Hello and HELP!

[candywhitevdub]

Hello everyone! I have been browsing these boards for a while and finally joined due to dire circumstances!

I started getting into plants when my brother picked up bonsai when I lived in Maine. I have since moved to Texas and bought a baby brassia verrucosa at a garden on a recent trip to Costa Rica. It has been in a pot of orchid specific medium here for about 4 months and was doing great until recently. This IS my first orchid and I feel it might have been a bit too much of a first project for me.

Attached are two pictures-
1. The leaf coming off the bulb was very green and healthy until recently and the roots were very white. This has obviously turned brown and limp and I have no idea why.
2. This shows the brown roots (firm and retain their shape) and the wrinkly bulb.

I have no idea if this is too much/not enough water, too much/not enough light, or temperature. I have been looking around online and am afraid that by the time find out whats going on it will be too late (if it isn't too late already).

So please let me know what I'm doing wrong and the best way to fix it! I'd love to see this little guy up and running!

[WhiteRabbit]

Glad you found us!

Baby orchids can be difficult - so easy to over or underwater them, and they don't have the stored resources a mature plant has to help it thru. Might be difficult to save this one. I'd pot it in a VERY small pot, keep it warm and humid (I'm guessing that shouldn't be a problem in Texas this time of year ?) Bright shade, or just a bit of sun early or late in the day, or dappled light (right now it doesn't need a lot of light - want it to hopefully get some new growth started. Honestly - I don't know if it's likely to save this at this point - tho it may be possible. Can't hurt to try.
Some other members may have some other suggestion of things to try.

If you don't succeed, don't be hard on yourself. I have not had much luck with very small orchid seedlings. I'd definitely suggest trying a mature or near bloom sized orchid. I'm sure some members can suggest some that might do well for you. Brassia might be a good one, just a bigger one.

Good luck!

[Wynn Dee13]

Welcome! Sorry about your plant but I don't think it is going to make it. Like Sonya said baby orchids are difficult to grow. I have been growing orchids for 11 years and I still have trouble with them. I don't recommend them as a beginners orchid. Don't take it too hard, everyone kills a few (or a lot) when they first start to grow orchids. I would recommend trying a blooming size plant too. Then try and bloom it again. That can be a challenge in itself at first. Starting with such a young plant can be frustrating too because it is years from blooming. I would recommend getting a hybrid Phalaenopsis from a good source and start with that. They do well in home environments and seem to be a popular choice for beginners. The Phal Abuse Ends Here thread is a good source for information on Phalaenopsis orchids. Here is the link. http://www.orchidboard.com/community...ends-here.html
A blooming size Brassia would be okay too. They need higher light than Phalaenopsis but you probably won't have a problem with light in Texas. Good luck and don't hesitate to ask more questions!

[RosieC]

Welcome to Orchid Board. I can't add must to what has been said above, but just wanted to welcome you to the board