Dendrobium Flowers look poor/ unhealthy

[stefpix]

Somebody should sue Miracle Grow for selling potting soil labeled as "Orchid Mix". Deceptive marketing.

Maybe good for Bletillas and Spathoglottis and terrestrial orchids. But I fear would still be to soggy without adding perlite.

How many people are rotting orchids and throwing $$ away by buying Miracle Grow Orchid Mix?

How can the company get away with this?

[johnblagg]

Not bad in all could use a better medium really but if you managed to get it to rebloom you are doing ok.
The clover will compeat some for food in the pot but when I first started growing orchids ...and I started with a den ...I used to put something else in the pot to give me a clue as to when to water.LOL I called em my indicator plants and they never took over since I would let them live but just barely when they wilted badly I knew to water and I always let them go untill the were falling down dry then watered .

not the best way to learn how to water a den but hey it worked for me I have had that den 6 years now.

[RosieC]

If clover is the same as what we call clover in the UK, then it actually ADDs Nitrogen to the soil. It's grown in grass fields instead of artificial fertilisation because it boosts the grass crop. It's used in crop rotation techniques to add nutriants back in to the soil.

Having said that, I have no idea whether orchids grow well with it, I only know grass does. Maybe it could lead to the wrong balance of nutrients for orchids.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Originally Posted by RosieC

If clover is the same as what we call clover in the UK, then it actually ADDs Nitrogen to the soil. It's grown in grass fields instead of artificial fertilisation because it boosts the grass crop. It's used in crop rotation techniques to add nutriants back in to the soil.

Having said that, I have no idea whether orchids grow well with it, I only know grass does. Maybe it could lead to the wrong balance of nutrients for orchids.

Do you know the genus name? Is it Oxalis?

[BElanna Turner]

so should i or should i not pull the silly little clover?

[camille1585]

Originally Posted by King_of_orchid_growing:)

Do you know the genus name? Is it Oxalis?

For use as 'green fertilizer' in fields, it's Trifolium that's used. It's not Oxalis because they aren't in the same family, and so are not even a true clover. It's a Oxalidaceae, if I'm correct in remembering my botany courses. Trifolium is a Fabaceae, and ALL Fabaceae store nitrogen in nodules that are on the roots. Fabaceae rely on a sybiosis with a bacteria that captures nitrogen from the air and transforms it into forms usable by the plant.( N2 to NO2 and NO3) Clover, peas, beans, peanuts, alfalfa are some of the many plants in the Fabaceae.

As for the clover in the pot, I would think that leaving or removing it is a matter of personal preference. it's too small to represent any significant competition for the orchid. I have impatiens flowers growing in the same pot as my cym and it's just fine, and blooming 7 spikes. I think the flowers look nice in there, and when they wilt I know that it's time to start thinking about watering.

[BElanna Turner]

ok thanks. thats what i thought, it being small and all...

[RosieC]

Yeah, Camille is right it's not Oxalis which is a completely different plant to what I call 'Clover' (I have both growing in my garden, Oxalis in a controled way as a garden flower and clover running riot in my lawn). We don't call Oxalis clover here, we say it has clover like leaves but that is all.

I don't know the genus, but I would trust Camille in saying it's Trifolium as she knows far more than me on this. I just have vauge memories from school and the fact my Dad buys grass seed for his farm with clover seed already mixed in.

[BElanna Turner]

all the buds but one dropped, and the spike is yellowing from the top it was definatly the weather. thanks all

[Orchid126]

From what I can see, the plant looks overpotted. When you repot, put the plant in a smaller pot. Dendrobiums like to be very potbound.

If you must use Miracle Grow Potting Soil, know that it breaks down very quickly and the plant needs to be repotted every five months or so.