Orchids are popular houseplants that are fairly easy to care for, but they are sometimes susceptible to pests and diseases. Your orchid leaves are wrinkled and wilted – what to do? First you have to determine the causes exactly so that you can find the right solutions. We will help you by explaining the reasons for wrinkled leaves on orchids, while also sharing effective methods and measures so that you can save your beloved plant. With a little observation, you should be able to figure out exactly what's wrong with your orchid and make changes to help the plant recover.
Why are my orchid leaves wrinkled? Wrinkled leaves are an indication that something is wrong. If you notice the problem early enough, you can most likely fix it. If the orchid doesn'tis properly maintained, wrinkled leaves may appear. Or it may be that a bacterial infection is present. Like many other plants, the most common problems are related to water, sunlight and nutrients. What orchid care if the leaves become shriveled, read on!
Underwatering can cause wrinkled and wilted leaves in orchid
Wilting leaves on orchids can be caused by underwatering. In this case, the roots are not able to pass on enough water or nutrients to the rest of the plant and so onthe orchid leaves become limpand wilted.
What to do to save the plant? Try watering the orchid from below. Here's how to do it: Fill a bowl with an inch of water, place the orchid in the bowl and let it soak for 20 minutes. This is how the roots will recover. To avoid underwatering, maintain a regular watering schedule and your orchid will thrive again over time.
Orchid leaves are wrinkled and wilted due to overwatering
It is common for an orchid to suffer because of too much water. Too much water can be just as harmful to your plant as too little water. If the roots look brown, mushy, or rotted, you've probably overwatered your orchid. And if the roots sit in water for too long, they begin to suffocate. Then they cannot efficiently transport water and nutrients to the rest of the plant, resulting in wrinkled leaves.
Allow the soil to dry out before adding moregive water.It would be advisable to remove rotten roots and repot the orchid. Make sure the orchid pot has adequate drainage. Drill enough drainage holes so that your plant gets the right amount of water.
Direct sunlight will harm your orchid
Direct sun can burn the plant's leaves and the orchid leaves will wilt. If this is the case, you can remove the orchid from direct sunlight to prevent further burns. You can use a sheer curtain so that the plants get enough sunlight but are not exposed to direct sun.
Wrinkled and wilted leaves on orchids in too much heat
Orchids thrive at a maximum temperature of 26 to 32 degrees Celsius. Continually exposing them to higher temperatures can cause stress to your plant and result in wrinkled leaves. Due to evaporation, the orchid's leaves lose water too quickly and the plant dries out. What to do in the heat? Sprinklethe leaves with waterto make the plant feel good. Also ensure good air circulation. You can cut off wilted orchid leaves and keep the plant in good shape.
Nutrient deficiency causes wilted leaves in orchids
As with other plants, nutrient deficiency is another problem that can lead to wrinkled orchid leaves. This happens when the soil no longer contains enough nutrients. You can solve the problem by fertilizing your orchid regularly. Make sure small amounts of fertilizer are good for the plant and do not over-fertilize.
Which fertilizer for orchids? Here are some options:
- We recommend bark compost as it is open and free-draining and allows plenty of air around the roots so they don't stay too wet.
- Another option is to chop up dried chicken bones and sprinkle them over the potting mix.
- Saving eggshells and using them as orchid fertilizer is the cheapest and most efficient way to provide your orchids with calcium. Crush the eggshells into as small pieces as possible or use a mortar to grind them into a powder.
Damaged roots are a major cause of wrinkled and wilted leaves
If the roots are unable to transport nutrients and water properly, the rest of the plant also suffers. Therefore, damaged roots are one of the possible problems why orchid leaves become wrinkled.
How do damaged roots happen? Repotting an orchid can damage the roots. Therefore, you should be careful when removing an orchid from the container. It is of great importance to remove any dead or rotten roots with sterilized scissors. Do this carefully so that you do not accidentally damage the healthy roots.
Fungal or bacterial infectionscan also negatively affect the roots. Infections are not too common, but if fungi or bacteria are a problem, you will need to treat the infection and use clean soil when repotting the orchid.
