Phrag Fritz Somberg...Help ! Dead or Salvageable?

[estación seca]

I would neither water nor spray hot plants with cold water. A large temperature differential can damage the leaves and roots. Misting doesn't do anything useful for orchids; they don't take up water through the leaves.

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[Cearbhael]

Originally Posted by estación seca

I would neither water nor spray hot plants with cold water. A large temperature differential can damage the leaves and roots. Misting doesn't do anything useful for orchids; they don't take up water through the leaves.

Well, that is disappointing to hear. Would misting tepid water cool the air around the plants? I am not looking for them to “absorb” the water! I am thinking about the cooling effect of evaporation. Do you have any cooling suggestions? I already run my overhead fan to give them air flow. Yes it is run at a higher speed in hot weather. It will be a long time before I have to worry about temps again, but I would like to have a plan in place before next summer happens.

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[Roberta]

Carbhael, where do you live? When it turns hot in my southern California back yard, I spray the more fragile things (like mounted Pleurothallds) 2 or 3 times during the day, just to cool them off. The water isn't all THAT cold... but it's cool and then there is evaporation that extends the cooling a bit more as they dry out. I have received advice that plants shouldn't be watered when it is hot, that they close down their stomata to reduce evaporation... but darn it, the plants look pathetic when it is hot and dry. And they seem to do fine with their little baths. So I don't know what the right answer really is, but the tender little species that really hate heat seem to get through it with that treatment, so it does not appear to harm them and maybe does them some good.

[estación seca]

I think tap water is likely OK unless it comes out very cold, but not refrigerated water.

[Roberta]

Definitely, my tap water isn't particularly cold (and where I use RO, it's warmer since it is collected in a 55 gallon drum, shaded but not insulated.)It's cooler than the air, but that's it... of course evaporation also helps the cooling.

[Cearbhael]

I live in MN! Generally it can get very warm, but blistering hot like this summer is rare. We generally have to worry about cold more than heat! I have heard both sides of the misting argument and I must say that the refrigerated water is a bad idea! Cool water though, especially if sprayed into the air around them and not exactly on them should help reduce the ambient temperature around them. What moisture lands on the plant should evaporate and also keep the plant cooler. I have heard of orchid growers here who daily drench their outdoor orchids. If they can succeed doing that, I should think my fine indoor mister shouldn’t be that much of a shock.

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[Fairorchids]

I have had Phrags die back (fungal attack). i put the dead plants under the greenhouse bench for later disposal. When I finally got around to throw them out (2-3 months later), most had started new growths from the base.

So, hold on to the victim, but cut back watering for now.