Guidance needed: care for a Zygopedalum

[Rob Clack]

Hello and thanks for the responses. This first pic is of the sick Zygopedalum, before I repotted it.


Can I get away with 2 photos in one post? Anyway, these are 2 of my other orchids, and they seem OK to me. The flowers on the one on the right seem to be at the end of their lives, but the plant itself seems healthy enough. Sorry about the rather cluttered photo - I didn't really think about the composition, just pointed and clicked!

[gmdiaz]

Well, I for one. . .just love a cluttered photo. . .love to see other people's houses.

I love your woodwork and LOVE those stone faces on the mantle! LOL

Those look Cycladic! Where are they from?

About the orchids:

I've heard that softened water is terrible for orchids. . .that the salts interfer with the uptake of food and water & will kill your plants.

I would repot the Zygopedalum, cleaned up any root or leaf damage and flush with really good quality water. Then I'd work on trying to be more consistent with suppling food and water too. I'd probably also add a good humidity tray underneath it.

[Rob Clack]

Thank you Gwen! I'll try to follow your advice, particularly with regard to humidity. Our centrally-heated houses do tend to be very dry.

The 4 small faces on the mantle I carved from pebbles myself. I'm slightly hesitant to point you at my cPanel®because you'll have to pick through it rather, to find the posts about them. I should put the info up on my website, but haven't yet got around to it.

The brown figurines in the middle are African, carved from bone. They are Luba divination figurines from the Democratic Republic of Congo. If you follow my website link above and click on the Pictures link, there is a picture of them along with the info from the online shop where I bought them.

[Rob Clack]

Sorry, something went wrong with my previous post. The website link works OK but the blog one doesn't. For some reason it came out as cPanelR. I'll try again - Dem Bones Dem Bones

[gmdiaz]

OOOooh, very interesting. . .I'll have to go back and dig around at your sites!

[BIGALORCHIDMAN]

The thick and fleshy roots of those species need to be contained in a large pot with a well-drained mix similar to that used for cymbidium species. water throughout the year, but reduce slightly after the plants have finished growth. However, do not allow this plant to dry out for more than a day or two.