Orchids leaves wilting indicates that your beautiful plant is in a life-threatening situation. Sometimes only a small mistake in the daily care routine can cause major problems.
If your orchid leaves are wilting and you are worried about how you can save your plant. Then you are reading the right article.
Because today you will learn how to save orchid leaves and what you can do to revive their health.
Below is the ultimate guide on this common issue. Every single issue is discussed below with details.
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What you can do to stop orchid leaves from wilting?
Before doing anything, you need to identify the cause of the problem. There are many causes and they are listed below.
In many cases, the common cause of orchid wilt is a lack of nutrition in the top part of the plant. At first, the lower part of the plant starts wilting.
The reason might be a root fungus that disturbs the normal root function and your plant become nutrient deficient
But nutrient deficiency is not the only case there are other factors that directly impact the health of orchids.
Transplant shock, incorrect temperature, etc are some more common issues.
Incorrect Temperature
When orchids start wilting, the first thing you need to check is the room temperature. If your plant is on the window sill then you need to check the plant temperature.
The high temperature or direct falling high intense sun rays increase the temperature of the plant. Your orchids start losing the stored water and the leaves start wilting.
There are a few things that you can do in this situation:
Change the place of your plant and place it in a cool environment. So, the plant temperature gradually even out.
Use a wet cotton cloth to wipe the leaves of the orchid plant. This will also help to lower down the high temperature of the plant.
Pest Infection
Pest infection also causes phalaenopsis leaf wilting. It can be bacterial or fungal. In some cases, we see the pathogens suck all the nutrients of plants.
We all know a nutrient-deficient plant cannot survive for long.
Once you see the pest infection along with orchid leaves wilting. Your first step should be separating the infected plant from other healthy plants.
Identify the cause first then choose the treatment. For bacterial infections, you just need to cut the water supply and improve the air circulation in the grow room.
Fresh air prevents the further spread of harmful bacteria.
In the treatment, you should sterile the tools that you are going to use for a cure.
For fungal infection please use fungicides that are copper-based. But before that, you should cut and remove the infected parts of the plant.
For mild infection, you should use a neem oil spray. It is safe to use neem oil + water on orchids. Neem has anti-bacterial properties.
For moderate infestation, you should use insecticidal soap. Buy it from a pest control store and wash your entire plant with it.
These soaps are made for this purpose. Only wash it once a day.
Root rot
It is a fungal disease the main reason for this disease is the presence of extra water in the plant pot. When orchid roots stay in waterlogged soil for a long time.
They get infected by the fungi and it starts eating the roots.
Once 60% of the root ball is rotten you cannot do anything to save your plant. Damaged roots cannot absorb a sufficient amount of nutrients and water.
Your plant becomes nutrient deficient and due to the loss of water, the leaves become weak and wrinkled.
This results in orchid leaves wilting.
In this case, you need to do the following to save your plant:
Take the plant out of its pot and to do so gently lose the soil and pull your plant
Then inspect the roots and remove the soil
Use sharp shears to cut the infected roots. At once you can cut 40% of the root ball.
If more than 50% of roots are damaged then it is best to propagate the plant.
Small size pot
If you use the wrong container for growing orchids then you will definitely face orchid wilt. In small pots, roots become suffocated. Because the soil becomes tight and this closes the natural air pockets.
But roots need fresh air to breathe and to produce new growth.
You should use the correct size of pot for growing orchids. The correct size is just 2 inches bigger than the root ball.
Clay or terracotta material is best for caring orchids.
Transplant Shock
Orchid leaves start wilting when you transplant them to the new pot. It takes some time to adjust to its new pot.
To reduce this transplant shock, you need to repot your plant carefully only in repotting season. While potting up you should handle the plant carefully.
Orchid roots are sensitive they cannot handle rough treatment.
Even small damage to its roots results in orchid wilt.
For repotting you must use the one-size bigger pot and only do this practice in the summer season. This will help your plant to easily settle in a new pot.
Please use fresh soil for repotting your old plant.
Fertilizing at the wrong time
Many new orchid owners fertilize their plants heavily when they are in the blooming stage. Bud formation is the first sign of flowering.
You should stop fertilizing your orchids almost 30 days before blooming. If you like to use you can use fertilizers that are rich in potassium and phosphorous.
Do not use nitrogen-rich supplements because at this time your plant is producing buds and then flowers. Therefore, it does not need nitrogen.
Conclusion
Nutrient deficiency and incorrect temperature are the main cause behind the orchid leaves wilting. The rare cause is overfertilizing and using nitrogen-rich fertilizer at the time of blooming.
Wilting is an indication of serious plant disease. Inspect your plant to find out about its health and follow the solution that is written above.
