I've started to really doubt my orchid care-taking capabilities, which I really don't need at the moment, what with me having finally received my much longed for Phals and Paphs.
The thing I'm concerned about is that I might have bitten off more than I can chew this time. I ordered so many, confident that I could care properly for them, but now, after watching three-four of the new arrivals starting to sag visibly, I'm very much in doubt.
I really don't know what to do except wait and keep my fingers crossed they will pull through. It's the Phal pulchra, one of the Phal Ambotris, the Phal Braquestris, and the Phal equestris 'Apari' pink that are the ones not being too happy at the moment, with the pulchra being the most depressed of them. I start working tomorrow which means I won't have time to spray their foliage with water to try and minimize the damages of the stress that I suspect is the cause of these guys conditions (and the fact that they all were the ones with not such good root systems doesn't help).
The Phal Braquestris might be a lost case since the newest leaf it had growing, turned yellow so I pulled it out. I've no idea what to do at this moment. It didn't look like crown rot, but the newest leaf's not supposed to turn yellow as far as I know.
In regards to the Paphs, I repotted all the ones from Popow yesterday and noticed that they were all overpotted and didn't have much of root systems. Since I didn't have pots in a better size, I had to put them back in those they came in. I added packing peanuts to the substrate in hopes of avoiding future root rot.
I've also started thinking what the heck I've been doing, getting so many Paphs, when I don't even know if I can get them to bloom at all. Sure, I love their mottled foliage, but I love the flowers as well and would really like to have some elegant slippers light up my days in the future. And not all of them have the mottled foliage either, so what will I do with those if I fail to get them to bloom for me? The ones I've had for the longest seem to grow at least, but that's no sign of getting any flowers in the future.
I'm just feeling sad and a bit down at the moment, wondering how the heck I'm supposed to be able to care for them all and whether or not some of them are doomed already...
Can I really do this (newbie thoughts and doubts)?
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