New additions, including seedlings :s Scared!

[Skirril]

So, while being new to orchids I wasn't able to resist the urge to buy more, plus some of them were only available as young plants and 1 is just a seedling

Actually there were 2 seedlings in the same pot, and they were in sphag. There seemed way too much sphag for the little things, so I took the out and wrapped fresh sphag (the other stuff smelled musty anyway) around their roots, then wrapped cling film around that, but leaving the bottom without cling film (and the top with the seedling isn't covered with cling film obviously). The seedlings are Phal. Violacea var coerulea. I got them from ebay, and they were cheap. I know I probably shouldn't have done, but I really would like to bring up some little plants, I don't mind waiting for the flowers. Buuut they are SO tiny :s I expected them to be about twice the size.
Did I do the right thing? Should I do something else? I know I should have asked first >.< They do look very nice and healthy to me, but of course I don't know very much :s They have 2 good longish roots each (1.5-2cm) and a smaller one, the leaves also look healthy, the only thing that worries me a bit (besides whether I will manage to kill them :/ ) is that there is a slightly black area at their bases.

Any tips would be gladly accepted, I know I should have found out more first, but I expected them (I only bought 1 but they sent 2) to be the size of the young plants :S

Also, any tips for the young plants? They are Encyclia radiata, aerangis rhodostica and dendrobium primulinum. These weren't from ebay, they were from a proper grower, they all look very healthy (though the encyclia has some browning in the middle of 1 leaf and on the end of another) and are in what looks to be pure small bark chips.

I also got a laeliocatteya "hideyuki" goto, and this is the only one from the grower which worries me a bit, I believe I got the last one and she has a few dark brown spots mostly on one leaf, at the end nearest the "stem" (it's not called that on these is it? I have forgotten the name). The "stems" look wrinkled, but perhaps this is normal? They are firm and green. Some roots that I can see look good, but there is a little pocket of them I can see which look bad to me. She's in small bark chips. I will try and post some pics, but I need to work out how first :s

[Gage]

Hey there, welcome to OB! Congrats on your new additions! Sounds like a fun project to me. I don't have advice for ya, but I would suggest posting pictures of your new additions so that others can have a better idea of what you're talking about, and help you better. Good luck!

[Skirril]

Just taken the pics now, now I have to find out how to post

And thank you

[Gage]

Originally Posted by Skirril

Just taken the pics now, now I have to find out how to post

And thank you

Click on "go advanced" right next to "post quick reply" and then click on "manage attachments". Upload your photos in the window that pops up. Once they upload, you can close that window, and they will be attached to the post you are preparing. Make sense?

[Skirril]

Thanks a lot!

[quiltergal]

Wow! Those are tiny! They look like they are JUST out of flask. I think you did the right thing by reducing their "pot" size. Keep an eye on the sphag. You'll want to water again just as it's approaching dryness. Phal. violacea and bellina tend to be a little more sensitive to conditions than some other Phal species. Don't let them dry out completely. You're going to have a long wait to see those babies bloom! LOL

The aerangis is also very sensitive, and not really considered a beginner plant. It does best in high humidity and cooler conditions. I had one for several years that I recently lost to a fungal attack. I would treat it similarly to the violacea only keep it cooler if possible.

[Skirril]

Thank you, really nervous about them if they are just out the flask >.< Annoyingly the pic they show is much bigger )not the flowering one obviously, but the little plant is bigger) Orchid species - Phalaenopsis violacea var. coerulea # | eBay

Oh well, this is ebay after all, I just hope I don't kill them, I read seedlings are very prone to illness and everything should be sterile and when they come out of the flask they need special care for a while to allow them to harden. So I am kind of afraid they will be doomed already :/ Does the slight black on their bases look ok?