food in the plant), they need moist soil.
On the other hand, Cattleya orchids do have pseudobulbs, and you can sometimes let the top inch of their soil dry out. In any case, if you have been letting your orchids get too dry, the leaves will tend to get wrinkled. Plus, if you put your finger in the soil and notice it being bone dry, you might see wrinkled roots, too.
If you overwater, you might also see wrinkled leaves or leaf drops. Plus, you will see root rot, where the roots are mushy and discolored instead of healthy and plump, light green or white.
Solution:
- While orchids do love humidity and moist soil to nourish the flowers, they also need good drainage and aeration around the roots. In case, you have let water accumulate around the roots and are now seeing root rot, first remove the plant from its pot and examine the roots. Carefully snip off the rotten one with clean, sharp, sterilized scissors. Then, repot with fresh, well-draining orchid potting mix with bark or perlite in a pot with good drainage holes.
- If your plant is dehydrated due to unwatering, you should thoroughly soak the entire pot for an hour or two inside a bucket in the sink. Note that this can be done only for severe cases of dehydration. In less severe cases, you can increase watering but never let them sit in water for extended periods of time.
2) If Your Orchids Have Not Been Getting Enough Humidity
Orchids naturally like high humidity, around 60%. They can thrive well in a humidity range of 40% to 80%. If your orchid has been experiencing less humidity, you will find similar symptoms to the underwater plant. For example, you will see dry, shriveling leaves and pseudobulbs. If you know you have been diligent about watering, these symptoms present almost a certain case of low humidity. Additionally, you might be seeing brown leaf tips.
Solution
- Besides adjusting your watering schedule to raise the humidity, you could also try placing the plant pot on a pebble tray. Ensure that the roots do not come in contact with the water and only touch the pebbles, whose level should be higher than the water itself. Change the water weekly and clean the tray every few weeks with a 10 percent bleach solution.
- You could try misting the leaves occasionally, but do it from some distance to avoid leaving droplets on them.
- Add a humidifier near the plant to gauge humidity levels and increase them.
3) If Orchid Leaves Are Turning Yellow
There may be nothing wrong if only a couple of the bottom leaves of your orchid look yellowish. These may just be older leaves that need to drop off. However, if you see more yellow leaves than healthy ones, it could be a sign of overwatering. If that is true, you may even find root rot setting in.
Overwatering is a serious killer for indoor plants, especially orchids. That is because orchids, in their natural habitat, have aerial roots, which get a lot of air circulation. They do need to be watered thoroughly when grown indoors but thrive best when the top inch of the soil is allowed to dry out between waterings.
Solution:
- To solve the issue of overwatering, go back to the first point, where you can find detailed instructions on dealing with root rot.
- Since orchids need specialized potting mediums that allow for adequate drainage, you must also choose containers that allow maximum air circulation around their roots as well, especially when growing them as houseplants.
- In case of extreme root rot, with very few healthy leaves and roots left, you will have no option but to scrap the plant.
4) Pest Infestation
One of the most annoying reasons your beautiful orchid may be drying out is pest infestations or diseases. If you examine your plant, you will find some white fuzzy stuff on the leaves; you can rest assured that they are mealybugs. These pests excrete what is called honeydew, and it is sticky. Other pests like aphids or spider mites could also be causing damage to your plant.
Solution:
- The most effective way to eradicate pests like aphids, scales, and mealybugs is to use rubbing alcohol. First, remove all the visible masses of pests with a small, soft cloth or paper towel. Then, take a cotton ball, dip it into isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol), and gently wipe the affected areas. 70% isopropyl alcohol, which is available commonly, will work fine. It would be best not to use higher concentrations or other types of alcohol, as that might damage your plant. Even when using 70% rubbing alcohol, first test one small affected area and ensure that your plant doesn’t have a negative reaction. Repeat the treatments until no more pests are left.
- You could also clean the leaves with a mild solution of soap and water. In case of more severe infestations, treat with neem oil or any pesticide. Either let the damaged leaves die and fall off or remove them by hand from the base sharp, sterilized cutting tool and treat the cut with a mild fungicide.
- If bacterial or fungal infections look like depressions or water-soaked spots on plant parts, reduce humidity, as these diseases thrive on high humidity. Isolate the plant immediately and water it early in the day so it can dry out before temperatures rise during the daytime.
5) If Your Orchid Has Been Getting Too Much or Too Little Sunlight
Flowering plants like orchids like bright sunlight, but they don’t like the direct sun, especially during the hottest parts of the day. If your orchid has been receiving the direct rays of the sun during any part of the day except the mornings or evenings, you might be seeing reddish-brown sunburn on orchid leaves. In direct sunlight, orchid leaves also tend to get faded, or appear “bleached”.
The worst part is nothing can bring back burnt leaves to life. While sun damage on orchids cannot be reversed, you can still do something to save the plant. On the other hand, if you have been noticing stunted growth or less flowering, it could be caused due to less sunlight recieved by the plant.
Solution:
- In case of excessive sun damage, inspect the plant for dry, burnt leaves and prune them off. Locate the plant in a place where sunlight is regulated and that the plant receives bright, indirect sunlight.
- On the other hand, if your orchid has been receiving less than adequate sunlight, you must relocate to a bright window with a sheer curtain to filter out harsh sunlight.
