Is this normal?

[butterfly_muse]

Evening, everyone!

I bought a Bllra. Marfitch 'Howard's Dream' last week, and I have noticed it has gone sort of....um.....floppy? on me..

I don't know if it's due to the fact that it is now in my house instead of in the store, that maybe my cats bumped it when I had it in a different window, that it was (until about half an hour ago) on the edge of the bookshelf closest to the a/c vent and maybe that was too cold? Did it get too hot? It has been in the 90s all weekend and is supposed to be 95+ all week...but it is in front of the window, the shades are down, and the a/c is on...so...why did this happen?

Or is it just that these leaves are quite tall and kind of thin to begin with? Does it look bad? Should I be worried? Is there anything I can do to increase rigidity in these leaves?

As you can see in the third picture, I moved it to the other side of the bookshelf and am using the wall/nextdoor bookshelf to support the leaves. I am hoping that works out a little bit better. The fourth picture is of when I first got it...so you can see it looks a little more floppy than it used to.

Sorry to ask so many questions...^^; I have never had an orchid like this before, so I want to be sure I'm doing it right. Or at least genuinely trying.

[NYCorchidman]

You mean that one leaf from the newest growth?
I think it is because of not enough light.
It looks like a leaf that is in active growth. You want to give it good light.

Once it bends like that, it won't straight out unless you stake it up and place the plant in a bright location for a few weeks so the leaf will harden.

Otherwise, it is going to be fine, just a aesthetic issue in the long run if you do not "fix" it up now.

[butterfly_muse]

Originally Posted by NYCorchidman

You mean that one leaf from the newest growth?
I think it is because of not enough light.
It looks like a leaf that is in active growth. You want to give it good light.

Once it bends like that, it won't straight out unless you stake it up and place the plant in a bright location for a few weeks so the leaf will harden.

Otherwise, it is going to be fine, just a aesthetic issue in the long run if you do not "fix" it up now.

What would you recommend as far as light for this fella? I have been researching and all I have found has said that they like low light like phals bc they are a phal intergeneric?? Is that the right term?

All I've got in my apartment at present is west facing windows. The cattleyas are in the windowsill and I've got a giant piece of lace to cut the direct light (that window gets a good amount of it bc the trees are shorter than the sun is high)..and then the blinds are down and the phals and the beallara are in front of that.

Would it be better to hang up the other piece of lace I've got in front of the living room window, which is more filtered by taller trees at that time of day? I had it in that particular window without the lace but the pbulbs got purpleish from too much light. It's either that or get it its own light and stick it on top of one of our bookshelves with it so the cats don't eat it.

[NYCorchidman]

Terms like low light is vague and many people wrongly assume that it is the same as deep shade, which is not true.

Even phals grow and flower much better with very bright light without burning.

If your phals grow and flower well where they are now, then it is probably a good place for intergenerics also.

Thing is intergenerics like Howard's Dream do not like heat very much.

West window with some shading should work.

[butterfly_muse]

Originally Posted by NYCorchidman

Terms like low light is vague and many people wrongly assume that it is the same as deep shade, which is not true.

Even phals grow and flower much better with very bright light without burning.

If your phals grow and flower well where they are now, then it is probably a good place for intergenerics also.

Thing is intergenerics like Howard's Dream do not like heat very much.

West window with some shading should work.

We just moved here at the end of May, so I'm not sure whether the orchids will bloom where they are...I'm still trying to find everybody's respective happy places. I've got mini phals in the kitchen window with a house ivy and they're happy as can be, but the sill is far too short for the grown phals lol.

I'll hang the lace in my living room window and move everyone out there and see what happens. Push to shove I've got room in the office for a lighting setup lol!

---------- Post added at 10:20 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:17 PM ----------

Also is it okay to place these guys in decorative pots to add some weight to them to keep them upright?

[Island Girl]

Yes, it's ok to put them in decorative pots for weighing down top-heavy plants .... I would suggest the ceramic glazed types w/ all the decorative holes in the side - (they let air in, & look pretty too). Then, after watering, let the orchid drain really well, & maybe even dry off a tiny bit too ~ before you place it back in its decorative pot. You could even melt/cut a couple holes into the sidewalls of the pot that it's potted in, to make sure it won't suffocate inside the decorative pot (I say all of this, b/c I assume you meant that you wanted to leave this guy in the decorative pot all the time? ...as opposed to only while in bloom...?).

~As a side note, and, please take this with a grain of salt! Because my experience w/ these intergeneric "oncidium" types is pretty limited (I grow mostly Phals). But... if it were me... *I* would repot this guy in something other than moss... I say this, because I had a couple Oncid's in moss, and they died a slow, painful (ok, that may be a little dramatic, but you get the idea) death... Yet, at the same time, I grow plenty (half of them, at least) of my Phals in moss, successfully, so it's not like I'm horrible w/ moss... So, I just wanted to share my experience w/ moss & these types of orchids... and you can take what u want from this, and leave the rest... but if you're not good w/ moss at all, you might wanna repot as soon as you see that new growth produce some nice, new, pretty roots.. Into your favorite potting media Good Luck!

[butterfly_muse]

Originally Posted by Island Girl

Yes, it's ok to put them in decorative pots for weighing down top-heavy plants .... I would suggest the ceramic glazed types w/ all the decorative holes in the side - (they let air in, & look pretty too). Then, after watering, let the orchid drain really well, & maybe even dry off a tiny bit too ~ before you place it back in its decorative pot. You could even melt/cut a couple holes into the sidewalls of the pot that it's potted in, to make sure it won't suffocate inside the decorative pot (I say all of this, b/c I assume you meant that you wanted to leave this guy in the decorative pot all the time? ...as opposed to only while in bloom...?).

~As a side note, and, please take this with a grain of salt! Because my experience w/ these intergeneric "oncidium" types is pretty limited (I grow mostly Phals). But... if it were me... *I* would repot this guy in something other than moss... I say this, because I had a couple Oncid's in moss, and they died a slow, painful (ok, that may be a little dramatic, but you get the idea) death... Yet, at the same time, I grow plenty (half of them, at least) of my Phals in moss, successfully, so it's not like I'm horrible w/ moss... So, I just wanted to share my experience w/ moss & these types of orchids... and you can take what u want from this, and leave the rest... but if you're not good w/ moss at all, you might wanna repot as soon as you see that new growth produce some nice, new, pretty roots.. Into your favorite potting media Good Luck!

Yes, I was planning on leaving it in the decorative pot (not planting it directly in there, still leaving it in its clear pot, but the clear pot inside a decorative one) just to weigh it down and keep my cats from knocking it over. I've got a few of those pretty ceramic ones with the slats/holes on the side, so I can clean one of them up and set it in there.

Someone else actually suggested I repot it into some bark when I first got it, but they said to wait until I saw new roots or a new growth or both because of the big pbulb looking like it might throw out a bloom? Would it shock it or hurt it if I were to repot it into some bark? Everything else I have is in a bark/sphag mix bc once we moved and it got super hot, they were drying out waaaaaaaay fast, lol.

[WhiteRabbit]

This is an Oncidium alliance intergeneric hybrid (not Phal). They can take moderately bright light, but can easily burn in hot (hotter than they are used to) afternoon sun, or if not acclimated.

A fine bark mix can be used for these finer rooted types. Finer mix will retain moisture longer. But like any bark will dry quickly when it's very fresh, for a few weeks.

Fresh bark should be soaked preferably several hours before using, to help it retain moisture. After a few weeks, bark will start to remain moist longer, and as it ages, longer still.

I usually grow most Onc alliance in chc (coconut husk chips) mix. Retains moisture longer than bark, and is very "airy". In my experience it also breaks down much more slowly then bark, tho other members have had differing experience. Hydroponics supplies stores are likely to carry it, tho possibly only large bags. Smaller quantities can be bought online. The products I have purchased have only needed a rinse before using, but if chc is not "pre--washed to remove salts", it will need that done before using.

[butterfly_muse]

Originally Posted by WhiteRabbit

This is an Oncidium alliance intergeneric hybrid (not Phal). They can take moderately bright light, but can easily burn in hot (hotter than they are used to) afternoon sun, or if not acclimated.

A fine bark mix can be used for these finer rooted types. Finer mix will retain moisture longer. But like any bark will dry quickly when it's very fresh, for a few weeks.

Fresh bark should be soaked preferably several hours before using, to help it retain moisture. After a few weeks, bark will start to remain moist longer, and as it ages, longer still.

I usually grow most Onc alliance in chc (coconut husk chips) mix. Retains moisture longer than bark, and is very "airy". In my experience it also breaks down much more slowly then bark, tho other members have had differing experience. Hydroponics supplies stores are likely to carry it, tho possibly only large bags. Smaller quantities can be bought online. The products I have purchased have only needed a rinse before using, but if chc is not "pre--washed to remove salts", it will need that done before using.

Is there a specific washing method other than I guess flushing thoroughly with water?

---------- Post added at 06:12 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:06 PM ----------

I ordered some coconut husk chips...the orchid is currently sitting on top of some styrofoam peanuts, should I move those over when I repot it? Is there anything I need to know about its roots/how far down to pot it/etc for repotting? I know its roots are different...

Is there are specific time I should repot it? It's currently not blooming so is that okay? Or should I wait until I see new root growth?

Thanks for your help, sorry to ask so many questions!

[WhiteRabbit]

If the chc is described as pre-washed, but you wish to be cautious, soak overnight in water, rinse, soak overnight again, rinse again. If in doubt, taste the water it has soaked in - no salty taste, should be good to go.

Chc that is not washed (or if you don't know) - you can go with the repeated soaking, and taste the water. I know others recommend soaking with calcium (carbonate, I believe?) and epsom salts ...
I think

I found this http://www.orchidboard.com/community...usk-chips.html

this: http://www.orchidboard.com/community...nut-chips.html

page with description of using the calcium and epsom salts : Use of Coconut Husk Chips

Honestly, the most I have ever done is soak, rinse, repeat - and more recently just rinsing, and haven't had any trouble.

I have read concerns about chc retaining mineral salts - I flush the media well once a month, and have not noticed any issues. I have been using chc predominantly for over 4 years.