Quote:
Originally Posted by annierj
After reading your email, I went out and turned over the plant, spilling all the orchid bark out. It was wet and heavy. The roots did not look as well as I think they should. The bulbs are solid but the roots are another matter. I repotted it in dry medium, hoping against hope that the dryness of the bark will help pull some of the moisture out of the roots. There doesn't seem to be any visable fungus or black nastiness about the base of the plant. What are the changes of it regenerating some healthier roots, like over the next few weeks? Should I not water it for awhile, pulling it in when it rains? Or let is sit outside (we are expecting rain on Sunday) and see what happens?One set of leaves is green...the others are turning yellow and falling off....
Personally, I don't hold much hope for recovery but orchids continue to surprise me, both in their willingness to survive and, on the opposite end of the spectrum, their fragility....
Thanks for your insights and help...and encouragement. Crucial when you enter this amazing and wondrous world of orchids.
anne
---------- Post added at 08:00 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:58 PM ----------
sorry...tonight can't type or spell worth a darn....that should read "chances", not changes.... silly Fridays...
---------- Post added at 08:04 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:00 PM ----------
And, if I read ALL the email and answered ALL the questions.... I bring all my orchids in when it gets near mid-30's....the cymbidiums I leave out until 28 and a bit, to encourage buds to form.... I leave the cymbidiums in the basement, under florescent grow lights, as it is cooler down there, for the winter, watering them infrequently. Last year was my most successful, with 12 spikes. The other varieties are scattered about the living space for the winter, getting filtered natural light... My house is like a green magic garden.....I figure by spring the air should be sufficiently filtered and then I turn the lot out in mid-April. A lot of work but worth it (for me)....
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Hi, Sorry I was away for a few days. It sounds like the roots are too wet and possibly causing the pseudo bulb to die off. I prefer not to leave any of my orchids out where they are directly rained on since water can get trapped and cause rot. I guess the exception is several cymbidiums that don't seem to mind being rained on. New bark is good and keeping it dryer sounds like a good idea. But new bark will hold a lot less water than older bark so beware that the plant will dry out very quickly at first until the bark is a bit 'seasoned' Don't leave it too dry for too long as they like to be a bit moist. I would try using some seaweed added to my water and soak the roots in that. It really encourages new root growth. The best chance for root growth is if there is a new pseudo bulb started.
I think I would be bringing most orchids in sooner than temps reaching mid 30's. Mine all come in closer to when it is 50F or lower except Cymbidiums and any Nobile dendrobiums can likely take cooler also. But maybe others do fine leaving orchids out to close to freezing.
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