Dove orchid dying

[Taj]

I had purchased the plant online from eBay.
As per the instructions found online and as advised by the seller the orchid was planted in well draining soil in 9inch pot, given this orchid is a terrestrial one. And i watered it once a week. I also gave the plant few hours of morning sun and protected from afternoon sunlight.

I noticed that the soil was quite wet and suspecting it might become an issue i lifted the plant up from the soil a found a small lesion which i hadn't noticed earlier. Again basis online forums i planted it in a pine bark chips and charcoal mix in the same sized pot after cutting off mushy roots and applying cinnamon on the lesion. After that i have been watering it every other day but the bulb kept shrivelling and reducing in size.
Today I took it out from the pot again and i notice the bulb is slighly turned yellow on one side but it is not soft. The leaves are brittle. There are almost no roots from the bulb but there are roots from the stem.
I also notice there is some growth from the side of the pseudobulb. Not sure what it is.
When the plant arrived it was about 30-35 cms tall and the pseudobulb was slightly wrinkled but the pseudobulb itself was small ib size. Now after a couple of months the plant had doubled in size but the pseudobulb has severely shrivelled and reduced in size.
I live in a humid tropical climate - southern India and it is summer here.
Please help save this plant. What have i done wrong with this orchid? How can I fix my mistakes. Is there any chance of saving this guy? Thanks in advance.

Some photos in below link.
https://drive.google.com/folderview?...C03SndQYm84RE0

[Optimist]

Through your written description, I can see several potential problems.

Don't put cinnamon on the roots. That will kill the roots.

When you say "soil" what do you mean? Bark chunks (pieces) are most normally used with orchids. Soil will suffocate the roots. (Even terrestrial orchids are not kept in "soil"). Other useful mediums are small stones that hold some water, or various types of hard fibers. Good drainage is required, and this means that the water needs to run in, and then run out of the pot quickly. Often "dampening" but not saturating the medium.

A few hours of morning sun a day. Peristeria Elata enjoys strong light all year (per Carter and Holmes). People get the notion that orchids are "shade" plants. While some are, many also need full, or nearly full sun. It sounds like Peristeria needs more sun than you are giving it.

Look at the care instructions at Carter and Holmes. They seem readable.

[Taj]

Originally Posted by Optimist

Through your written description, I can see several potential problems.

Don't put cinnamon on the roots. That will kill the roots.

When you say "soil" what do you mean? Bark chunks (pieces) are most normally used with orchids. Soil will suffocate the roots. (Even terrestrial orchids are not kept in "soil"). Other useful mediums are small stones that hold some water, or various types of hard fibers. Good drainage is required, and this means that the water needs to run in, and then run out of the pot quickly. Often "dampening" but not saturating the medium.

A few hours of morning sun a day. Peristeria Elata enjoys strong light all year (per Carter and Holmes). People get the notion that orchids are "shade" plants. While some are, many also need full, or nearly full sun. It sounds like Peristeria needs more sun than you are giving it.

Look at the care instructions at Carter and Holmes. They seem readable.

Thanks for the reply. I am beginner in terms of orchids and whatever i did was based on suggestions i found on the net especially with respect to the cinnamon part. But that was just once and since then it has been watered several times.
The seller had the plant in soil only and he advised me to continue doing the same when i repot. After the initial couple weeks in soil i had it repotted in Pine bark and charcoal pcs and the frequency of watering was increased. Should i make some more changes to the medium?
With respect to light - chennai's climate is very hot. Even the morning sun hurts. So as the temperature started increasing i noticed that the leaves tips had started to brown and leaves were drying up so i put them in a location where it received indirect sunlight. Plus since the pseudobulbs were already shriveling i thought putting under direct sun would harm it more.
Please suggest some method to improve the health of the bulb. Thank you.

[estación seca]

Hi Taj, welcome to Orchid Board.

I have one of these. My experience has been that they are very strong plants that really want to grow. I think there is a good chance yours will grow. They should not be kept wet, but should almost dry out before watering.

I live where summer temperatures are over 40 C almost every day. Today we reached 38 C for the first time this year. What are your temperatures now, day and night? How humid is Chennai?

A 9 inch / 23cm pot is far too large for your plant. It has been too wet and most of the roots rotted. They need to almost dry out within a few days of watering.

It is best to use a very small pot, but one a little deeper than usual pots. Leave only enough room for 1 or 2 more growths. A 9 inch pot would be good for a plant with about 10 pseudobulbs.

I would guess a 3 or 4 inch pot will be good for your plant. Use a mixture that drains rapidly. A large healthy plant could grow in a tight pot with soil, but your plant needs to grow more roots.

For now, let it dry out bare root. Take off the mushy dead parts. I would not put cinnamon on roots. Repot. Water it, and put it in bright shade until it is growing better. Water again when it is almost dry. If you choose a good pot size and potting mix, you will have to water it once or twice a week.

In the beginners forum here you will find a sticky thread on how to check soil wetness with a wooden cooking skewer.

Please let us know how your plant is doing.

[Taj]

Originally Posted by estación seca

Hi Taj, welcome to Orchid Board.

I have one of these. My experience has been that they are very strong plants that really want to grow. I think there is a good chance yours will grow. They should not be kept wet, but should almost dry out before watering.

I live where summer temperatures are over 40 C almost every day. Today we reached 38 C for the first time this year. What are your temperatures now, day and night? How humid is Chennai?

A 9 inch / 23cm pot is far too large for your plant. It has been too wet and most of the roots rotted. They need to almost dry out within a few days of watering.

It is best to use a very small pot, but one a little deeper than usual pots. Leave only enough room for 1 or 2 more growths. A 9 inch pot would be good for a plant with about 10 pseudobulbs.

I would guess a 3 or 4 inch pot will be good for your plant. Use a mixture that drains rapidly. A large healthy plant could grow in a tight pot with soil, but your plant needs to grow more roots.

For now, let it dry out bare root. Take off the mushy dead parts. I would not put cinnamon on roots. Repot. Water it, and put it in bright shade until it is growing better. Water again when it is almost dry. If you choose a good pot size and potting mix, you will have to water it once or twice a week.

In the beginners forum here you will find a sticky thread on how to check soil wetness with a wooden cooking skewer.

Please let us know how your plant is doing.

Thank you. Very encouraging words. I hope they come around. I have been cursing myself for having almost killed this beautiful plant.
Based on your advise have shifted this plant to a 5inch transparent pot that i had cleaned and kept handy. But they are still in charcoal and pine bark mix. The bark pcs are 1 inch size and charcoal pcs are bigger. What potting mix would you suggest i pot them in?
I read about the skewer test. Will follow that.
The temperature in chennai is 36/97 degrees and humidity is 53%.
They are placed in a shady spot so they don't dry up too much. I also have them in a tray of water without the pot touching the water directly. I read somewhere that this will help slow down the water loss from the plant
Thanks for all the help.

[estación seca]

The soil mix is fine. The goal is for the plant to form new roots and growth. The temperatures are ok for now. The higher the humidity the better. If it becomes much hotter, consider putting the plant someplace not so warm. The plant gets a lot of sun in habitat, but temperatures are warm, not very hot.

[Taj]

Originally Posted by estación seca

The soil mix is fine. The goal is for the plant to form new roots and growth. The temperatures are ok for now. The higher the humidity the better. If it becomes much hotter, consider putting the plant someplace not so warm. The plant gets a lot of sun in habitst, but temperatures are warm, not very hot.

Fingers crossed. If all goes well will the pseudobulb become healthier and by when i should start noticing a change? Sorry for so many questions.

[Orchid Whisperer]

I don't grow this one, but keep in mind that all orchids grow very slowly. Don't expect rapid improvements in response to changes in cultural conditions; the cultural improvements may still help, but the improvements in the plant will be gradual. I see many new growers on this board that kill plants unintentionally by switching growing conditions every few days and using every fertilizer, supplement and chemical imaginable to force plants to improve quickly.

I agree with Optimist - no cinnamon on the roots. Also, here is a link to the information from Carter & Holmes: Peristeria elata Orchid Care - Carter and Holmes Orchids Culture

Since estación seca is growing this species , I would pay particular attention to the advice that he and others that are growing P. elata provide to you . If I were trying to recover this plant, I would pay particular attention to the advice to allow the plant to nearly dry out before watering again. Overwatering is another big killer of orchids.

Question addressed to estación seca: since this plant has very few roots, would you keep this plant more shaded than usual as it recovers, and maybe produces new roots on the new growth? Especially considering the heat?

[estación seca]

I would most definitely put a recovering orchid into bright shade, and not into any sun, until it is well on its way to health. Not many orchids experience full sun all day when temperatures are much over 35C, so shade will be important. I have never seen this plant in habitat, nor seen good photos of the plant in habitat. I have read it grows at forest margins and among large rocks, so it is unlikely it experiences full sun for more than a few hours in the early morning or late afternoon.

Recovering an orchid with this amount of damage does, indeed, take months to over a year. The plant must make new growths before it will look good again. Fortunately, this is a very vigorous orchid that wants to grow. If you read various posts people make on this plant, almost nobody has trouble growing it to large size; they have trouble getting it to bloom.

The care now is centered on getting the plant to make new growths. I have noticed my plant made new shoots first this spring, and only after some weeks is it making new roots from those new shoots. Your plant will probably follow the same schedule.

The oldest growth on Taj's plant is never going to look any better. It will probably not make any more roots, either. The other growth may, or may not, resume growth. It may stop now and partially mature. If you are lucky, it will resume growing, but this is less likely, I think.

The most likely outcome, if your plant is to survive, is that either the old or the new growth will begin making a new shoot. It is possible both will make a new shoot; this plant is that vigorous. With proper care, new shoots will develop new roots, and then mature normally. New growth from your plant, in the current state, is unlikely to be as big as either of the growths on your plant now, but further growths should increase in size. I think that, when this plant is happy, it will make new growths throughout the growing season.

The keys to resuscitating your plant will be:

1 Water the plant heavily, then let it become almost dry, then water it heavily again.

2 Keep the humidity around the plant high, if you can.

3 When new roots begin you will see them. Dampen just those new roots, each day, with a spray bottle, or a few drops of water from your hand, while you maintain the routine of watering the entire container and letting it go almost dry.

I have noticed new roots on this plant, before they penetrate the medium, will die at the tips if they aren't dampened each day. But you will be dampening just these new roots each day, not all the medium in the pot.

[Taj]

Originally Posted by estación seca

I would most definitely put a recovering orchid into bright shade, and not into any sun, until it is well on its way to health. Not many orchids experience full sun all day when temperatures are much over 35C, so shade will be important. I have never seen this plant in habitat, nor seen good photos of the plant in habitat. I have read it grows at forest margins and among large rocks, so it is unlikely it experiences full sun for more than a few hours in the early morning or late afternoon.

Recovering an orchid with this amount of damage does, indeed, take months to over a year. The plant must make new growths before it will look good again. Fortunately, this is a very vigorous orchid that wants to grow. If you read various posts people make on this plant, almost nobody has trouble growing it to large size; they have trouble getting it to bloom.

The care now is centered on getting the plant to make new growths. I have noticed my plant made new shoots first this spring, and only after some weeks is it making new roots from those new shoots. Your plant will probably follow the same schedule.

The oldest growth on Taj's plant is never going to look any better. It will probably not make any more roots, either. The other growth may, or may not, resume growth. It may stop now and partially mature. If you are lucky, it will resume growing, but this is less likely, I think.

The most likely outcome, if your plant is to survive, is that either the old or the new growth will begin making a new shoot. It is possible both will make a new shoot; this plant is that vigorous. With proper care, new shoots will develop new roots, and then mature normally. New growth from your plant, in the current state, is unlikely to be as big as either of the growths on your plant now, but further growths should increase in size. I think that, when this plant is happy, it will make new growths throughout the growing season.

The keys to resuscitating your plant will be:

1 Water the plant heavily, then let it become almost dry, then water it heavily again.

2 Keep the humidity around the plant high, if you can.

3 When new roots begin you will see them. Dampen just those new roots, each day, with a spray bottle, or a few drops of water from your hand, while you maintain the routine of watering the entire container and letting it go almost dry.

I have noticed new roots on this plant, before they penetrate the medium, will die at the tips if they aren't dampened each day. But you will be dampening just these new roots each day, not all the medium in the pot.

When you say old and new growth do you mean a new pseudobulb or a new stem?
When you say water heavily how do i do that?
Should the roots be visible on top of the potting media or should they be buried? How will i be misting just the new root tips if the roots are going to be buried?

Sorry once again if my questions are really basic
Thank you everyone for all the help. I should have come here much earlier.

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