Phalaenopsis

[sunshines]

Hi everyone!

I have 8 orchids different kinds (phalaenopsis, dendrobium, cattleya) and been doing in 2 years. Now I have problem with my orchids. 2 phalaenopsises their leaves are wrinkle and soft. I take care all of my orchids the same way. Usually I check and see when they dry I soak them about 1 time/week with fertilization and spray them like dew every morning. The ones getting weak I repoted them about 10 moths ago so should I do repot them again.

Others are doing good, some bloom and some is very healthy. Before I have some died when we moved from Maryland to Las Cruces NM. Now I don't want to see them die anymore I feel like I kill them. If somebody have experience please help me.

Million thanks.

Hien

[justatypn]

It sounds to me you might need to take your beauties and give them a good soaking, getting the bark thoroughly moist. This will do a few things...giving the so needed watering, flushing any ka-ka that has gathered within the medium. I would also recommend taking and cutting in half a wooden skewer placing it into the media and take it out when you feel it's time to give your phals a drink and if the skewer is damp its not time to water...great way to regulate the moisture. Good luck

[let_it_grow]

If you are spraying your Phals daily you may be getting water in the crown which can cause rot.

[jkofferdahl]

What you describe - and it's hard to say for sure without pictures - sounds to me like they want water. What did you pot the two Phals in? Some potting media hold water better than others - sphagnum moss holds it seemingly forever, while bark, especially fresh bark, can dry quickly. And bark will dry even more quickly if it isn't soaked for about 24 hours before use.

Soft, wrinkly leaves often indicate that they are starving for water. How does the medium look? If it is really wet you might have some root rot, and the loss of root can be harmful. But if it's too dry, the plants will also get thirsty. Either way the plant becomes parched.

Dig in and see how the medium looks. My hope is that it is too dry, in which case you just need to soak the plants well and then watch them more closely to monitor their watering needs.

Good luck!

[sunshines]

Thanks Cherry. You gave me good idea I will do it right now. I used to check it by my finger.

If bark is not good it effects the growth of orchid? I bought the bark it has dust and stone. I use two things bark in bottom and little sphanum moss put on top.

I have a Cattleya it looks very healthy it give big leaves thick & green and it keep growing new leaf & root but not bloom a year. So should it need more sun?

Can you give the advice.

Thanks

[Lagoon]

Catts need alot more light then phals to bloom. So, it could be the lighting factor - its possible you're catt in not mature enough to bloom also.

What kinda catt is it - how large are the pseudobulbs?

Could you please let us know where in the US you're growing

[flyfishdoc]

I have a phal that had limp wrinkled leaves and was dark green. I began watering it daily, but it was not until I put it under stronger light (I changed the window to south) that it started to get stiffer leaves. A picture would certainly help, but it may need more watering and more sun

[sunshines]

I am born and rise in Vietnam, I just live in US 3 years. In Vietnam we have some exotic orchids I 've never seen it in US.

[Ray]

When a plant shows signs of insufficient watering, we must keep in mind that there are two, totally distinct ways that could happen: either the plant is simply not getting enough water, or the roots are in such bad shape that it cannot take up water, no matter what.

As that phal has been around for 10 months, I's unpot it and take a look at the roots.

[sunshines]

I really don't know what kind of cattleya its pseudobuld is as large as finger. I moved them someplace to get more sun and see what happen.