What is my Beallara doing? o_O - Orchid Board

butterfly_muse · #1 12-24-2013, 11:15 PM

Hey everyone!

My Beallara Marfitch Howard's Dream finished showing off its flowers sometime last week, and I cut its spike and stuck it back in its spot under the lights.

I just got home from a family gathering and noticed its new growth looks really, really strange.

What is this? Is this normal? What is this thing doing??

MrHappyRotter · #2 12-25-2013, 12:20 AM

It's not normal, but it's very common with oncidium alliance plants. It happens when the growths aren't getting enough water or the humidity is too low while they are actively growing. The crinkled leaves will remain that way, but as long as you correct the issue, the plant will be fine and probably flower without a problem. Also, with some plants in certain growing environments, it's almost impossible to avoid.

In terms of the growths not getting enough water, this is sometimes due to unhealthy roots (from over watering) and sometimes due to just not watering enough. From your photos, it looks like the roots on your plant are very healthy, so I'd recommend stepping up the watering a bit. If you have a spray bottle, you might even want to mist the aerial roots. I mostly avoid misting the leaves, but as long as you do it early in the day and they are completely dry before dark, it shouldn't be a problem.

If humidity is the issue, spraying can also help. Other possibilities would be to use humidity trays or to get a humidifier for the room. I prefer the ultrasonic humidifiers, but they usually cost quite a bit more than the cheaper warm mist types. I don't like the warm mist because I just don't quite trust leaving something with a heating element to run all day when I'm gone. Good humidity levels are generally in the 50% - 60% range. Anything less than 40% - 45% is a bit too dry, and anything much above 70%, without proper ventilation & air movement tends to promote fungal and bacterial infections.

butterfly_muse · #3 12-25-2013, 12:26 AM

I'll step up the watering and I'll mist the roots better. I mist them all in the mornings and the humidity is usually around 53% according to my agrometer. =/ Hopefully that will fix it.

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james mickelso · #4 12-25-2013, 10:29 PM

When did you divide this plant? Or is this a seedling just potted up? Oncids like to be crowded. They don't like to be repotted too often and will take time to bloom again. With the roots growing on top the media this isn't getting enough water and misting really won't help as much as a good soak often. With the roots growing on top the media you can water every day with humidity below 70%, A breeze will dry the roots out even faster. Misting has to be done with a very clean water free of too much dissolved solids. Water should be no more than 50 ppm. Because as the water dries it leaves behind salts which tend to build up on the root surface and dehydrates the velamen even more. Low humidity is seldom a problem. A bigger problem is lack of sufficient moisture (water) at he roots and with these roots on the surface......water every day. Watering like this is only detrimental if the media doesn't drain well and the roots are down deep in the media.

butterfly_muse · #5 12-25-2013, 10:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by james mickelso

When did you divide this plant? Or is this a seedling just potted up? Oncids like to be crowded. They don't like to be repotted too often and will take time to bloom again. With the roots growing on top the media this isn't getting enough water and misting really won't help as much as a good soak often. With the roots growing on top the media you can water every day with humidity below 70%, A breeze will dry the roots out even faster. Misting has to be done with a very clean water free of too much dissolved solids. Water should be no more than 50 ppm. Because as the water dries it leaves behind salts which tend to build up on the root surface and dehydrates the velamen even more. Low humidity is seldom a problem. A bigger problem is lack of sufficient moisture (water) at he roots and with these roots on the surface......water every day. Watering like this is only detrimental if the media doesn't drain well and the roots are down deep in the media.

I have not divided this plant, I bought it back in June and it came to me in sphag, so I repotted it in some CHC and treated it with Ray's kelpmax which is where all its lovely new roots have come from. It just finished blooming last week. I use filtered or distilled water for my bottle..how often would you recommend soaking it? And should the same apply to my other orchids (cattleyas in bark, and I've got a couple mini phals, one of which is in spike atm)?

james mickelso · #6 12-25-2013, 11:14 PM

From what I can see I would water this every day as the roots will dry out by the end of the day and can be watered again. This looks like a first year growth off an older bulb. That is why I said division. Usually oncid types don't flower off single pbulbs. This used a lot of energy and probably won't bloom until two more growth cycles have matured. If your other orchids have roots somewhat buried by media I would Water them less often. The more the roots are buried the less water at any given time. Don't water until almost dry.