Brassavola Nodosa shriveled leaves, over or underwatering?

[Roberta]

First, Welcome!

I think that you can increase the watering. Also, you'll want to secure the plant so that it doesn't move - if it wobbles while new roots are developing, they can be damaged (those growing tips are very fragile) and won' t grab on. It is growing almost like a mounted plant, which is great for this type, and so it's pretty impossible to overwater it. I think that if you're seeing shriveling, it's 'way under-watered. Roots look good.

[Birdieollie]

Roberta,
Thanks so much! That's exactly what I was hoping to hear-- that I can treat this orchid as if it were mounted, and water much more frequently. It's such a small amount of bark. Perhaps I'll try watering as it approaches dryness? Which I imagine would be every other day right now. Should I attempt to run a U shaped piece of coat hanger over the rhizome, to hopefully pin it down, and fold the ends under the basket? Or just tie the rhizome as flush to the surface of the basket as possible with twine? I attached some photos just for practice. See if I can get a more useful format. Thanks again.

[Roberta]

Go with the simplest approach for tying it down, that holds it firmly. If tying it does the job, that's easiest. The goal is no movement, no wobbling. Ideally, then, new roots will grab the basket. (The existing ones probably won't grab on, you want to give the new ones the best chance of doing that.

[Birdieollie]

Sounds like a plan! Thanks again.

[Birdieollie]

Hello! This brassavola little stars is my first and only basket-grown orchid, and I'm wondering if I should just move it to a plastic pot. It's been growing and blooming in this basket for three years, but it's never seemed super happy to me. It seems like the old leaves begin to shrivel as fast as new ones are produced. The roots have never made it out of the basket. I suspect that the roots have never developed much at all. This pieces sort of fell off in my hand the other day. I was thinking that it stays too dry, even with daily watering in the summer, so I stuffed a bit off moss in a few months ago. Should the roots have enveloped the basket after three years? It's outside in dappled shade in summer, gets good light in my kitchen over winter. Thanks for your help!

[Roberta]

How often do you water it (summer/winter)? Maybe remove enough of the medium (sphagnum?) and take a look at the roots. If they haven't grown, need to look at "why". Maybe adding a root stimulant like Kelpak to your regimen. I don't have B. Little Stars, but do grow B. nodosa, greenhouse in winter but outside the resst of the year. It was in a pot, but the roots grew mostly outside so I dropped the whoole thing in a plastic basket, which is now covered with roots. (doubt that there is anything in the pot any more, but there's no way to get it out without damaging roots) So For yours, a closer look is needed.

[Birdieollie]

I water it daily in the summer. Just hose it down. In winter I water it every few days when it's light. I started out with lousy miracle gro bark.. Sort of flaky sheets of bark. It's slowly getting less happy, so maybe better media would help. Maybe I should dig in there after it's done blooming.

[Roberta]

Originally Posted by Birdieollie

I water it daily in the summer. Just hose it down. In winter I water it every few days when it's light. I started out with lousy miracle gro bark.. Sort of flaky sheets of bark. It's slowly getting less happy, so maybe better media would help. Maybe I should dig in there after it's done blooming.

You'll want to take a look at those roots. These need lots of air around the roots, actually do quite well mounted.
So for these, no medium is better than bad medium. I would suggest keeping it in that wood basket, but replace the medium with large bark or somthing inorganic like volcanic rock. Sounds like your watering schedule should keep it happy with a medium that doesn't do much except hold the plant and supply some surface area for water to cling to.

[Birdieollie]

That's great advice, thanks Roberta! I'll do that.