Wanting to learn about Zygopetalum. Got some blacks spots and tons of roots. - Orchid Board

Pookiewillis · #1 Yesterday, 06:47 PM

Hi.
This is my first of hopefully many posts and discussions here.
Zygopetalum Debbie De Mello 'Honolulu baby' is the variety. I live in in a 10a hardiness zone in a med. density urban environment. The orchid is on my desk at an East facing window.
The orchid is doing fine right now except for some black spots on some of the new growth. I was misting them every other day and had stopped when these spots started After reading through the some of the posts, I'm still a bit unsure what to think.

It just finished its flower a couple weeks ago and I am considering up potting into something else (if it needs it). If its time, I'd also like to learn how to make some homemade orchid potting media; I really would rather not buy them and enjoy foraging for things.

What would also really help me is if anyone else could share their experience with this cultivar and a bit about the conditions they really thrive in...

Here are some images:
Flickr
Flickr
Flickr

Thanks!

estación seca · #2 Yesterday, 07:43 PM

Welcome to the Orchid Board! That is a beauty.

Zygos. need pure water (rain, reverse osmosis or distilled.) They need to stay continually moist without ever drying out. Neither should they remain soggy wet.

Misting doesn't help; most orchids can't absorb water through leaves.

They need lower temperatures than most orchids. They want to be under 70 F / 21C at night. They struggle when it's warmer.

They are known for black spots on the leaves. That is related to water with too-high mineral content and/or too high temperatures.

It is definitely ready for repotting. Do not disturb those roots; drop the root ball into the new container and backfill.

Most people find they do best in fine bark mixtures, or pure sphagnum moss. The problem with found potting media is finding something water retentive that still provides a lot of aeration. If I were determined not to buy something for a potting mix, I would consider leaf litter scraped off the ground under deciduous trees. However, that might have numerous fungal spores, and also might compact fast, suffocating the roots.

Keysguy · #3 Yesterday, 08:17 PM

I have a Debbie DeMello cross that won best in show at the Key West show last year. All it got this year was a blue. A) it only had 1 spike and B) it was the only Zygo.

Off the top of my head I'm not sure where 10a is but that would be irrelevant as it sounds like you are growing indoors on a windowsill. The one caution I would offer is that, like most orchids, if the temp gets to 55 or below they do NOT like to be wet so if you are faced with that situation at any time, they are fine dry for a few days and will be better for it than if the pot is wet.

Yes, I grow Zygo's in the Keys. I have a few warmth tolerant ones that do OK here but with Debbie I cheat. It goes back north to NH every year for the summer because I know it would not like it here in the Keys in the summer AT ALL!

Here is a picture from last year.

My Green Pets · #4 Yesterday, 09:14 PM

Following...I just got a Z. mackayi and am keeping it in my cool tent...70F days and 60F nights. RO water and sphagnum mixed with bark in an aircone pot. I sprinkled a few Osmocote pellets around to give it some food. We will see what it does. Looking forward to those wonderfully fragrant flowers some day.

rbarata · #5 Today, 12:47 PM

I have only one Zigo, it's a NoID.
In summer I grow it as it should not be grown: sometimes low on water and temps frequently above 40ºC (104 F). It's always outdoors. It doesn't always blooms but this year it gave me a really good spike.
It's in a mix of medium size bark+LECA+Coco chips.