Brassia orchid leaves turning yellow

[kparrish80]

So I’ve been growing phalenopsis orchid for a while now. I got a brassia in the May. It had just finished blooming and dropped flowers when I got it. So no spikes just leaves. It started to barely turning yellow. I was worried about its roots so I repotted it. The root system was horrible. I removed a lot of the roots. It now has been repotted for a month. Watering once a week and fertilizing 3 times out of 4 weeks. It has continued to yellow and droop. The other leaves seem ok. I’m now worried about spread. Should I remove those leaves and if so how.

Kristin

The last photo you can barely see it. But that was right after I got it.

[estación seca]

Welcome to the Orchid Board! Sorry it took a while to respond.

Brassias are in a large group of genera related to Oncidiums. There are a lot of species and hybrids people grow. The hybrids are often referred to as "Oncidium intergenerics" no matter what the ancestor species.

Most take similar growing conditions, with a few variations, depending on their ancestor species. Oncidium relatives don't want to dry out at all. They should be kept evenly moist. They will survive drying out for some time, but the plants don't look good, and new growth will develop pleats across the leaves as they form. Most do well at typical household temperatures, with a few prefer being kept cooler, and some warmer.

Most people buy them in flower. Their normal growth pattern is to begin making growth from the base of the newest pseudobulbs. This happens sometimes while the old pseudobulb is flowering. More often the new growth forms not long after the flowers fade.

New roots form only on the newest growth. This sometimes happens soon after the new shoot is visible, but sometimes it takes longer.

The time to repot is when new roots are just forming on the newest growth. They should be no more than a millimeter or two long. If longer they may be damaged during repotting, and may stop growing.

Oncidiums have fine diameter roots that are somewhat easily damaged. Whenever repotted they will have significant damage to at least some roots. If repotted while making new roots, the new roots will quickly grow and be able to take up plenty of water. If repotted at the wrong time, however, it may be months before the plant makes new roots. It might have a hard time taking up water.

I suspect this happened with your plant. It doesn't look as though the plant was making new roots. When you repotted a lot of the roots were damaged. I never cut off any roots because it's impossible to be sure of which are dead. Old but living Oncidium roots are tan and may feel papery, but they can still absorb water. When many roots are cut off it's even harder for the plant to absorb enough water.

Your job is to keep the plant alive until it begins making new growth and new roots. Once it makes new roots it will take off growing again. Fortunately Brassias are very vigorous plants that can take a lot of abuse, so I think your plant will survive.

Keep it evenly moist at all times. I wouldn't bother with fertilizer until it makes new growth. Keep it in moderate temperatures, and very bright shade. Brassias like more light than most other Oncidium relatives, but a plant with poor roots shouldn't get much sun, which can dry it out faster.

Let us know how it grows.

[Kittyfrex]

Your specific problems seems to be either too much water, or too little light. From my experience, all oncidium related orchids do like at least some more light than an average phal.

Also, when you keep a plant in a darker place, it will tend to lose water far slower than one in bright light, where it uses a ton of it.

From what i see, the leafs are wilting, not crisping, and the rest are a vibrant dark green - a wrong color. My Brassias have leaves that are much paler and stiffer looking, as well as multitudes of new growth.

Another thing - that is WAY WAY WAY too much fertilizing and watering for an orchid that isn't growing. Stop for a while, let the baby roots develop; there's nothing there to absorb all of it if you had to remove lots of dead ones.

In short, try the following - put it in a place with great light, such as directly onto an eastern/western window, or behind a courtain of a southern one. Let it almost completly dry out, and then resume watering but only ever when it is just barely moist; do not overwter. And you can comfortably cut down the fertilizer to once a month (i certainly hope you were dilluting it all this time).

A side note - if it's Brassia rex, then you'll have a hard time reblooming it. I have three, never rebloomed, and have been told that specific Brassia is notoriously stubborn to rebloom in many places. I also have oncidiums and hybrids labeled odontoglossum/cambria, as well as have killed milltonias in the past. Together with Brassia, they all do well in very high light, kept just barely wet.
P.S. If you do have a Brassia rex, keep it cool and dry during the winter. I am talking real cool; mine have overwintered outside at 4 degrees celsius and seem better than ever.

Hope some of it helps.