More cold weather panic setting in!

[Ranchnanny]

Hi Everyone here is an update on the new GH and more orchids inside. I have two Equistreis (hope I spelled that right) that are in spike and they are so small. I have on large Phal. that appears to be sending out a new leaf in the wrong place its coming out where the spike should be. Then I have placed my small collection of Paphs. and Prags. which were cold damaged before they were delivered. Things seem to be growing well with lots of new roots and new leaves. My mounted chids don't seem to be doing much.

Any comments appreciated.

Thanks for Looking
Sheridan

[Ranchnanny]

SORRY forgot the pictures

Sheridan

[Bird Song Farm]

Hi Sheridan,
Everything looks good, my mounts are still on hold too.
That growth between the leaf and the stalk on the phal????????? are you sure that isn't a spike?

Al

[quiltingwacko]

Sure is a nice set up Sheridan. I feel your pain re the late delivered chids. I worried all weekend when a phal I ordered as a gift was taken back to the warehouse in 106 degree weather. It survived though, much to my surprise. It lost a bloom or two. I hope yours pull through too. Orchids amaze me. They survive conditions that we are sure they cannot. Happily. Carol

[Ranchnanny]

Al and Quiltingwacko, thanks for the comments....
The Phals. new growth where the spike should be looks like a leaf cause it is split like a leaf. I placed the damaged chids in the gh after a couple of days in hopes that the enviornment would give them a boost.. I hope that is not wishfull thinking. I told the gal I got them from she had to file a claim with UPS since they didn't deliver on the date stated on the tracking site. I would hope I would get some $$ back or something.

I will check that Phal. again today to see what's up

Sheridan

[greenbean]

Some great looking plants there Sheridan! (even with some damage). Can't wait to see your equestris blooming! I agree with you on the one phal. It does look like a leaf. Maybe it's a basal keiki! Phals make those sometimes.

Hope your new chids all pull through!

[Ranchnanny]

Oh Evan I hope that is not a basal keiki I don't want to loose the mother plant. The plant is in really good condition.. I will take more pictures as it grows.

Thanks Sheridan

[vmax3000]

Originally Posted by Ranchnanny

Hi Everyone here is an update on the new GH and more orchids inside. I have two Equistreis (hope I spelled that right) that are in spike and they are so small. I have on large Phal. that appears to be sending out a new leaf in the wrong place its coming out where the spike should be. Then I have placed my small collection of Paphs. and Prags. which were cold damaged before they were delivered. Things seem to be growing well with lots of new roots and new leaves. My mounted chids don't seem to be doing much.

Any comments appreciated.

Thanks for Looking
Sheridan

Hi Sheridan ,
On the phal., it's honestly hard to tell what that new growth is. Hopefully it will be a bloom spike, but only time will tell. If the plants exposed to cold get mushy, it would be best to remove that portion of the plant, as it may spread a disease throughout the plant and it could be lost. Cinnamon is a good and accessible antifungal that can be placed on the wound, post "surgery". What kind of mounted orchids? Some tend to "rest" during cooler months and just appear to exist without much obvious activity. Some take a break prior to flowering (I have a dend. that dumps all of it's leaves and if it were any other plant, I might think that was bad.., but like Carol said, orchids are really more amazing and hardy than we first believe, although they do need consistent maintenance.) My collection went through a period of, well, surprise after I moved them from shelving units near windows in the house to the GH. I bet they will re-adjust and in no time, you will be overwhelmed, in a good way, with healthy, happy, blooming plants.
Vanessa

[Ranchnanny]

Thanks Vanessa on that Phal. the more it grows the more I think its a leaf . I did cut back all of the dark mushy leaves on the Paphs and Phrags. The largest a Lemonarianum looks to far gone but I am going to keep it in the gh. My mounted orchids were in the orchidarium in the house then I moved them into the gh they have lots of good roots and some new growth but nothing else . I use a spray bottle when watering them sometimes everyday as the moss drys out over night. Everything else seems to be adapting well to their new environment. We had two days where I could turn off the heaters in the gh but today its foggy cold and the heaters are on.

Thanks for your comments
Sheridan

[vmax3000]

For those of you with GHs (sorry Evan...soon enough, though, right??), what sort of heaters are you using? If you don't mind, detail your successes and failures. I am curious. My little bathroom heater has done wonders in my little 10 by 12. But, when it gets cold, like in the twenties and thirties (yeah, I know, wimpy cold to the Northerners), I have resorted to burning a propane fueled heater, with less than spectacular results. My flowers have been fading much faster than I would have expected (ethylene by product, I think). When I use the other bathroom heater, I have to turn the fan off for fear of blowing the GFI (ground fault interupt) and besides, it's expensive. So, what has worked for you and what hasn't?
Thanks.

Sheridan,
I know that my hibiscus in the garage don't get any heating, but survive and it has something to do with direct frost contact. I am drawing a blank (not enough coffee, maybe) as to what that effect is called. Most of the hardier orchids can withstand fairly cold temps without much ill effect if they are protected. Phals, I believe, are a different story altogether. Can someone expand on this, if I am headed in the right direction??
Hang in there, regardless!