Neo keiki leaf browning, roots are a little dry - Orchid Board

alecStewart1 · #1 10-31-2023, 12:33 PM

Hey gang,

So I inspected my Nishidemiyako last night and I noticed a few things that made me raise an eyebrow.

As you'll see in the pictures, the little keiki has a leaf that turned brown. Not sure why, as I haven't watered the plants in a minute since it's getting colder.

The other pictures you can see the roots look kind of dried out. Yes, they're brown but they aren't mushy like it's rot, and, again I haven't water it in quite some time as I've been told to keep it's medium dry during the cooler seasons.

The plants stay in the cabinet under light where the T5 lights are roughly 2 - 2 1/2 feet away from the plant, and day time humidity is around 80% RH. The moss doesn't ever feel like it's gotten wet under this humidity whenever I've checked it once I get home from work. At night I take it out of the cabinet as I turn up the humidity to 95% for some of the Nepenthes I have, and it would definitely get wet and cold if I left it in the cabinet overnight.

Should I go ahead and water just a smidge, do any special treatment, or is everything looking normal?

Roberta · #2 10-31-2023, 12:54 PM

Water it. It definitely needs to work on getting a new root system. That should be your first priority. Mine don't dry out at all, get winter chill, and grow quite well. (I grow my Neos in baskets so they dry between waterings)

alecStewart1 · #3 10-31-2023, 12:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Roberta

Water it. It definitely needs to work on getting a new root system. That should be your first priority.

Would using some of the kelpak I got from Ray be useful here?

Roberta · #4 10-31-2023, 01:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alecStewart1

Would using some of the kelpak I got from Ray be useful here?

Absolutely.

alecStewart1 · #5 10-31-2023, 02:16 PM

Alright, went and watered the little dudes on my lunch break with some Kelpak that was diluted in very low PPM water.

I'll let the moss dry out completely before watering with the solution again.

Roberta · #6 10-31-2023, 02:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alecStewart1

Alright, went and watered the little dudes on my lunch break with some Kelpak that was diluted in very low PPM water.

I'll let the moss dry out completely before watering with the solution again.

I would not let the moss get crunchy. Wait until barely damp, then water. When it dries out completely, it sheds water and takes more aggressive watering to rehydrate it.

alecStewart1 · #7 10-31-2023, 02:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Roberta

When it dries out completely, it sheds water and takes more aggressive watering to rehydrate it.

Ah okay. Well luckily I gave it a really good watering with the diluted kelpak water and made sure to get some of it on the actual keiki as well, since it really doesn't have it's own roots yet. I'll watch more for when the moss is looking dry.

It's also in a decently humid spot during the day, so at least during the day it won't dry out too quick.

Roberta · #8 10-31-2023, 02:30 PM

Drying is fine - desirable. Just not to the point that you can't easily rewet it. Neos are little Vandas... need watering pretty much like any Vanda, air around the roots critical. Unlike other Vandas, of course, much more cold-tolerant, Japan is a whole lot different than the Philippines.

alecStewart1 · #9 10-31-2023, 02:52 PM

Hmm okay. I didn't have issues getting the moss rewet, so that's good. It still got too crispy, though.

I think the more I look into other orchids, it seems the Japanese/Northeast Asian ones would do fine here in North Texas. Summers are really hot, winters can get pretty chilly (we just had a freezing warning last night).

According the Kristen at New World Orchids, it seems Dendrobium moniliforme and Asian Cymbidiums would do well up here as well. The Cymbidiums want hot summers under the shade of a tree, and Dendrobium moniliforme are hot to cold growers.

Some Catts might do fine here, too. But baby steps. I like the Neos lot anyway.

Roberta · #10 10-31-2023, 03:12 PM

You can probably do fine with any Cyms. In fact, I'd suggest that you start with regular Cymbidium hybrids - relatively inexpensive and not that hard to find. And pretty close to bulletproof (temperature range about 28 deg F to 110 deg F, just a bit of summer shade). Keep on the damp side. I have found the Asian Cyms to be touchier, not as forgiving. (Some like Cym ensifolium and sinense don't like cold, and others like goeringii don't like heat)