Dryadella Zebrina help, please - Orchid Board

VickiC · #1 03-18-2009, 12:13 PM

Hi,
Can someone please tell me what I am doing wrong? I have had a Dryadella Zebrina in a 2" pot for several months. When I rec'd it, I repotted it from 100% sphag to fresh New Zealand sphag that day. It has looked very healthy since then, but I have seen no signs that it is progressing, so certainly no blooms or anything that has resembled a bloom. I realize that it's a mini, so I assume it's size will continue to stay small. I unpotted it this morn. to look at it's root system. They seem dry and rather stiff, but I have not watered it today. How do you think they look...good or bad? pics. attached.

It's growing conditions are:
*it's living in my Exo Terra tank
*light is approx. 700-1000 fc
*humidity is approx. 75-90%
*daytime temp. ranges from about 80-85 degrees...maybe a slight bit cooler sometimes
*I water it every other day and I mist it daily, so it stays relatively moist most all of the time.

Do any of these conditions need to be changed?

If I've left out anything, please let me know. I would appreciate all help that you can give me.
Thanks in advance,
Vicki

RosieC · #2 03-18-2009, 07:00 PM

The roots do look rather dry, but then I don't know about Dryadella so this may be normal.

Hopefully someone who knows Dryadella better will be able to chime in.

VickiC · #3 03-18-2009, 07:48 PM

Hi Rosie,
After I posted my question earlier today, I decided to mist the roots.....I just couldn't stand seeing them laying there on the desk so dry-looking. I also moistened the sphag that the orchid was potted in and layed the roots on top of it until someone here on OB told me what to do next. Seems like they turned a tad light green when damp, but very little. Like you said, that may be normal....but I hope to find out from other members.

Anyway, I just thought I'd clue you in and tell you thanks for replying.
Vicki

Quote:

Originally Posted by RosieC

The roots do look rather dry, but then I don't know about Dryadella so this may be normal.

Hopefully someone who knows Dryadella better will be able to chime in.

King_of_orchid_growing:) · #4 03-19-2009, 02:52 AM

With the conditions you have them growing in, I recommend trying mounting them onto a stick. Take a bite out of Andy's (from Andy's Orchids) book. It may solve the problem of drying out your plant's roots while not overwatering.

King_of_orchid_growing:) · #5 03-19-2009, 02:55 AM

If you decide to mount, take it easy with the moss, use just enough to cover the roots. Too much moss covering the roots is similiar to potting them and overwatering.

BTW I highly recommend a jeweler's loupe. I can't tell you how much my 10x loupe has changed the way I grow the micro-miniatures in my current collection.

Bolero · #6 03-19-2009, 03:31 AM

They shouldn't need to be mounted to get them to grow well but it might help. I found that with mine it grew really well and had healthy roots until I repotted and then it went backwards really quickly. They don't seem to like it too much.

The roots do look dry, was the sphagnum moist that you had them potted in previously? Don't leave them sitting out in the open air dry like that for to long.

kavanaru · #7 03-19-2009, 03:32 AM

I agree that teh roots look too dry... as for your conditions, it is more or less the sam econditions I have my Dryadellas, and it should work fin efor zebrina too.. however, I would not grow it in spahgnum, but on bark and water daily until the plant feel good... mounted is also fine, teh best if you have a piece of wood with living moss in the orchidarium...

Bolero · #8 03-19-2009, 03:43 AM

Interesting, I know nurseries and growers (many of them) that use Sphagnum and it usually works well.

I guess it depends on your other conditions as well.

VickiC · #9 03-19-2009, 05:47 PM

Thanks for your help, everyone.....

KING-I tried mounting it, but I just couldn't get the hang of it.....especially with fishing line, and on a mini at that, so I gave up and just repotted it. I decided it might not be a good idea for me to take the chance of disturbing the roots more by practicing over and over since I wasn't very good at mounting. I do have a jeweler's loupe.....actually it belongs to my husband.....he used to use it on circuit boards, etc.

BOLERO-I thought about what you said.....that your orchid went backwards quickly after you repotted, so that's one reason why I decided not to keep on trying to mount it. Also, to answer your questions: yes, the roots seemed rather dry....but like I said, I hadn't watered the plant for the day yet. That still confused me, though, because I really thought I was keeping it moist by watering it and misting it so often. As for it sitting out with the roots exposed to open air, I didn't leave it that way long....I covered them with damp sphag....the sphag that it had been potted in. I kept it that way all night.

RAMON-I misted the roots this morn., then looked at them better with the loupe that King mentioned. They were juuuust a tinge of pale-isgh green after they were damp. Maybe not enough, though.....I just can't remember how they looked back when I repotted the orchid after I rec'd it from Andy's a few months ago. I'm going to look back at your gallery to see if you have a photo there that I can compare the roots to. Also, when I repotted it today, I used about 90% sphag mixed with just a few fine pieces of bark. By the way, I read here on OB one time about living moss, and I'm gonna try it sometime.

There's one thing that I failed to ask all of you.....I'm not clear on fertilizer. I have been watering it with the same water I used for my other orchid.....distilled and MSU fert. for pure water. My Dracula doesn't like much fert. at all.....almost none, in fact.....the leaf tips turned brown really fast when it got more than it wanted. I don't know about my Dryadella.....I've not noticed any signs from it that I was feeding it too much, but on the other hand, I'm wondering if that may possibly be the reason for it's "growing stand-still". ?? If anyone has any advice for me about that, I would appreciate it. If you don't have the time though, I'll understand.....you've already been kind by replying to my initial question.

Vicki

Thanks again for your help, everyone.....
Vicki

King_of_orchid_growing:) · #10 03-19-2009, 10:39 PM

Usually one of the signs of over fertilization in certain Pleuros would be leaf droppage. In the case of your Dryadella, I'd assume that instead of leaf tip burn, like your Draculas are experiencing, they would just drop leaves very rapidly.

Certain Pleuros can tolerate more dissolved salts better than others. For example, I know this is very risky and really shouldn't be attempted at all, but I can water my Pleurothallis restrepioides with tap water without any ill effects occurring to the plant.

Generally speaking though, if your Draculas are burning from over fertilization, I recommend you follow the same fertilization regimen for your Dryadella that you think is appropriate for your Draculas.