New Orchid owner needs help! - Orchid Board

dwickizer · #1 11-27-2007, 02:17 AM

Hello everyone.
I am new to the wonderful world of Orchids but am seasoned with house plants gardeneing and even greenhouse growing. I just haven't owned orchids before...afraid to I guess. My home is in the USA but my husband and I are currently living in Seoul Korea serving a volunteer mission here for 2 years. I have been admiring the fabulous variety of plants and orchids here and have picked up a few small house plants for the apartment but, again, no orchids because we are gone much of the time and I don't know how to care for them.

In September a guest brought a beautiful orchid for a gift and it had several buds on a stalk that gloriously bloomed and gave off a wondrful fragrance. Than in October another guest brought an orchid with 3 stalks full of blossoms that lasted for about 5 weeks, and now have shriveled and died. I am also losing leaves on that plant.

I can't identify the plants as they came without tags and I don't know where to start to get information on the care of these plants. I posted a few photos of the first orchid that is doing well, and a cropped photo of the 2nd orchid, as well as Freddy Frog the Humidifier. The purple orchid resembles a photo I saw called a "Floppy Phal" or "Phal Hilo" but the leaves are a little bit stubbier and more rounded.

Can anyone help me identify these plants and suggest care for them? What type of potting soil is required? How about direct sunlight? Moisture and watering? I have a humidifier on all the time close to the plants to keep them from drying out. I don't see any pests but there might be some black mold or rot on the purple plant that is causing it to die back.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Deb

shakkai · #2 11-27-2007, 05:18 AM

Welcome to Orchid Board, Deb! How exciting to be living in Seoul!

The 'purple plant' is a Phalaenopsis. You can read through the general care sheet for Phals here:
http://www.orchidboard.com/Phalaenop...ure-Care-Sheet

The most important thing to remember about Phals is, when watering, be very sure not to get water trapped in the top leaves of the plant. That is a sure way to get crown rot and kill the plant. From looking at your photo, you may also pull the plants out of the container that they are growing in and check on their roots. If they have not been allowed to dry out, you may see them beginning to rot. The roots of these plants needs plenty of fresh air around them.

Your yellow plant looks like a Cymbidium, but I can't say for sure as I've not seen one like it - but I don't grow any Cyms, so not a lot of experience. If it is, there is also a culture sheet available here for them as well:

http://www.orchidboard.com/Cymbidium-Culture-Care-Sheet

I'm sure others with more experience will chime in as well!

Again, welcome! And best of luck with your first orchids!

dwickizer · #3 11-27-2007, 07:13 AM

Thank you so much for the information. I will get it repotted as soon as possible and see if I can separate it a bit. I have seen photos of orchid plants in bark and/or pebble like material. Is that better than potting soil in you experience? There are wonderful orchid pots here that have holes all down the sides as well as in the bottom. Now I know why! Thanks again for your reply.
Deb

shakkai · #4 11-27-2007, 07:42 AM

Deb, Yes!! Don't use regular potting soil. It doesn't let in enough air and will suffocate and kill the roots. Bark chips (sometimes mixed with other materials) are problably still the most popular growing medium.

You can see a discussion of people's opinions of potting Phals in this thread:

Potting medium for Phalaenopsis

ipv6ready · #5 11-27-2007, 08:48 AM

I am a newbie, but I would suggest misting the plant as I presume it is very cold over in Seoul and central heating is used? Though I i guess this might depend if it is one of those fan forced ducted heating (low humidity) or "ondol" the heated coils/pipes in the floor variety (not sure what ondol would do to humidity)?

Maybe a simple humidity try would be called for? Atleast it seems you have bright linght by the window or is that the flash?

Dorothy · #6 11-27-2007, 09:09 AM

WELCOME DEB!

Glad you can join us here at the OB

I have found a site on Korean orchids which may help you ID your cymbid - Korean Orchids
I agree with everything Shak says about your phal - get it out of potting soil and once in a good orchid medium - after watering - allow the roots to dry - I let mine go 5 to 7 days if not longer at times - you can place a bamboo stick or chop stick in the medium to use as a moisture gauge - if the stick is cool and a bit moist to your face .. let it go another day longer .. then water.

dwickizer · #7 11-27-2007, 09:18 AM

Thanks Dorothy. I can't wait to repot it and see what the roots look like...maybe that's strange? But I love to know how and why things work. I'll try the chop stick method of checking for water. I already have a few of those!
Deb

gixrj18 · #8 11-27-2007, 09:29 AM

The yellow one looks like Cymbidium Golden Elf. I have this one, it is sold sometimes at the Home Depots, around here. Cymbidiums are well-known as ground orchids, commonly used in some landscapes. So, you can use soil....but I would layer it with some bark and rocks. Most Cymbidiums are cool-growing, however, some have been hybridized to warm-growing....I believe yours is a warm one. Bark is also okay for the purple Phal, also. There are a number of good mediums for this one (I like to use a little humus sprinkled in with whatever I use), just make sure that whatever you use has plenty of air pockets.....so the roots can breathe. I layer everything, since that's how nature does it! If you are having black rot, or any type of fungus, I would suggest copper fungicide (to kill the fungus), and there are several fungicides out there that are good for maintainence. I would cut out any fungus (to keep it from spreading), and apply cinammon to the wound (to dry it up). Make sure you sterilize your cutting tools (with an open flame) before you use them on your orchids......always! Hope this helps, good luck!

Ray · #9 11-27-2007, 10:39 AM

I agree with Jasen on the cymbidium.

TheCanfield · #10 11-27-2007, 10:49 AM

Welcome to the board I am also new to orchid's and have received MUCH help from this site, so what ever you do don’t toss the url aside like some of the other 'orchid' forms.
And now a bit off topic,
I was stationed at Camp Humphreys down near Pyongtaek but spent much time up in Seoul, you definitely need to take the subway up to Mt. Tobongsan and walk around a bit... its a beautiful hike up and down that mountain there is a spot up one of the paths that crosses the bridge on the left after you enter the park that goes up a bit to a HUGE rock ... you can stand on the rock and get an awesome view over all of Seoul, just a suggestion hehe