"Just Add ice" orchid dying?

[Pinkster]

they look like itty bitty lice....I think they are the springtails.

So, are the roots above the potter suppose to be rotten on the ends?

I am considering taking it back, but it was the best out of the bunch and I am willing to fight for it...I think I will wait a couple days and see what happens.

[RosieC]

If they are very tiny and fast moving they are likely springtails which are harmless, but are a good sign you need to repot.

I've often seen the ends of roots rotten where they stick out or over the pot. It's proably because the shop let the ends trail in water. In your pictures most of the roots in the pot look good and the plant looks healthy overall.

The most important thing I think is to work out what the bugs are. If springtails you don't need to worry too much, but if they are something like mealy bugs you should take action straight away.

[johnblagg]

I have several just add ice chids ....they were actually very very healthy when I bought them and do very well for me.

My method for them is simply take them out of the deco pot and take to sink .......

water well with tepid room temp water very very well untill it has ran through the pot well and flushes out anything it can.......

Let set in sink and drain well ........


Place the pot in a butter tub or something that will hold water....

THen I take my fertilizer mix that Is usually in a gallon jug and at roon temp and fill untill the tub is full and then drain again....


I do this once a week usually .....


you chid looks very very healthy orther than the bug problem you mentioned and for that I would get a good bug killer and use ...taking it back to the store is usualy not going to help if one had bugs they all do most likley, so treat them on the one you have that you did a nice job of picking out of the bunch.

[trdyl]

I agree. It is a lot easier to treat a Phal with healthy roots and a minor bug problem than taking your chances and possibly getting one that has bad roots.

[Izzie]

Originally Posted by trdyl

I agree. It is a lot easier to treat a Phal with healthy roots and a minor bug problem than taking your chances and possibly getting one that has bad roots.

I didn't think of it this way.

If yours was the healthiest of the lot, then this will be a good learning experience for you after all! We're here to help and get you through.

[myblue66stang]

I bought one of the "Just add Ice" orchids from Walmart about a month ago. It was on the clearance / "garbage" table for $5. I said, what the heck and bought one, I just can't let a plant get thrown away, plus, it was just five bucks. I picked the best of the bunch. It had roots exploding out of the pot and I figured that all the flowers had dropped and that I would eventually cut the spike and be left with just the plant. It was isolated from it's future family for a week, no sign of bugs, and repotted in a larger pot with new media. I have been rewarded with a new leaf and two new buds at the end of the spike, even though all the other flowers had dropped. It looks like the Charlie Brown Christmas Tree of the Orchid world. I think my "garbage" orchid is happy that I saved it.

[Pinkster]

GREAT!! Love all the info!


For a bug killer, is there anything at walmart I can get? (We live in a a very rural area)

Any suggestion for fertilizers?

I really appreciate all your help. I want to save my lil guy!

I know the roots look fine, but its the ends. They are like crispy, brown & rotten.

[Pinkster]

OH! Just wanted to add, one of the blooms I thought was in shock just opened!! YAY!!

[johnblagg]

The ends you are talking about are just the air roots that have suffered mechanicl and stress damage from lack of humidity and perhaps cold during the move from the truck to the store.....

That is realy not a big issue this happens they will sprout new ones off of these most likely if you give it time....these realy are pretty tough plants al in all.Or at least mine have been just dont over water and give a light spritz on the exposed roots once in a while as well.

As for a bug spray most that work on roses work for chids ....just avoid anything with a fertilizer built in and do your own fertilizing .

Fertilizer is pretty easy for me I just get the orchids plus kind ....but have used the schultz orchid fert and reg miricale grow as well just cut the strenght down on the Miracle grow....

[shadytrake]

I like the Bayer Advanced for my orchids. It is a systemic and is usually available at Home Depot, Lowes or WalMart. Follow the directions on the label.

For straight shot killing, 70% rubbing alcohol in a spray bottle. Or plain old dishwashing liquid (like Dawn) 3-5 drops in a 1 quart spray bottle plus water. Or Neem or Volik (sp?) Oil 3-5 drops in a 1 quart spray bottle plus water.

I have found that the above products do not damage my chids at all.

Disclaimer, do NOT spray on a hot day or you might cook the leaves. Better to spray in the early cool part of the morning.