A friend told to use olive oil

[camille1585]

Olive oil is fine, we're talking about a very small amount, a very small drop. Only just enough to bring out the shine in the leaves. And then it's mostly buffed off.

[WhiteRabbit]

Originally Posted by camille1585

Olive oil is fine, we're talking about a very small amount, a very small drop. Only just enough to bring out the shine in the leaves. And then it's mostly buffed off.

I didn't mean that it shouldn't be used at all, just to be careful with it.

[bettyespana]

I have a word with my friend & unfortunately he had smeared the oil on his orchids leaves as it was out of the bottle.They are now looking quite leathery & wrinkled.He is so upset.The white flowers though are still blooming fine although the buds have all wrinkled up.

[camille1585]

How are the roots on the plant??? Almost sounds like there is something going on down in the pot if the leaves are very wrinkled. Or he put so much olive oil on that all the stomata are completely clogged, but I don't know why that would make the leaves wrinkle, since evaporation would actually be blocked....

[Wynn Dee13]

I would check the roots too. But I don't understand why you would put oil on the leaves unless you were showing the plant or something. Even then I wouldn't use oil. I know in one of my Orchids magazines there is an article about how to prepare your plant for a show. They recommended lemon juice. People care way too much about appearance and aesthetics. Why not enjoy the beautiful flower and plant for what it is? I just think humans as a whole mess and fuss with things too much just to make it in their mind look "better". Anyway, sorry about the rant!

I'm sorry about your friends plant. Hopefully it will pull through. Maybe he could use some dish soap or something to get the oil off if it really is hurting the plant. I don't know though, I wouldn't want to make it worse. But have him check the roots to make sure they are not rotting. I would also keep it out of the sun so it doesn't burn the leaves. Good luck!

[camille1585]

There's nothing wrong with wanting your plants to look nice. If people want to spend time on it, why not? I shine up some Phals sometimes when I take pics of them. And since my orchids live in same room as me, I don't want to be staring at unsightly dust or fertilizer marks all the time. So out comes to the lemon juice. So yes, for some people appearance does matter

I may be wrong, but I think that if you take plants in for judging at shows leaf shiners are not allowed. Lemon jiuce is only to clean deposits off the leaf, so doesn't really count as a shiner.

[bettyespana]

Originally Posted by Wynn Dee13

I would check the roots too. But I don't understand why you would put oil on the leaves unless you were showing the plant or something. Even then I wouldn't use oil. I know in one of my Orchids magazines there is an article about how to prepare your plant for a show. They recommended lemon juice. People care way too much about appearance and aesthetics. Why not enjoy the beautiful flower and plant for what it is? I just think humans as a whole mess and fuss with things too much just to make it in their mind look "better". Anyway, sorry about the rant!

I'm sorry about your friends plant. Hopefully it will pull through. Maybe he could use some dish soap or something to get the oil off if it really is hurting the plant. I don't know though, I wouldn't want to make it worse. But have him check the roots to make sure they are not rotting. I would also keep it out of the sun so it doesn't burn the leaves. Good luck!

I made a mess of my post a minute ago so please forgive me if you get this back twice.
I am going to ask my friend if he will allow me to check his plants roots & see if they are not rotting.I can see from my house that he has the plant in his window which faces South & it is quite hot here now.maybe he has it in the wrong place I don't know.I do have to say though that he doesn't have a lot of knowledge about plants.I have suggested he looks at this forum with regard to his plant.
Must I also say that I don't think you were ranting as I actually agree people should enjoy their plants instead of fussing.

[camille1585]

A south window may be too much for a Phal, epecially in Spain. An east or west window may be better suited to it.

[bettyespana]

Originally Posted by camille1585

A south window may be too much for a Phal, epecially in Spain. An east or west window may be better suited to it.

I suspected that.Unfortunately he is in a townhouse which only has windows facing North or South.

When I see him I will have a word with him.

In the meantime my own Phal is thriving well.I don't know which kind it is but is pink speckled with a yellow & brown throat.Sorry if that is the wrong word(throat) but I couldn't think what to call the smaller part of the flower which is the lower part sticking out.

[camille1585]

South windows are fine too, if the plant is protected from sun either by putting is so it gets indirect light, placing it behind other taller plants, or using a sheer curtain.