Beallara Peggy Ruth Carpenter 'Morning Joy'

[athena]

My boyfriend recently purchased a Beallara Peggy Ruth Carpenter 'Morning Joy', but I am not exactly sure how to care for it. When he got it, it had two full blooms and one bud. One bloom has already fallen off, and the bud and other bloom look to be soon falling off. I am not sure if it is media it is in or the light or watering conditions that is making it do this. I've only just recently started with a cattleya and phalaenopsis and other unknown orchids. Any tips on how to care for this orchid would be great!

[betwixtimes]

Sometimes orchids go through bud blast, due to the stress of a new environmental conditions. Blooms/buds turn orange/red and fall off.

I would say to take some photos---generally then the more vigorous growers can look at the folliage and the root system and tell you what they think.

sometimes when an orchid comes home it's roots or medium is sub-par, and it should be repotted----that however can also cause the orchid to drop all it's blooms.

[athena]

[athena]

[masda]

If it has healthy leaves and roots then the plant is reacting to a change in it's environment, these orchids are cool growers and a sudden burst of warmer tempertures will cause flower drop, give it time to adjust to it's new home if there is no sign of rot rot or any other problem.

[athena]

If they are cool growers, I might also have it placed in the wrong room because the room it is in gets very warm in the morning hours.

[Ross]

Athena, how about this one or

As for care, mine sits directly in a south-facing widow (right up against the glass) and gets water/fertilizer every 3-4 days. In between times, I spray the top of the bark with pure water to encourage roots. Mine has 7 spikes right now. It is rarely out of spike/blossom. I use the 125ppm Nitrogen MSU mix as a every time fertilizer water mix. Mine is in medium fir-bark mix in a waterlily basket (9") because it is so big. The pictures above are from previous blooms. I will try to post a pic of this year's bloom.

[Ross]

Originally Posted by athena

If they are cool growers, I might also have it placed in the wrong room because the room it is in gets very warm in the morning hours.

Temperature is not an issue with this plant. Mine gets very warm and still blooms perfectly. If anything, high heat might make the blossoms last a bit shorter, but not less than a couple weeks.

[Ross]

Originally Posted by masda

If it has healthy leaves and roots then the plant is reacting to a change in it's environment, these orchids are cool growers and a sudden burst of warmer tempertures will cause flower drop, give it time to adjust to it's new home if there is no sign of rot rot or any other problem.

Athena, once this plant gets established, it will bloom on barely matured pseudobulbs. I mean "barely, as in immature". Leave the plant to get huge, for best flower display.

[camille1585]

Originally Posted by Ross

As for care, mine sits directly in a south-facing widow (right up against the glass) and gets water/fertilizer every 3-4 days. In between times, I spray the top of the bark with pure water to encourage roots. Mine has 7 spikes right now. It is rarely out of spike/blossom. I use the 125ppm Nitrogen MSU mix as a every time fertilizer water mix. Mine is in medium fir-bark mix in a waterlily basket (9") because it is so big. The pictures above are from previous blooms. I will try to post a pic of this year's bloom.

Ross, I was expecting that you were going to post, yours is so gorgeous! After I posted about mine (last November I think), I started treating it like you treat yours, with success. Mine also is right behind a south facing window, with 125ppm N every watering. I'm happy with mine, it has three new growths and so far a half grown spike. Can't wait for blooms!!

Athena, mine also dropped it's blooms prematurely when I got it. In my experience, I find the Onc hybrids more prone to bud blast then phals.