New Dendrobium owner with problem- help!

[weng]

Hi Guys,

D. Burana Pink #2 is a warm growing phalaenopsis type. These drop their leaves from old stems during summer. Perfectly natural. I'm in the UK, and was losing rather a lot of leaves a month ago. The bare stem serves as a reserve reservoir for the rest of the plant, and should not be removed.

You only worry if the growing stem is also losing its leaves

Weng

[Becca]

Weng,
What if there is no growing stem? I have three stalks total and only one leaf left...I thought I would lose all! On another dendrobium of the same kind that I just received, the leaves feel really soft and I don't think that is normal since the other dendrobium orchids have leaves that feel much firmer....I am just waiting for that one to start dropping all of it's leaves as well!

[Ross]

I'm guessing Dendros get dark spots like humans get skin cancer

Seriously, even my aberrans and my beloved anosmum get them from time to time. Not sure it's a death mell, but the leaf does eventually drop off. I personally think that even non-deciduous dendros will drop leaves from time to time. The symptom seems to be yellowing and spots. If leaves are consistantly dropping from bottom to top, it's a sign the plant may be a deciduous type and about to go into hybernation or winter rest. If it's not winter, then perhaps you tried to keep it from resting when it really wanted to rest? Just some things to ponder.

[weng]

Becca,

Whoops !

I suspect that you've got a culture problem, as the phalaenopsis type dendrobiums seem to be incredibly resistant to disease.

The most common problem being stale or wet conditions at the roots leading to root rot. If your newly acquired plant comes with fibrous compost, repot immediately.

They don't care too much for very low temperatures either.

Weng

[Ross]

Based on Weng's comments I can guess one of two things. Either it isn't getting enough light right now or it was treated wrong in the past (before you bought it). The second is most likely. Most Dendros seem to want higher amounts of light, but you can't take a plant from the dark recesses of a store and place it in a south window! Orchids need to be accustomed to higher amounts of light gradually. Does any of this sound remotely like it could be the problem?

[Ross]

Originally Posted by weng

Becca,

Whoops !

I suspect that you've got a culture problem, as the phalaenopsis type dendrobiums seem to be incredibly resistant to disease.

The most common problem being stale or wet conditions at the roots leading to root rot. If your newly acquired plant comes with fibrous compost, repot immediately.

They don't care too much for very low temperatures either.

Weng

Good catch! I should have thought of that too.

[Becca]

I think the problem may be a combo of how the plant was treated before I got it and possibly light. The Ebay seller, who I have posted on several times, puts the orchids through a drying process. The den. was a replacement of the other one that had all but one of its leaves fall off. But this one had some decent, but short roots on it, as well as a mass of dried up roots, that showed that they were rotted as soon as I soaked them in some room temp. water. Anyways....since I received the plant bare root, I repotted it in s/h. I can see the good roots if I move some of the PrimeAgra around, and they still look good to me, but that doesn't mean much. I think maybe the leafs are soft due to trying to adjust to the new culture and I have the plant in a north/northeast facing window, which is really allot brighter then you would expect. I will just wait and see what happens....I have found the less I fuss, the better the plants do! Thanks for the help!

[Gytana]

Becca,
is it normal for the den to do this??? I also got my den from ebay with the same condition as yours and the leaves started to turn yellow. I hope its not dying!
attached is the plant
http://www.orchidboard.com/community...1&d=1181784030
IMG_0240-1.jpg

[Becca]

Gytana,
Is it normal? I think I will let others help me on this one, but that does look very similar to what some of my leaves where doing, on some dens I have the leaves would look speckled light green and green and then the light green would turn to yellow and then the entire leaf would yellow after that....always starting with the bottom leaf and going up. I think it was due to stress, but the dark spots I saw, like what you have in your picture, I thought was/is bacterial leaf rot...does anyone else have an opinion on this? I am pretty new to growing orchids so I am not an expert as some are on here! I know my answer probably doesn't help you much so hopefully someone else will chime in! Also, are these the den's that came bare root? The bark pieces look rather large to me, is this a normal size to use?

[quiltergal]

Those look like tiny baby seedlings to me, that's why the bark looks so big. Seems like any culture mistakes you might make would have a much larger impact on them than in a larger established plant. Dendros do not like change in general so being unpotted, and shipped bareroot can really stress them out.



The plant shown above dropped all the leaves on the right cane, and half the leaves on the tall cane within a week of bringing it home. The picture shows that it has re-bloomed, and there are two more buds about to open, it's also sporting a new growth at the bottom. I think turning yellow and dropping leaves is something they do when disturbed. I'm just guessing though .