Dactylorhiza Foliorella browning, limp leaves

[Longroots]

I have this Foliorella which when it arrived was VERY healthy. This lives in a shady area, the soil is perlite and Coco coir I think, I've not repotted it, and it's been raining quite a lot recently. I'm worried it's overwatered but that seems weird as I know this orchid grows in marshy areas. I have occasionally fertalized it with a weak solution of rainmix.

[estación seca]

I've never grown this... but perhaps it got too much sun, maybe early morning or evening when the sun was coming in horizontally? Could it have dried out even once?

[Longroots]

I never saw your reply sorry.

I repotted it as the media concerned me. The roots are actually in great condition. I'm wondering if I've been feeding it enough... I don't think it's been the sun, it is getting very limited light, and the UK's sun is not that strong.

The flower bud still hasn't blasted either which confuses me even more as I'd expect that to be the first to go...

[estación seca]

Some American terrestrial orchids begin losing leaves as the inflorescence emerges. Are any of this plant's ancestors like that?

[Roberta]

Actually, this one is Dactylorhiza foliosa which is native to Madeira crossed with Dactylorhiza purpurella, which is native to Denmark, Great Britain, Norway and Ireland. So... the southern part would actually be naturally going dormant now, the northern part probably a little later. At any rate, the browning is just force of nature - it's what terrestrials do. Unlike the Mediterranean terrestrials, it probably needs moisture even after it goes dormant. But dormant it will be... will look like an empty, dead pot. But in the winter or early spring, the new growth will emerge. (Repotting now was not a good idea... ideal time is during dormancy - when you'll have a tuber, not necessarily much in the way of roots)

The pattern for these terrestrials is to grow leaves and build their strength as spring approaches. They'll bloom just before they go dormant. Once they bloom they'll use their energy to make seed if they get pollinated, then go to sleep, likely grow a new tuber which will hold them through the winter. I would suspect that it shouldn't get fertilizer any more until it's ready to grow again next winter. Damp but not soggy. When new growth starts, start fertilizing and increase the water.

[Herrania]

I've raised several species and hybrids of Dactylorhiza, including purpurella and Foliorella. It definitely shouldn't be losing leaves this early, not until it's done flowering. Dacs will try to get enough energy over the summer to not just grow a new tuber, but grow a second or even third if they're really happy. Repotting it this time of year wasn't great, but not flat out terrible depending on how much you stressed the roots. Early fall is the best, after it has died back but the new bulb(s) haven't activated yet.

I fertilize them about the amount I do other wild plants, a lot more than epiphytic orchids. It shouldn't be showing much difference this early though unless the soil has truly zero, or you'd been blasting it.

I'm thinking either you have water being held in the leaves or around the base, or it's a sun issue. Mine tend to do best in near unshielded morning sun with a fence blocking afternoon sun, generally marsh and open field plants get a lot more sun than expected.

[Longroots]

It's started to brown more. The leaves have been very wet as it's rained a lot recently. I'll move it to a sunnier spot though.

I was expecting my Cypripedium to be more difficult than my Dact, hopefully it muddles through the rest of summer!