Hello! Help me save my orchids!? - Page 2 - Orchid Board

GardenTheater · #11 10-15-2013, 11:04 PM

Welcome aboard! Happy the orchids are growing on you and for you.

When you say your water is soft, do you mean it has a low level of TDS (total devolved solids) or that water softener has been added? Orchids usually like low TDS water, but not water softener.

lauren.r · #12 10-21-2013, 03:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RandomGemini

I would start by reading this thread:

nolinkhere

The first 16 pages or so are loaded with info and the posts by King of Orchid Growing are really useful. It's a lot, so take your time, grab a cuppa and read it when you have time. Don't try to read it all at once, like I did. I overloaded my brain and forgot half of what I read. LOL!

Welcome to the forum!

Thanks for the welcome - and oopsie! I clicked the link and read the first 24 pages before I came back and read what you wrote after it

Useful info I did find though - and I made notes, so no forgetting for me! Thanks for the link.

I still have lots of questions though, as some of the information contradicted other information provided. I hope you don't mind if I fire away, any advice at all would be amazing.

I read that Phals are best in East facing windows (I have no choice about my window as I only have one available to me, so South-East it is) but I also read that you shouldn't keep them on the windowsill as temperature drops at night, especially if you close the curtains, can be bad for the plant. Is this true, and if so, baring in mind my window is South-East facing and I have double glazing and it's now Autumn so light is getting more sparse, would I be best keeping them away from the window and them getting less light, or in the window and risking the chill?

I also read that humidity trays don't have much of an effect in open rooms, but that they also are great if you have air movement. I've never tried them, but a humidifier is pretty much out of the question for me and I can get my room warm but not wet, is this the only option for me (baring in mind I've read misting is a bad idea for orchids growing in upright pots)? And if so, what qualifies as "air movement"? Should I buy a fan!? lol. I also wondered if misting just aerial roots is a good idea, because I have an orchid which has some very dry looking aerial roots but the potted roots dry out slowly because it's in desperate need of repotting so I can't drench them easily without getting the rest of the plant wet (but it's in flower so I'm reluctant to repot now... such a predicament).

Next! I read that decreasing the relative portion of N to P induces blooms and increasing N generally encourages vegetative growth. Is there any chance anyone could give me some idea of what healthy levels of NPK are for 1. encouraging a phal to flower and 2. encouraging a phal to grow roots and 3. encouraging it to grow leaves (if this is different from what you would have for roots)? I don't feed my orchids at all at the moment so I can't really decrease one because I don't have any to start with!

I also read that inducing blooms is taxing on the plant, is it better not to feed them and allow blooms to occur "naturally"? Along to same fertiliser lines I read something about seawide extract, epsom salts, and not giving "Epiphytic Orchids" urea or peat... but, what's an Epiphytic Orchid?

I have a very sad orchid which has two very shriveled leaves, one slightly perkier leaf, two very dubious roots and surprisingly one new leaf just beginning to grow. An orchid murdering lady at a garden shop near me said the general orchid potting mix would be "fiiiiine". Not so. I read that cases like these are not always yet lost, but I'm a bit scared to do anything with it. This is a pretty open ended question I realise but; what should I do?

Someone said orchids live up to a couple of decades, someone else said they can live indefinitely, which is true? If orchids die eventually regardless of care, how do you know when it's dying because it's dying, and when it's dying because you're killing it?

I... I think that's it for now

Any ideas are extremely appreciated!

GardenTheater - Thanks for the welcome! I live in Yorkshire in the UK and the water here is known for being fairly "soft". I'm not too wise to the technicalities but as far as I'm aware this is naturally occurring, I haven't altered the water in any way. Same kind of water that makes your hair soft if that helps at all!?

I'm told it has something to do with lime and bubbles...

RandomGemini · #13 10-21-2013, 05:59 PM

Pics would be useful. What you describe could be a healthy plant, or a plant on its last legs.

I grow my mini phals on the windowsill. I have several hanging in baskets that are attached to the glass with suction cups. It's an east facing window, but they are maybe an inch from the double pane glass. I think it really depends on the chill and how insulated your windows are.

I don't grow my phals in humidity trays and I don't think a lot of forum members here do either. I do grow my other orchids in humidity trays, but I just think that phals adapt to home growing conditions a lot more easily than other species, so I don't feel bad about not giving my phals extra humidity.

I think it's six of one, half dozen of another on whether or not humidity trays work. I suspect that they are better than nothing at all if you really need to provide extra humidity, but it doesn't sound to me like you do.

As far as getting an orchid to bloom, I think forcing an orchid to bloom is a bad idea, but I'll defer to the wisdom of more experienced growers on that issue.

Epiphytic orchids are orchids that grow on trees in nature. Generally, their roots are capable of photosynthesis and are not just there to hold the plant onto the tree.

Yes, we have an OB member who recently posted a picture of an orchid that may be over a hundred years old. They can live for a very long time. Generally speaking, if a phal is dying and you're pretty new to the hobby, odds are good it's something you did. Either you chose poorly before you brought it home, or something in your culture was not right for the plant. There are diseases and pests that plague orchids too, but 9 times out of 10, phals die from being overwatered by the people that love them.

I don't think I covered everything, I'll leave the questions I didn't answer to someone with more experience than I have. Hope this helps!

lauren.r · #14 10-21-2013, 07:40 PM

That helps loads, thank you so much!

Hanging baskets and suction cups sounds like fun, I would never have thought of that! The room I keep my orchids in is generally well insulated but the windows themselves I can feel a slight chill from, and I suspect it will only get worse as winter kicks in.

Glad to hear it doesn't sound like I need to get any water trays! I'm still a little blurry about the difference between humidity and general moisture, do you really need high humidity so long as you're attentive and water them when they need it?

When it comes to forcing an orchid to bloom, maybe I explained my question badly. I would much rather have gorgeous roots, healthy leaves and no flowers than a plant that blooms itself to death so that's no problem. What I really should have asked is whether feeding an orchid is good for it or not, generally? And if it is good, then what should you feed it and when, and what effect will that have on the plant?

I think I've been feeding my poor Phals urea

I felt bad that I'd never given them anything but tap water - I need to stop acting before I have all the facts! Thanks for the clarification about "Epiphytic", I'll give up feeding them until I know what I'm doing!

Super happy to hear that orchids can go on living forever! I was sad to hear that they may simply give up on me one day, though I'm confident you're completely right about any of my orchids that may be feeling sorry for themselves at the moment - they certainly aren't old enough to be dying of their own accord! Luckily only one of my orchids has completely given up, and the one I mentioned in my last post is the only one left that looks as though it's in real trouble. I would post pictures but I don't seem to be able to, something about being limited by links?

Thanks again!

RandomGemini · #15 10-21-2013, 08:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lauren.r

That helps loads, thank you so much!

Hanging baskets and suction cups sounds like fun, I would never have thought of that! The room I keep my orchids in is generally well insulated but the windows themselves I can feel a slight chill from, and I suspect it will only get worse as winter kicks in.

Glad to hear it doesn't sound like I need to get any water trays! I'm still a little blurry about the difference between humidity and general moisture, do you really need high humidity so long as you're attentive and water them when they need it?

When it comes to forcing an orchid to bloom, maybe I explained my question badly. I would much rather have gorgeous roots, healthy leaves and no flowers than a plant that blooms itself to death so that's no problem. What I really should have asked is whether feeding an orchid is good for it or not, generally? And if it is good, then what should you feed it and when, and what effect will that have on the plant?

I think I've been feeding my poor Phals urea

I felt bad that I'd never given them anything but tap water - I need to stop acting before I have all the facts! Thanks for the clarification about "Epiphytic", I'll give up feeding them until I know what I'm doing!

Super happy to hear that orchids can go on living forever! I was sad to hear that they may simply give up on me one day, though I'm confident you're completely right about any of my orchids that may be feeling sorry for themselves at the moment - they certainly aren't old enough to be dying of their own accord! Luckily only one of my orchids has completely given up, and the one I mentioned in my last post is the only one left that looks as though it's in real trouble. I would post pictures but I don't seem to be able to, something about being limited by links?

Thanks again!

If you think your windows are leaking cold through them, then you could move the orchids a few inches back from them and still get the benefit of the natural light. I have my mini phals growing on the sill and my larger phals are growing on a bookshelf just behind them. The hanging baskets I use are just the sort of baskets you would hang in your shower. I've got miniature orchids in them, so they don't have to take a lot of weight and they do put the orchid a good inch or two away from the glass.

Most orchids come from tropical climates, where there's so much moisture in the air that you can feel it on your skin. There are several species of orchid that require these conditions to thrive outside of their native environment, phals are not one of these, though a little humidity is nice for them. When you get into keeping other species of orchids, humidity will become much more important! So, for phals, yes, as long as you water them every 7-10 days (probably less often in the winter) they should do just fine.

Yes, you should fertilize your phals. We say that you should do this weakly, weekly. Get a good urea free orchid fertilizer it should be labelled something like 20-10-20 and will say on the container that it is urea free. If it's at this 20-10-20 strength, you will want to dilute it in water using only one quarter of the amount that the manufacturer advises on the bottle. If it's much smaller than that, like 1-5-1, then you can follow the manufacturer's instructions, I think.

I think after you've put up 5 posts, the forum should allow you to add photos of your own.

Any time someone with more orchid experience than I have wants to step in, please do! I'm not 100% clear on fertilizer ratios myself. I purchased one that is urea free and recommended by another board member and followed her directions, but you're in Europe, so I have no idea what brands are available to you there and different chemicals are legal for use there than here. You might look for some posts by RosieC or send her a PM to ask her for a fertilizer recommendation.

lauren.r · #16 10-22-2013, 05:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RandomGemini

If you think your windows are leaking cold through them, then you could move the orchids a few inches back from them and still get the benefit of the natural light. I have my mini phals growing on the sill and my larger phals are growing on a bookshelf just behind them. The hanging baskets I use are just the sort of baskets you would hang in your shower. I've got miniature orchids in them, so they don't have to take a lot of weight and they do put the orchid a good inch or two away from the glass.

Most orchids come from tropical climates, where there's so much moisture in the air that you can feel it on your skin. There are several species of orchid that require these conditions to thrive outside of their native environment, phals are not one of these, though a little humidity is nice for them. When you get into keeping other species of orchids, humidity will become much more important! So, for phals, yes, as long as you water them every 7-10 days (probably less often in the winter) they should do just fine.

Yes, you should fertilize your phals. We say that you should do this weakly, weekly. Get a good urea free orchid fertilizer it should be labelled something like 20-10-20 and will say on the container that it is urea free. If it's at this 20-10-20 strength, you will want to dilute it in water using only one quarter of the amount that the manufacturer advises on the bottle. If it's much smaller than that, like 1-5-1, then you can follow the manufacturer's instructions, I think.

I think after you've put up 5 posts, the forum should allow you to add photos of your own.

Any time someone with more orchid experience than I have wants to step in, please do! I'm not 100% clear on fertilizer ratios myself. I purchased one that is urea free and recommended by another board member and followed her directions, but you're in Europe, so I have no idea what brands are available to you there and different chemicals are legal for use there than here. You might look for some posts by RosieC or send her a PM to ask her for a fertilizer recommendation.

Funny you should say that, as I saw RosieC mention that she's from the UK and messaged her just yesterday! She was super helpful and lovely, hopefully I'll be able to purchase some fertiliser that won't hurt my poor plants now.

No chance of moving my orchids back from the window without putting them far away from it, but is there a time when they require more light and a time when the cold is likely to do more harm? At the moment I'm trying to keep my flowering plants away so as not to shock them and my leafier plants near the window, but maybe I have this the wrong way around?

Glad to hear I don't need to worry too much about humidity, though a few of my phals have aerial roots which seem to be drying out too much. Not sure if there's anything I can do about this, but I suspect this could be the result of low humidity?

I've attempted to attach two (badly taken) photos of my poorly orchid, fingers-crossed that it works this time! If they do upload, any and all advice would be extremely welcome

Double thanks!

RandomGemini · #17 10-22-2013, 10:41 PM

Not sure this orchid will live. It looks like whatever is wrong with it has gone all the way up into the stem. The pictures are dark, so I can't tell if the roots are green. Do they feel firm to the touch?

As far as aerial roots dehydrating, I mist them with a spray bottle, or you can get a drop of water on your finger and rub it along the aerial root.

I would put the orchids in bloom further away from the window if there's a draft, so you're probably doing the right thing as far as how you have them positioned.

lauren.r · #18 10-23-2013, 03:08 PM

Me neither, sadly

It's quite frustrating really. I almost killed it once before but I realised in time and stopped overwatering it. The two roots you see were two very healthy roots it grew after its last bout of abuse. I was worried about it though so I bought some general orchid potting mix which the lady in the shop assured me would be just fine for Phals - unfortunately I quickly learned this wasn't the case!

The roots are firm to the touch but only because I've thoroughly dried them out, they're not hollow, but not green either and they haven't developed at all since I repotted the plant into bark. The thing I was unsure about is that it's still growing; it has a new leaf which only appeared after the damage to the roots. I'm not sure where it's getting the energy! The two (very) damaged leaves aren't yellowing at all, and the one perkier leaf is firm to the touch not wilted or soft. It's been like this for quite a long time now, I'm not sure if it's on its way out, or fighting for life - possibly both, I realise!

I found a spray bottle today (and some cotton buds to save the crown in case my aim is off!) so hopefully those aerial roots will do better from now on, thanks for the advice

RandomGemini · #19 10-23-2013, 03:53 PM

Take your hand and cover the stem, leaves and crown of the plant and then use the misting bottle and try to aim it to hit just the root. My phals that have aerial roots are miniatures, so it's easy for me to mist the roots, using this method. My hand can cover the entire plant if I need it to.

Good luck!

Polarizeme · #20 10-24-2013, 01:34 AM

The plant looks very dehydrated. You may want to place some moist sphagnum in a large zipper plastic bag and put the plant in with that, but don't let the roots touch the sphagnum, and don't seal the bag. The sphag and bag method will bring much needed moisture to the plant and once it grows a new root, you can repot in a fine bark mix.
I've had good luck with phals in this condition by potting in a fine bark mix and watering well.I just returned one to it's owner that had both leaves shriveled like yours and the roots were severely dehydrated. This plant I put into the fine bark mix and soaked it about every 4 days. Once the bark mix started looking wet for a couple of days I backed off the soaking and just watered when it looked dry. Some folks use the stick method with a bamboo skewer in the potting mix as a moisture indicator. This works well. Just take the skewer and put it straight down into the bark mix. You can pull it up and see if it looks damp or dry. When it's dry, water the plant.
It's important to soak the bark before you pot your plants up too.

Good luck!