Near dead orchid has two new roots growing - what to do to save it?

[BewareTheBeardedDragon]

I had given this orchid up for lost and thus completely neglected it for weeks, when I noticed that there is new grow both at the base and the tip of the stem.

I have orchid compost - just not totally sure what to do in hopes of reviving it. Anyone know?

Trim all the dead stuff back as far as you can for starters

Thanks - I'll do that. Should I repot the healthy bits? Should I detach the seemingly new plant from the tip of the no longer flowering stem?

After curing off clearly dead bits, I'd probably top up the existing compost and give thorough soaking and drain. Then give it some more benign neglect and see what happens. They seem to like an occasional good soak and drain rather than little and often. Use rainwater... that shouldn't be hard to come by anyway.
The new growth of the stem is interesting, I've got quite a lot of orchids but I've never seen that before, like a spider plant. I'm not sure - once you've watered the compost the stem may act as an 'umbilical cord' to the baby. But it does look like it might be big enough to detach and pot up.

You have a keiki growing on the old flower stalk. Just leave it for now and look after the mother plant, you will soon be able to detach it and put in it’s own pot. If you have a spray bottle mist the roots regularly it can take up water that way. I wouldn't cut the dead roots off just yet as they provide good anchorage, wait for the plant to recover a bit first. Feed and water as per usual.
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keiki

Thanks! That is exactly the info I need!

I had repotted my orchid several times, always dispose of the old orchid compost completely and use new. You can buy orchid food in a spray or a dropper, these have helped mine to thrive. Worth a try for yours to OP.

Thanks - I will completely change the compost then. I have some proper orchid compost/bark stuff so I can use that. I feed them organic seaweed stuff which appears to suit them.

I wouldn’t repot it now though. Just leave it, put the entire pot in a ziplock bag that comes up over the rim and just keep bit of water in the bottom of the bag, keep the humidity up around the plant and create a mini greenhouse, that will be the quickest way to stimulate root growth. Don’t worry about the water not draining away, just a half an inch or so. These plants are so hormoned in the greenhouses where they are grown, that is prob where your keiki comes from. It needs a certain temperature difference between min and max and a dip in light i tensity to spike a flowerbud, the poor plant is so manipulated it doesn’t know if it’s coming or going! In fact, rather add compost to cover the base completely and take it out of the pot, it should be in a clear container. The roots also photosynthesise so if you put the pot in a clear bag the roots will head to the edge of the pot. The old compost and dead roots will do it no harm for now. You should see where these grow they are essentially air plants! Enjoy it’s such a fun challenge!

Thanks for the advice Perching. I have had this one a while and it has reflowered - so this Keiki is on a newer flower spike, not the original one it came with.

I am assuming that the new growth has been stimulated by it being moved to sit next to the kitchen sink in prep for being disposed of, and then as it was behind the plant the lives there permanently it was forgotten about for months. So it was darker (north east facing kitchen), had more extremes of temperature (kitchen is unheated so temp goes way down at night time), and much more humid than it's previous home in the living room. I am wondering if it should live in here permanently now, and considering constructing a hanging thing for it to live in. If it survives that is 😂

I will top up the compost, take it out of the pot and do the clear pot/water thing then.

It's rather exciting to have an indoor plant project as the outdoor garden shuts down for winter

Ah there you go then! Your light/humidity/temp change brought it on, it is a fascinating process! It was a hobby ;) of mine to go round the garden centre, buy as many £1 orchids from the dead and dying rack and see how many I could revive. There was one particular garden centre in the next town over who was great at killing their indoor plants, at one point I had quite the carnivorous plant collection haha. Now I am a trailing spouse in a country where these things just grow on the nearest tree and I marvel at how little they need in their own environment, which you can’t really replicate properly in our European homes. Have fun! X

Sounds amazing seeing them wild in their native turf! I do hope I can nurse this one back, it's a real beauty, white speckled with deep pink. 🤞

I always think it's funny how people go all out trying to grow plants which are hard to grow where they live but grow like weeds elsewhere. Apparently in Singapore gardeners have a really tough time trying to cultivate dandelions and they are very sought after. Blows my mind a bit.

Haha yes it’s a bit like that where I am! I walk in a beautiful manicured park and want to shout out But That Is A Weed People!!!!! I nick seeds everywhere and try and grow them in the kitchen, I miss my garden so much. Anyhow I must get on with the day, was lovely talking to you about my favourite subject :) x