help, is this normal?

[jenmcd03]

after taking pics of the 2 orchids and the roots through the plastic cups and getting an ok on everything, i noticed that one of the flowers started to look wilted. the other 2 are still fine. now remember, i'm a true novice, but is that normal?



and also, on the pics of the wedding promenade phal (plant #2), there looked to be not that much moss around the roots, as apposed to the 'popular moth' phal (first pics). when would be a good time to repot with bark, charcoal and moss?

[shams]

I'm no expert either, but from the orchids I've bought, I'd say it's pretty normal. The flowers don't all open up at the same time, so some wilt a little before the others.

I couldn't tell you about the moss situation, as I'm still experimenting with my own mediums right now

[quiltergal]

Sometimes when a plant experiences a sudden change in environment it gets stressed and drops flowers and sometimes unopened buds. This is commonly known as "bud blast". I had a new plant that dropped all it's flowers and buds and proceeded to drop leaves as well. It totally freaked me out. I'm happy to say it survived the ordeal and is one of my most reliable bloomers. Your plant may drop a flower or two or all. It's completely normal. Once the plant acclimates itself to your home it will be fine and bloom again. Phals are very hardy.

[justatypn]

Terri your on you mark, excellent advise.

Most of the plants that one buys will be stressed in some way or another, really depends on how whiny of a orchid you have. Once they get use to your enviroment they will flourish blooming season after blooming season.

It is also normal for some to miss a blooming season but will eventually catch up with itself. Just recently I had a dend. blue salaya bloom for the first time and it was purchased September 2005.

[jenmcd03]

thank you guys! you have comforted me in this, one of many i'm sure, situations.

thanks a bunch!

[CoolPhrog]

really depends on how whiny of a orchid you have

I love this description...fitting but funny!

[katfemme89]

I would say that the above comments are 100% correct about acclimatization, but if your flowers keep wilting you might want to check for root problems.

-Kat

[jenmcd03]

since i wrote this, the bloom did fall off but one the of buds is opening. so that's good right?

[William]

I'm sort of a novice myself but the new buds opening seem to show everything is fine. Mine do that quite often.

[quiltergal]

Yes Jen, it sounds like everything is fine with with that bud opening. It's hard if not impossible to tell how long an orchid has been in bloom when you first buy it. Blooms can and do last for months, though they usually don't drop from old age until the whole infloresence is fully bloomed. I would say yours experienced a slight shock but seems to have gotten over it quickly!