Need help with my lady slipper

[JScott]

Originally Posted by sii

That's good to know! I'm open to that. Will wait for Ray's response. I would need a 'prescription' on how and when to use any additives. I've purchased different bottles in the past because someone recommended it, used it for that specific plant and then never again.[COLOR="Silver"]

I use one tablespoon of KelpMax per gallon of water once a month for healthy plants. I think Ray will tell you the same, but he invented it, and he's the expert, so by all means wait for him to confirm how you should use it.

---------- Post added at 01:03 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:00 PM ----------

Originally Posted by sii

Even though I've had orchids for 10 years, I still consider myself a beginner. Fertilizing is where I run into trouble. But lucky you if you don't have to. :-)

As far as fertilizer, use a weak solution. It's important not to overdo it. I use a time release formulation. But when I used to use liquid, I used 1/4 teaspoon per gallon about every other week. I think with fertilizer, it's more important that you do it at all than it is exactly which fertilizer you use. Just don't use too much.

[DrDawn]

A few thoughts:

Definitely Paphs need more water than Phals! I water my Paphs about twice as often as my Phals and they all have very happy root systems. (Of course this also depends on your growing media, but generally just think MORE for the paphs).

As for fertilizer, do it weakly if at all! Fertilizer is like vitamins, not like food. The plants mostly just need air and water to grow and thrive. Some common phrases I hear are "fertilize weakly weekly", or, "if in doubt, don't fertilize". So, do not go crazy on the fertilizers! You also want to at least alternate fertilizer with plain water to help wash out any salts or other things left behind from the fertilizer. I generally do about a 1/4t. / gallon every other week and Kelpmax once a month.

[estación seca]

Brandon Tam is the curator of orchids at the Huntington Botanical Gardens. He gave a detailed talk on Paphs to the Desert Valley Orchid Society. You can read notes of the talk here:

Paphiopedilums by Brandon Tam, Huntington - DVOS 2017 09 21

[sii]

I guess my efforts were unsuccessful. I made sure the media was always damp and didn't dry out and I kept it out of direct sun.
I also used a weak seaweed solution once a week - just sprayed it onto the medium near the root.

I don't think this is savageable. Roots are gone. Might have to toss in the towel on this one. It was my first lady slipper.

[SouthPark]

sii ------- whether this one makes it or not --- and of course I hope it still has a chance -- it is great that you put in effort to try keep this one going.

If you do have some small to medium pieces bark, you could still try pot this one up in a relatively large - good drainage pot. This one might not make it, but might as well try, since it still has a couple of leaves or so.

I grow some paphs, and I can say that in my tropical conditions, the paphs generally have moisture in the pot - most of the time ----- but occasionally, the potting media inside the pot does get a bit dry, but nothing happens to my paphs. In fact, they still grow leaves, and my big paph grows fairly long and wide leaves ------- and even grows off-shoots (new growths).

If you can view youtube, I recently made a video only to show what I do when I water my orchids ----- in general that is.

If you're interested ----- and if you want to take a quick look at the video ---- and jump right to time 20 mins 38 seconds, you will see that I don't even put water near the stem of my big paph, which is a Paph. Saint Swithin 'Jill'.

Watering of scoria-grown orchids in the tropics: - YouTube

Each grower will eventually know more or less how much water should be applied, under the circumstances (eg. media, humidity, temperature etc) ----- just as you'll come up with your system.

For your paph ...... just review (run through for yourself again later) lighting conditions, temperature range, humidity etc. If you can maintain some good growing conditions ------ then definitely try again.

Everybody had to begin and start somewhere.

Anyway - your orchid still has leaves ----- so might as well pot it and give it any chance it still might have to grow a root etc (regardless of what happens). Because you had started growing a paph ----- you're in the paph 'club' already.

[Ray]

Originally Posted by sii

I guess my efforts were unsuccessful. I made sure the media was always damp and didn't dry out and I kept it out of direct sun.
I also used a weak seaweed solution once a week - just sprayed it onto the medium near the root.

I don't think this is savageable. Roots are gone. Might have to toss in the towel on this one. It was my first lady slipper.

That is NOT a total loss in my book.

Get a bottle of KelpMax - no other - from C&C orchids in Hamilton. They have a Facebook store, I think.

Mix a 1:250 solution. 4ml/L or 1 Tbsp/gal. No more, no less. Use lukewarm water.

Immerse the entire plant in it for several hours.

Pot it up however you intend to grow it, and water it in with the KelpMax solution.

Invert a clear plastic bag over the plant and pot (don’t seal it) and keep it in a very warm, shaded location. When it needs to be watered, use the same concentration KelpMax solution.

In a few weeks it’ll sprout new roots. Once they have begun to grow into the medium, it is safe to remove the bag and treat it normally.

[SouthPark]

Excellent recommendation from Ray as usual. The bag will be to help the orchid not get dried out when it has no roots to get water.

Placing a clear bag over the top should do it. Also check out this vid here at 2 mins 26 seconds. But instead of sealing the whole bag ----- definitely do what Ray mentioned ----- leave enough gaps for a little air-flow or air-movement.

[sii]

Yes! I ordered it yesterday. Hopefully will arrive within 3 days. For now I’m just resting it on damp moss in a blueberry container, which has a seal. And away from the sun. Fingers crossed!

[Ray]

In the mean time, you should slip the bag over it, with the plant NOT in direct contact with the moist moss.

With a compromised root system, the plant has no way to efficiently take up moisture. It does, however, still lose it through transpiration. In the old “sphag-n-bag” method, the bag serves to maximize the humidity, slowing the loss from the plant, and the moss is only there to provide moisture for humidity.

[sii]

Ok are you saying that I should put damp moss in a plastic bag and place the plant on top so that it just comes in contact with the bottom?