Odontocidium Tiger Crow 'Golden Girl' with leaves turning yellow

[quiltergal]

Niki, the Onc alliance plants are more forgiving about being moved to S/H that say Phals in my experience. S/H is great because you just can't over water, but at the same time you always know when it IS time to water. The two I moved to S/H are doing fine. I did wait for new root growth (learned my lesson the hard way there), and the new growth on both is phenomenal. That said some of the older bulbs are looking pretty funky, all wrinkly etc. I think what is happening, with one anyway, is the old roots under the old pbulbs are rotting and that is why the bulbs are getting crinkly. The new growth is also sending out new roots, so the plant isn't in danger of dying. The Odcdm. Wild Cat 'Carmela' looks great, no wrinklies. The Vulys. Ensan Fantasy old growth doesn't look so great but the new growth is huge! You can almost hear them slurping water out of the reservoir.

I don't want to talk you out of S/H. It is an ingenious method.....just pick a plant that wasn't expensive and won't make you cry if it dies. If you can get the plant through the adjustment period I think you'll like it.

[Niki]

Originally Posted by quiltergal

The two I moved to S/H are doing fine. I did wait for new root growth (learned my lesson the hard way there), and the new growth on both is phenomenal. That said some of the older bulbs are looking pretty funky, all wrinkly etc.

I don't want to talk you out of S/H. It is an ingenious method.....just pick a plant that wasn't expensive and won't make you cry if it dies. If you can get the plant through the adjustment period I think you'll like it.

When you waited for new growth, did you just check your pot (or if it was clear, watch the sides) to see when new root growth was occuring and then move it? (I'm assuming by "new growth" evreyone means new root grown, and not new pbulb growth...).

I think I'll move them all to new bark/CHC/charcol and get them in better condition, and then move them to S/H later. I'd love to move them to S/H in a month or two if new growth is occuring. Do you think this is too soon to disturb the roots?

I've heard (from Ross, I think) that the old pbulds are supposed to get wrinkly and dried up over time as the plant sucks nutrients out of it...don't have a clue if that's what's happening on yours, or if it is S/H related root rot.

Thanks for all your help!

Niki

[quiltergal]

When we talk about new root growth we mean newly emerging roots that haven't touched any medium yet. You'll see them emerging from the base of your new growth and sometimes from an old growth.

If you are going to repot into CHC now I would wait until next spring to move them to S/H. 3 months is too short a period to be disturbing the roots again. JMO. Your theory is good though. A move to S/H will be much easier if you start with a healthy plant to begin with.

[Niki]

Originally Posted by quiltergal

When we talk about new root growth we mean newly emerging roots that haven't touched any medium yet. You'll see them emerging from the base of your new growth and sometimes from an old growth.

A move to S/H will be much easier if you start with a healthy plant to begin with.

Okay, so I walked into my bathroom, to find one of the leaves on my new pseudo blubs bent. And, turning black where it bent. Plus, there’s what looks a like a new leaf growing out of the center and it’s also black (but was always this color). Will this eventually turn green, or is the black color indication that it’s dying? And what’s up with the leaf suddenly bending over (not due to cat, as she has been locked out of this room since the last incident). In the first picture, I am pointing to the bent leaf and black leaf.


Also, I gently pulled the plant out of it’s pot (which someone on the board recc) and looked at the roots. I have several view (side, bottom, and top). To my untrained eye, they look to be in very good shape, but crowded. The bark looks good...no mushy, rotting areas. From how crowded it is, would you all agree it’s time to repot?

Are the roots shown in the top view new growth? I can't really tell. Note that the roots you see in the top view are a little misleading as I took the picture after I pulled the plant out. But, before I pulled the plant out, I could see a lot of roots. I'm hoping this picture is enough for those of you with a trained eye to tell me if now would be an okay time to move to S/H.

I’m going to the orchid place tomorrow where I’ll have to choose between using bark vs. Aliflor (the only S/H I can get locally). I like the idea of S/H, but don’t know if my new growth is enough. Since either method requires at 24 hour soak before repotting, should I push the plant a bit more into the pot (to reduce air pockets) so that it's well packed until I repot?

Also, if I can't find Dyno-Gro KLN Root grow at my local place, what would you recc. using in it's place? As for fertilizer. If I can't find MSU fert or Dyno-Gro Grow, what should I use?

Also what size pot should I use for S/H? What size if I go with barK?

Thank you!

Niki

[Niki]

Here's one more close up of the black leaf...it's a better close-up of the new interior of the new pbulb's black leaf.

[quiltergal]

Oooh that black leaf on the new growth isn't good. Did you get some water inside the new growth when you were watering? Looks like rot to me, but it's kind of hard to tell. Sprinkle a little cinnamon on that area and wait a few days.

That medium is done. I couldn't see any new root growth from your pictures. The most likely place to see new roots is under the new growth. Usually old bulbs don't grow new roots.

I ordered the starter kit from Ray online. It comes with everything you need including PrimeAgra, pots, KLN, and fert. Shipping isn't that bad. I've since ordered a bigger tub of both types of MSU fert, more PrimeAgra and pots.

Product Listing - Semi-Hydroponics Starter Kit

[Niki]

Originally Posted by quiltergal

That medium is done. I couldn't see any new root growth from your pictures. The most likely place to see new roots is under the new growth. Usually old bulbs don't grow new roots.

Is the medium done because the pot is too crowded, or because it looks like it's in bad shape? (Just trying to learn what to look for in the future).

Since you don't see any new growth, would you suggest I repot in traditional media and wait until next spring to repot?

I will try sprinkling cinnamon on the dead spot and wish for the best.

If it is rot, will it recover, or will I lose this pbulb? If it doesn't recover, should I pull the rotted part off?

Niki

[Niki]

Because everyone says I should repot my Phals, I am going to. And since I want to try S/H, I'm going to try moving them to S/H and hope for the best.

As for my Onc, people have said that the "medium is done' and I'm a bit nervous about leaving it in the pot since when I lifted it up, some medium fell out and now I'm concerned that there may be air pockets in it.

Plus, I seem to be having difficult with the onc in it's current medium (the rot in my new growth being a great indicator of this).

So, I am also going to try moving that to S/H tomorrow.

Wish me luck, I think I'll need it. At this point, I'm just trying to save my Onc. I bought pics of it into the only orchid grower in my area (he also does S/H) and he said he thinks I should be able to save it. He's moved Onc. to S/H when the roots look like mine with sucess, so I'm going to move it now because I'm nervous about it getting worse. (due to air pockets I may have introduced in the old medium, etc). If the plant were doing well, but had no new growth, I'd move it when the new growth started). But, I feel like each week that goes by, this particular plant gets worse.

So wish me luck

Niki

[quiltergal]

I'm sure it will be just fine. I'd cut that new leaf off that has rot just to be safe. It could spread to the rest of the bulb if you don't.

What size pot is your Onc. in now? If you can't find any DynaGro products including KLN look for Superthrive. It has one of the two active ingredients in KLN plus some B vitamins. The only fert I've used is either DynaGro Grow or MSU. Can't help you there.

The medium looks "done", used up, because it looks really dark and crumbly to me. Nice fresh bark will be light colored, chunky and not have any "dirt" in it. "Dirt" being the decomposed bark crumblies. The crumblies fill in the air pockets and eventually suffocate the roots.

[Niki]

And so the Saga continues.

Today I go and check on my plant (I put cinnamon on it late last night per Terri's recc) and what do I find???

That the two small pbulbs are completely and totally squishy.

Bad, bad, bad!!

As instructed in another thread, I tried to cut the rot out, but the root went all the way down to the roots. So I cut the plant in half (cutting away all the roots that were rooted and the rotted bulb) and pulled out the interior that was rotted.

In that other thread, the person mentioned the bulbs had always looked a bit purple. I remember asking the lady at the orchid store about this when I purchased, and she said it was normal. but the plant has been doing poorly since I purchased and had been bothering me.

To make a long story short, I looked up when I bought the plant. turns out it was three weeks ago (I thought it was six). It's still under warrenty, so I returned it and got another.

They only had phals and two onc. maxillaria tenufolia, so i got that one. I'll post pictures later...i want all your advice about if my new plant is in good condition or not.

Niki