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03-23-2012, 01:46 PM
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Jr. Member
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Join Date: Mar 2012
Zone: 5b
Location: Denver, CO
Posts: 6
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Phal Help in Zone 5b
Hello : )
I've raised orchids in several climates, most more humid. I've moved to Denver nearly a year ago and I can't seem to keep my Phal's happy and alive. My oncidiums, dendrobiums, and cattleyas, and my paphiopedilums are all are great, but I cannot get my phals happy. The leaves just keep shriveling and then the flowers drop and, well, yes... it gets worse. I've tried soaking them in plastic bags with nutrients— something that has worked before— but now they still die.
I have a really nice humidifier (2 actually) that keeps the growing area around 65%.
I have fertilizers (weakly weekly).
I've tried a few different window spots. (Nothing too bright).
I mist daily when the roots are silver.
I've got them in a mix of coconut husk orchid mix, which I pre-soaked.
I have checked for crown rot and root rot.
I've checked for mold and parasites. (And I have a Nem spray.)
I don't know what else to do. I'm at my wits end! The only Phal plant that's done well long term is a huge orchid I bought for my mother. (Normally I avoid the larger plants; I had an orchids with a virus once and it killed a few plants and it made me so sad!) But that one just keeps going + flowering. The ones that are having issues are all smaller plants.
Maybe the smaller plants in this climate just need to be in a green house? Any tips + helps would be VERY appreciated.
Last edited by reelaesthete; 03-23-2012 at 01:47 PM..
Reason: Typo
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03-23-2012, 02:55 PM
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Sep 2010
Zone: 5b
Location: Ohio
Posts: 10,953
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I hope someone from your area can help. I grow in Ohio and we don't have a humidifier but I have many other plants that keep the humidity nice in the home during the winter. Even the aerial roots of the vanilla were growing well until I moved the other plants outside. As not everyone wants a messy jungle, hopefully, there is a better solution. Good luck!
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03-23-2012, 03:14 PM
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Aug 2011
Zone: 7b
Location: Manhattan, NY
Age: 40
Posts: 8,411
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Denver can be dry outdoors and indoors...
you have a humidifier indoors so that is sufficient for Phals...
make sure they do not feel cold.
heat matt or put it near a heater about 4 feet away
its officially spring but your Phal must have 80F daytime and at least 55F nightime
if the temp goes lower below 45-35F at night continously it will die
two weeks of this low temps will sure kill it
note: its 10 degrees colder near the glass of a window even if it is double pane(I have double glass pane on my windows and the temps are cooler near it)...so, if you have a single glass pane: its colder even a foot from it
*better yet invest on a digital humidifier/temperature machine at Home Depot @ $8.00
Last edited by Bud; 03-23-2012 at 03:21 PM..
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03-23-2012, 07:09 PM
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Jr. Member
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Join Date: Mar 2012
Zone: 5b
Location: Denver, CO
Posts: 6
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thanks, leafmite.
bud, there are heaters in both areas, tho I have been using them less lately since it is now Spring. The main humidifier is all fancy— picked it up at Goodwill for 10 bucks!— and does have a all that jazz on it. they are near glass, but the big one is thriving, while the smaller ones are unhappy.
would cold cause the leaves to shrivel?
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03-23-2012, 07:14 PM
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Jr. Member
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Join Date: Mar 2012
Zone: 5b
Location: Denver, CO
Posts: 6
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now that i look at it, the only plant that has a curtain to give it more protection is the large orchid. the others are on a sill with blinds. perhaps I just need a curtain... I can hope!
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03-23-2012, 08:43 PM
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Jr. Member
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Join Date: Mar 2012
Zone: 5b
Location: Denver, CO
Posts: 6
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Leafmite, i'm also curious: what other plants do you keep with your orchids? :-)
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03-24-2012, 01:11 PM
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Apr 2007
Zone: 8b
Location: Southern Oregon
Age: 70
Posts: 6,016
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reel, can you post a picture so we can see what you're dealing with? It will be easier to help determine what the problem is if we can see it.
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03-24-2012, 01:50 PM
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Sep 2010
Zone: 5b
Location: Ohio
Posts: 10,953
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I have many of my plants by south-facing sliding glass doors. The set up changes year to year as some plants are put other places and as space is limited, I sometimes give away plants for new. Many of the pots have multiple plants. The current plants are: three types of jasminum (nitidum is my favorite), passionfruit vine, a camelia (the tea plant), a banana tree, coffee trees, bay laurel, Rosemary, lemon verbena, piper nigrum, a fiscus, two hibiscus, French lavendar, a bird of paradise, three plumeria, a cocoa tree, a few hoya, some air plants, pineapples, a mango, a couple of citrus, ivy, jade, aloe, some other very common houseplants people have given me to revive and keep, a little succulent collection in a bowl, a few canivorous plants, and a few cacti that someone didn't want. There is a half-barrel pond for lilies and the goldfish (I downsized from a pond). I may be forgetting a few. I think I need to add a plantroom (most people would call it a sunroom). So, as you can see, between damp soil and many leaves, I don't worry about the humidity. : )
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03-24-2012, 02:00 PM
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Sep 2010
Zone: 5b
Location: Ohio
Posts: 10,953
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Already remembered one that I forgot: stephanotis.
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03-24-2012, 02:43 PM
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Jr. Member
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Join Date: Mar 2012
Zone: 5b
Location: Denver, CO
Posts: 6
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thanks, leafmite. sounds like you have lots of lovely plants and certainly do need a sunroom // garden room for them : ) I hope to be able to do something similar in my next home.
quiltergal, I have done as you asked and taken pictures.
First orchid, I've had about a year. It's starting to push out a blooming stalk.
First Orchid
This one I've had since December. The leaves all look like this:
Second Orchid
This one was a gift mid-Feb. It's lost one leaf (at first just one on the bottom, so I didn't worry) but now I'm worried it's heading the way of the rest:
Third Orchid
And here's the big one that's fine and starting to push up blooms again: Fourth Orchid
Last edited by reelaesthete; 03-24-2012 at 02:47 PM..
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