Yellowing Leaves & Black Spots on Tolumnias

[lelani]

Hi everyone! I’ve been trying to figure out what is happening to my tolumnias. I bought them together a several weeks ago. One of them is experiencing root/leaf growth but has tiny black spots on its leaves. Is this a cause for concern?

The other tolumnia is steadily turning yellow. It looks like it’s dying, no root growth but has some new leaves forming. Why would it turn yellow like this? Am I going to lose it?

I have them under a grow light about 6 inches below it for 12 hrs a day. I allow it to get dry before waterings. It stays between 20C - 25C. Any thoughts?

[estación seca]

Daryl Venable of Tezula Plants Speaks on Tolumnias

[Roberta]

The one with black spots should be fine... just keep an eye on it. The one with the yellow leaves, as long as you have new growth it should be fine. A few weeks is nothing in the life of an orchid for things like root-growth. So give it time. It has had a change of environment, may be reacting to that.

[SouthPark]

Originally Posted by lelani

It looks like it’s dying, no root growth but has some new leaves forming. Why would it turn yellow like this? Am I going to lose it?

I have them under a grow light about 6 inches below it for 12 hrs a day. I allow it to get dry before waterings. It stays between 20C - 25C. Any thoughts?

New leaf growth is good. Any nice gentle air-movement in the growing area?

Also consider whether the roots buried within the media are getting too wet and soggy for too long a time period. And also consider whether using a decorative (outer) pot can get in the way of air movement through the media and pot and around roots.

If you had two of these plants come in through the post, and if you had potted them up in the same way (with the bark) - and no decorative outer pot used ------- and if you then water one of the plants as you do now, and then if you water the other plant by only injecting water into the media toward rim of the pot (and leaving the inner portion lightly damp) ---- then it would be very interesting to see if the yellowing would occur on both plants. This is also assuming the pots are good drainage --- and those nice temperature and lighting conditions are maintained. And very gentle air-movement is provided for leaves, stem - that also passes through the media - gently. And keeping leaves and stem dry as possible.

[estación seca]

I don't know many people who have been successful growing them in bark. I've read it's possible. People here grow them sitting bare-root in empty clay pots; in clay pots with LECA; and mounted, with no moss, the way Daryl talks about in the lecture notes.

They need to dry out quickly after watering or they are at risk of rot. They often need to be watered several times a day unless in a very humid environment. Daryl said they should have so much air movement the leaves are always swaying - not gently moving, swaying. Of course, he grows in a very humid area.

[Dollythehun]

I grow them successfully in small bark and clay pots. They bloom like champs.

[lelani]

Hi everyone!

All your input and advice has been greatly appreciated! From that, I will make some adjustments even though I'm not sure I can save this little guy.

Since it has not taken well to the bark as the other has I will try to mount it and see what happens. At this point, I cannot leave it in its current state. I will have to look up how to do this properly and without the use of moss as I've only ever seen it done with moss and with an already healthy root system. Mine doesn't have much to go on.

I will keep an eye on the one that is doing well with the black spots. As a new orchid grower anything that looks off to me (whatever my newbie mind might consider off which is probably many things!) will have me questioning if something is wrong even though it could potentially be nothing at all.

I agree that it is probably root rot and that it is probably a bit too low in the medium. I have taken it out of the medium and set it inside a net pot until I get it mounted. I lost another of its leaves yesterday and I think the ones that are yellow (which is most of them) and still attached will fall off soon too. I feel like there is hope since there are two new sets of leaves growing out of it.

For airflow, I do have fans on but probably where I placed it was not getting enough of a breeze. I have moved them closer to a fan and now they are moving with the air. I have taken both out of their decorative pots.

I hope these changes will help bring it back.

Thanks, everyone for all your advice!