Advice for new orchids

[Ruby_House]

Last weekend i brought 3 orchids ( epidendrum, oncidium & zygopetalum) from my work home and i was wondering if they're healthy? They have a few black spots on their leaves and the oncidium apears to be growing another flower stalk and has wrikles on the bulb, could that mean dehydration? finally i havent touched the substrat yet so the epidendrum and the oncidium are still tightly packed in moss and the zygopetalum is in some type of soil, what would be the best substrat for each of them?

---------- Post added at 10:49 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:47 AM ----------

How do i upload images to my post?

[nogreenthumbs]

When you are posting, down below the posting window you'll see a button that says "manage attachments". That will pop up a new window that allows you to select images from your computer to upload. If you've got images already on the Internet (Flickr, photobucket, etc...) then you can use the attach image button that is above the new message box and paste the link to the image in the box.

I think some black spots on Oncidium leaves are not unusual. Also, certain types of ridges on Oncidium is not a problem, but wrinkles can be, so pictures would help on that count. Pictures would definitely help. Often the media that these things come in needs to be changed and is not healthy for the plants by the time we buy them. For the oncidium and epidendrum, I think you could use the standard bark chip. I'm not sure on the Zygopetalum. If it's an epiphyte, then I would think that it could use the same. If it's in soil, then I would assume it's not and may require something different. Pictures would certainly help a bunch.

[Leafmite]

You need to post at least five posts, I think, before you can add pictures. They had to do this to help prevent spamming.

[Ruby_House]

thank you! ill post the images after i get those five posts...

---------- Post added at 12:02 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:57 AM ----------

I'll only have time to go buy proper substrat for them in maybe 2 days should i try and loosen up the moss until then?

[fishmom]

Welcome! Just make a few random posts in response to others and you will get to 5 in no time!

[Ruby_House]

Thank you!

---------- Post added at 12:18 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:13 PM ----------

the Ocidium has black spots on its leaves but so those the Zygopetalum, i read somewhere that this was from water damage?

---------- Post added at 12:30 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:18 PM ----------

i tried going on manage attachments again but it said it couldnt be complete due to a security thing missing?

[nogreenthumbs]

I wouldn't worry about trying to do anything with the existing setup, just don't water them. they are probably holding water already. If you want to check, you can get small bamboo skewers from the grocery store, them poke them down into the center of the existing media and let them sit a few secs and pull them out. If they are damp, then you have enough moisture (or maybe too much). If you are getting ready to repot, in a few days, I'd wait to disturb the roots until you are ready.

[Bud]

"some type of soil", what you mean is a small to medium orchid mix. No seller with ever put orchids in potting soil. Aside from posting pictures, you also need to tell us your grow zone so we can advice you if your humidity is high or low and what level of sun to put your plants in. I personally repot my orchid plants upon bringing it home. I can inspect the roots and whatever straggler bugs in the old media is disposed of. Unless you got the plants from a reputable place or greenhouse where they make sure that there are no bugs or virus infestations.

[Ruby_House]

My grow zone is 5b and i've been trying to post pictures but it wont let me upload them.

[Ruby_House]

Since taking the pictures i've loosened up the epidendrum and the oncidrium in the moss simply because it was not drying out since i brought them home...