Sharry Baby et. al. in crisis!

[Lagoon]

The growth is somewhat lanky. I believe they need much more light & water increase.
Some of just too overpotted.
You can make this better -- don't give up!

[rogerman]

My take on this is......

It has nothing to do with the pots at all. As long as they have ok drainage everything should be fine.

I'm going for the medium that they are planted in.
If the bark is fresh and not matured, you could have an attack of acid......Especially if it is pine bark.

I'd try changing by potting the plants into coconut husk and see how they go from there. Coconut husk is old dead fiber from the outside of the coconut and is matured and free of any sap.

Being indoors i'd also say that it would be a good idea to keep fly sprays and air fresheners away from the plants too.

[sarahbeth]

I really appreciate everyone's advice!! This has been bugging me almost all winter. Perhaps they just don't like where they've been living these past few months? I inherited Sharry Baby from my Dad potted in bark and perlite. It came from his greenhouse and had TONS of blooms on it. He traded for it at an orchid soc. meeting b/c he knew I wanted one and fostered it till it bloomed. Think I'll spend the day investigating all this and get some coconut bark, then make him come down to try to diagnose in person! Thank you thank you thank you! I'm glad to have discovered this board!

[kiki-do]

You are very welcome! And if all else fails, buy more orchids!

[Becky15349]

Keiki is right; I meant to mention the accordion leaves yesterday when I posted but forgot...then again, some people say that accordion leaves have to do with humidity and not actually watering...though I have a hard time seeing a distinction between the two!! I feel like this orchid needs more sun, more water, and better media - maybe water culture or SH.

[D&S Mabel]

I noticed you said that this has been bugging you almost all winter. Have you recently removed one of the plants from its pot to see what condition the roots are in now -or- if they are still there?

I ask as my experience with Onc. types that decline like yours seem to be doing is that they stayed too wet and eventually the roots died off. This might explain symptoms that look like under-watering, like pleated and sagging leaves.

If the roots are still there and if decent shape then it is probably not enough water.

I have a number of these pots (our local Lowe's likes to stick plants in them so you have to buy the plant AND the pot!) and I find that I have to add an inch or so of styrofoam peanuts to the bottom of these pots to separate the mix more from the water in the saucers which keeps the mix drier. The pots themselves also stay damp as they are unglazed on the inside where they absorb moisture but glazed on the outside such that the water doesn't pass through them and evaporate.

Don't give up. Good Luck!