First, you must understand my cries for help. I am a Dendrobium orchid, an epiphyte designed to cling to trees with my roots exposed to air. Constant sogginess is a death sentence. My roots, which should be firm and silvery-green, are now turning brown or black, becoming mushy, and may have a foul odor. My leaves are likely becoming yellow, limp, and wrinkled, even though the medium is wet. I am not thirsty; I am drowning. My pseudobulbs (my water-storing stems) might be starting to shrivel and wrinkle because my rotten roots cannot transport water to them, creating a paradox where I am dehydrated despite being overwatered.
You must act quickly to save me. Gently remove me from my pot. Do not pull; instead, carefully loosen the medium around my roots. Once I am out, wash my root system thoroughly with lukewarm water to remove all the old, decomposed potting material. Now, with sterile pruning shears or scissors, you must perform surgery. Cut away every single soft, brown, or black rotten root. Healthy roots are firm and white or green when wet. This is not the time for hesitation—every rotten root left behind will spread decay. After the excision, treat my remaining healthy roots and base with a fungicide solution like cinnamon powder (a natural option) or a commercial orchid fungicide to prevent further fungal attack.
After my traumatic surgery, I need a new environment to recover. Do not repot me in the old, wet medium. Select a new, clean pot with excellent drainage—it can even be the old one, but it must be scrubbed clean. Choose a very airy potting mix specifically for orchids, such as large-chunk bark. This allows for massive air flow around my remaining roots. Before repotting, let my roots air dry for a few hours, or even a full day, in a warm, shaded space with good air circulation. This drying period is crucial to halt the progression of rot. When you repot me, be gentle and do not bury my base too deeply.
My relationship with water must change forever. Going forward, you must only water me when my potting medium is completely dry nearly to the bottom of the pot and my roots appear silvery. Do not water on a fixed schedule. When you do water, do so thoroughly until water runs freely from the drainage holes, and then let me drain completely. I must never sit in a saucer of water. Place me in a location with bright, indirect light and good air movement around my pot; this will help my medium dry appropriately between waterings and mimic my natural, breezy habitat.
