Very sick looking new chids - Orchid Board

Narnia · #1 07-22-2009, 10:26 PM

So, I think I made a mistake. I keep reading horror stories about orchids bought on ebay, but I apparently don't learn from other's mistakes. In my defense, the seller had 100% positive score, so it seemed safe.

Anyways, I bought 3 Oncidium Sharry Baby 'sweet fragrance' (I knew they were out of bloom, so my idea was to get them all to bloom and give two away as gifts. Nice idea, right?) and received 4 of some of the saddest looking orchids I could have imagined. I'm kind of at a loss for what to do for them other than soak them periodically in a diluted KLN/orchid food solution and hope for the best. The seller recommended planting them in a 4 inch pot so I ordered some of those, but now looking at them, I'm thinking more like a 2" pot which of course I don't have. Will any of these p-bulbs plump back up or am I going to have to nurse these poor things back from the grave?

Also, what does disease look like? I'm keeping them separate, but if they look sick, I want my money back. I'm not going to risk infecting my other plants.

Any suggestions, scoldings, etc?

I'm so sad I just may have to go buy myself a blooming orchid just for therapy.

Zoi2 · #2 07-22-2009, 10:46 PM

Have you soaked the roots yet? Sometimes the ebay vendors really dry them out before shipping so the wet won't cause rot or a fungus.
Joann

Narnia · #3 07-22-2009, 10:50 PM

Yes, I soaked them in a KLN/weak fertilizer solution once this morning and once this afternoon when they dried up again. Barely any roots turned green. Do they look like a normal sort of dry to you? to me they look like they haven't been watered in weeks but I'm really new to this and I only have one other Onc.

Zoi2 · #4 07-22-2009, 11:08 PM

No, that doesn't look like normal dry, they don't look like they've been watered in a long time to me. Keeping them in water with a bit of KLN (water culture) might be the best way to get some good roots on these, then you can pot in the regular medium you use.
Joann

Narnia · #5 07-22-2009, 11:11 PM

What's usually the best way to keep the roots submerged, but not the foliage? Any tips?

Becca · #6 07-22-2009, 11:11 PM

I would contact the seller immediately and send them the pictures and ask for a refund! They may want you to send them back, and if I were you, I would!

s.kallima · #7 07-22-2009, 11:18 PM

Narnia,

Your plants look in a bad shape, but I would not say desperate... On the first photo, we can see that all 4 have young pseudobulbs growing from the side of the old ones (it is the ones without wrinkles and still flat, the detail on photo 5 shows a psb from this season).
You have to look at the base of these new psb because some new roots should be coming out at that stage, but they may be hidden in the dry parts.
As for the sick looking leaves, they are located on the old pseudobulbs, and they are most likely bacterial infection but not a but not a big problem (I don't remember seeing an old oncidium without these spots...)

I would cut all the dead roots (hollow or black and soft) and put the plants in your 4" pots with your compost and cover with a transparent plastic bag with a few holes to increase humidity and keep the soil slightly moist. Roots on the young psb should come out soon...

Narnia · #8 07-22-2009, 11:29 PM

I contacted the seller to tell her that at this point I cannot give her good feedback based on what she has sent me. We'll see what she says. It seems weird that she has 100% positive feedback and then sent these sad looking plants. If she doesn't offer a refund, c'est la vie, and I will take your suggestion and try and pot them or water culture them and hope for the best.

Ebay is such a crapshoot

s.kallima · #9 07-22-2009, 11:47 PM

I rarely found good prices on ebay orchids, I always get my plants from nurseries or online orchid specialists (there are some really good ones in the US , too few in Canada unfortunately) and the prices are not so different, plus you have the service, the guaranty and the phone to talk to them in case of problem!
Have you checked with the Portland orchid society, I read they often have some really good sales (through the orchidmall : http://www.orchidmall.com/general/unclasfd.htm)

Zoi2 · #10 07-22-2009, 11:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Narnia

What's usually the best way to keep the roots submerged, but not the foliage? Any tips?

Just use a clear glass or plastic glass-I use cut down soda pop bottles. Put enough water in the bottom of the pot to just cover the roots. You may have to stake the plant to keep it straight.
http://www.orchidboard.com/community...r-culture.html
This is a great thread for water culture.
Joann