Trisetella gemmata leaf drop - Orchid Board

Paul Mc · #1 08-04-2011, 08:34 AM

Hey guys, I'd like to get your thoughts on this. My Trisetella gemmata has been doing wonderful until about a week ago. It's in my mini-focused terrarium with 80% humidity, mounted in sphag which seems to stay more moist than I would prefer, but has had 3 blooms now.

My concern is that it was looking wonderful when I left for vacation last week, but this week I have noticed almost half of the leaves are turning yellow either at the base or on the entire leaf and dropping off.

I removed much of the sphag around it to give the roots more breathing room and the roots did not look very happy to me. I'm not really sure what happened since it was growing like a weed after I put it in the terrarium.

What are your thoughts?

King_of_orchid_growing:) · #2 08-05-2011, 01:26 AM

Were the roots underneath the moss or on top of the moss? They should be mounted on top of the moss.

Trisetellas can be very touchy.

Paul Mc · #3 08-05-2011, 08:58 AM

Well, when I originally mounted it, they were on top of the moss. However, that is why I pulled the excess moss away. It appears to have "sunk" into the moss a bit more than what I was wanting. I don't know if this was from my "tinkering" with it (taking it out and showing people because I was proud of the bloom, lol...) or just gravity taking it's natural course over time.

I can now see the roots, but the good new white/green growth I was seeing is no longer there.

Leafmite · #4 08-05-2011, 12:27 PM

I imagine others will offer much better solutions and more specific ones to your plant but until then, I will offer up my solution to what I did when my mounted miniature, with moss, was failing to thrive. What I finally did with my angraecum distichum (sp?) was to put it in a tiny vanda basket with 1/2 inch sized lava rock, then I found a container a little larger and filled the bottom with aquarium gravel, set the basket on the gravel and stuffed moss between the sides of the container and the vanda basket. I keep the moss moist which, in turn, keeps the rocks a little moist, too, while still giving air to the roots. It seems to be working because I'm getting new, healthy roots and a new set of leaves for each little bracket (?).
Hopefully, you'll find a good answer to help your plant out. Good luck,
Leafmite

King_of_orchid_growing:) · #5 08-06-2011, 01:41 PM

If there are enough healthy living roots on your Trisetella I think it should be fine.

I think that sometimes Trisetellas naturally drop a massive amount of leaves in one go, but not before replacing them with newer leaves. I suspect that the leaves on Trisetellas are actually very short lived. The leaves probably don't live longer than anywhere between 1 - 2 yrs, maybe 3 yrs tops.

Mine also drops leaves like crazy, but it is fine.

These plants are actually not very hardy, and really shouldn't be tried by anyone starting out with Pleuros because of what you and I are discussing.

Paul Mc · #6 08-06-2011, 02:09 PM

Well, I'm surely a newbie at them! It did have a massive amount of new leaf growth just before the leaf drop, but even the new leaves were yellowing and dropping which had me concerned. After researching, and remembering you comments, I removed most of the moss. There are still some good roots there among the dead. I guess time will tell. On a bright note though, a new bloom opened on it today, lol...

King_of_orchid_growing:) · #7 08-06-2011, 02:29 PM

Yeah, newbies to Pleurothallids can sometimes freak out when stuff like this happens, and can usually misdiagnose the problem.

If you're ever in the mood, try growing the weed, Dracontia restrepioides (aka Pleurothallis restrepioides). This is one of those medium sized Pleurothallis that have 8" - 10" tall leaves. Won't get any of the issues you'd get with Trisetellas.

Ironically even something like Lepanthes and Lepanthopsis when grown properly do not do what Trisetellas do.

That's cool your plant is pushing another spike. Hopefully everything will be okay. If there are any other issues with this plant, just ask.

Paul Mc · #8 08-20-2011, 10:01 AM

King,

I just wanted to say thank you for your advice on this and give you an update. I'm very happy to announce that there has been some tremendous new root growth and tons of little new leaves coming back.

Now, if I can only remember next year when it starts leaf drop. I guess I will note that on my culture sheet information.