First timer - need help with drooping leaves - Orchid Board

Redryder · #1 08-29-2019, 11:52 PM

Hi, I bought an orchid from a nursery 2 weeks ago. I don't know the scientific name, the place didn't label them.

This is how it looked the day I bought it.

The guy at the store told me to mist it everyday. I live near the equator so the climate is warm and humid. I hung it where there was light but not direct sunlight.

After a week I noticed that the leaves were drooping.

I did some googling and wondered perhaps I was overwatering the plant since the roots were greenish brown, although there are white colored roots at the bottom near the leaves. In any case I stopped watering it for a week but there's been no change. Leaves are looking leathery as well.

Any help would be much appreciated!

Roberta · #2 08-30-2019, 12:16 AM

Water it! Right now! When the roots are wet, they will be green - the silvery coating is like a sponge... the velamin. It can store water between "rainstorms". This appears to be a Phalaenopsis. It has no pseudobulbs to store water, so it needs frequent watering, especially the way it is mounted with no medium (which can actually be a great way to grow Phalaenopsis, especially in your humid climate.) It would like good air movement - these like a "wet-dry" cycle. In nature, they hang from trees, so they get wet when it rains, and dry out when it stops, and that pretty much happens every day.

Redryder · #3 08-30-2019, 12:23 AM

Thanks for the quick reply Roberta! Do I need to soak the roots or is a light misting enough?

Roberta · #4 08-30-2019, 12:28 AM

If it has gone a whole week with no water, a soak would be good. Then, rather than misting, I'd suggest watering it under running water for a minute or so once a day or perhaps every two days. Get those roots well-soaked, then let it dry out until the next watering. Again, think of what it gets in the forest - a good "bath", then drying. The active evaporation of water from the root surfaces also brings fresh air into contact with the roots, which they also need.

Mountaineer370 · #5 08-30-2019, 09:19 AM

I just wanted to say welcome to the OB, and follow Roberta's advice!

Swimmingorchids · #6 08-30-2019, 06:18 PM

to me there is hardly any difference between picture 1 and 2 meaning you were doing ok. Possibly underwatering as it is impossible to overwater a barerooted plant.

But then you stopped watering for a week and the result was that your leaves turned leathery.

The best way to water a bare rooted plant is to dunk it in a bucket of water and let it soak for 10 minutes. That will beat any light misting.

Do that daily - the plant should perk up. It wasn't even developing any yellow leaves which is an indication that something is not going well. Might do after the week drought but it will recover.

Roberta · #7 08-30-2019, 06:25 PM

Dunking is OK as long as you have only one plant. But if you acquire more, there is the temptation to save water by using the "dunk" water for more than one plant. Don't do that, it's a good way to spread pathogens.. Once the plant is re-hydrated, running water will accomplish what you want, and you don't need a container or run the risk of re-use. (They get rained upon - running water - not dunking in nature)

SouthPark · #8 08-30-2019, 06:25 PM

In your situation, it will be ok to just dump as much water on the roots and wood every morning. When the plant recovers, you can still dump water on the roots every morning ----- but could also relax the watering a bit once the plant is better. When it's hanging on a piece of wood like that - it should be just fine to water as much as you like.

It will be fine to just use a hand-sprayer, and get water on those roots and on the wood. Get lots of water on the roots and on the wood. This won't mean just spraying for a short time ----- but for a long enough time to really get water right into there. Every morning.

Dunking the roots part and the wood in clean water every morning would be even better. But this probably defeats the purpose of this bare root wood-mount thing, which is normally intended for environmental conditions where manual watering is not needed.

On the other hand - if we are going to stick with wood-mount, then the dunking of roots and the wood in water every morning would sort things out.

Swimmingorchids · #9 08-30-2019, 06:41 PM

i know too well about pathogens... bloody pithium so hard to eliminate once one gets it but nearly coming up to a year growing orchids - although my collection has been growing slowly it is up to 18 now. And they all get dunked in the same bucket for several weeks.

I know Ray will cringe and cry like he does about everything I post but till I get a problem I will continue. I am not advocating it. Like said I know all too well how easily rot spreads in water which is why I keep an extra careful eye out for any signs.

Any new plants stay in quarantine first - one I lost to disease. If it works it works, if not you might lose all your plants at the same time.

So far a year with no problems means I will continue and it beats having 18 buckets that need to be changed daily lol.

SouthPark · #10 08-30-2019, 06:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Swimmingorchids

I know Ray will cringe and cry like he does about everything I post but till I get a problem I will continue.

I think it all boils down to what we/you already know about possible issues with water sharing. The rest is really just up to decisions and accepting what could happen. So you've basically accepted what could happen, which is fine in one way, but also considered as poor technique in terms of attempts at minimising or even eliminating possible issues for an orchid, or a bunch of orchids.