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Originally Posted by ro0ter
Hi Sonya, Paul...
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My name's Philip.
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Originally Posted by ro0ter
...I will do anything I can to save this orchid[/B], as it`s one of the three given to us as a gift by Bum, the kindest member of the hotel we stayed at in Koh Samui (not trying to advertise here: Rocky`s Resort).
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I don't think anyone would mind this "ad".
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Originally Posted by ro0ter
As for the species the orchid, I have no clue what they are, nor did they had any tag.
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This is a
big problem. It is very difficult to advise you properly in this case. You'd need to continually ask questions if you don't know what's happening to your orchid, because Dendrobium is one of the largest genus of orchids out there. The genus Dendrobium currently contains more than 1,200 - 1,600 species all throughout Asia, New Zealand, Australia, and certain islands in the South Pacific! That's a huge range of geography to cover with a huge range of different habitats/environments to cover. It simply doesn't help to "guess".
Quote:
Originally Posted by ro0ter
They were usually tucked in a half-coconut (exterior shell + husk) with additional husk and tied high-enough on palm trees.
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Again, this doesn't really help. Some people do this throughout the world, and you're not really emulating this type of cultural technique.
What is a bigger concern is that you learn your orchid's behaviors and needs. That's why I asked what they were.
Different types of Dendrobium behave differently from one another and will have different environmental tolerances.
Since it was growing in Thailand, it narrows it down a little bit, (when I say "a little bit", I mean a tiny bit).
At least now we know that at least they have the ability to grow in intermediate to warm in temperatures, 12.8 C - 35 C, (55 F - 95 F).
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Originally Posted by ro0ter
I don`t have [or know] where to get a small (clay) pot,...
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You don't need a clay pot...
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Originally Posted by ro0ter
...but I have drilled a lot of holes in the transparent plastic pots I have for better aerating. Currently I keep both dendrobiums in bell-shaped cavities (two dissected 5-liter water canisters)...
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You can also use 16.9 fl oz water bottles and punch lots of holes in the side and on the bottom of your homemade clear plastic pots.
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Originally Posted by ro0ter
...and I haven`t watered them since I changed their medium (not even after changing it). I am only placing them inside the bells in the morning after I spray the interior of the bells, during the night they stay without bells.
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How often do you water these? Unless you have them growing in an exceptionally warm area, do not keep watering them until they dry out completely. In the winter, just to be safe, since I actually don't know what kind of Dendrobium you have, reduce the amount of water they receive to once every 1 - 2 weeks and do not fertilize.
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Originally Posted by ro0ter
Should I tuck more orchid medium in the pot so it doesn`t feel over-potted? I am risking in damaging the few remaining living roots..
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Don't need to add any media. Too much potting media can be a problem. Especially if you're using potting media that retains quite a bit of water, such as coconut husk chips.
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Originally Posted by ro0ter
Also, it`s very strange that the healthiest root is going to the sky (parallel to the orchid stem)... Anyway, the roots seem to grow, I can see green tips.
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The orchid's roots may be trying to breathe. It may be getting too much water in the potting media or something.
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Originally Posted by ro0ter
I am also keeping the two orchids out of the reach of sun, yet not in a very dark place.
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Most Dendrobiums like moderately bright to bright indirect light. There are a few exceptions, but I don't think yours are those exceptions. So, grow yours in moderately bright indirect light first, then see if it can grow brighter or not. A clue that it might be bright enough, but not too bright as to burn the leaves is that the leaves might develop areas that are purple. Some Dendrobiums will not turn purple, so be careful!
Quote:
Originally Posted by ro0ter
The remaining 3 leaves are yellowing out very slowly compared to the rate when I wrote you and the youngest leave starts to open. I was very afraid of mold and insects and I thoroughly washed the whole orchid in soap-and-chlorine diluted water (1% ~ 5%) after which I showered it very well. I hope I haven`t harmed it
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"Soap and
Chlorine diluted water"?
What kind of "chlorine" are you referring to? Are you talking about calcium hypochlorite or are you talking about sodium hypochlorite, or is it something else completely? No matter which one it is, unless you know what you're doing, I would stop this practice altogether! If any of these chemicals touch the roots, those roots could easily die, (there's a chance they might not, but you're taking a risk). The shoot portion will probably not die from this treatment.
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Originally Posted by ro0ter
I have added additional pictures with the orchid + its sibling (which is quite well, but not developing as I hoped) + another grass-like orchid (the three received from Thailand).
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Ok...
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Originally Posted by ro0ter
I have received other advices from other people and from my god-son and I have prepared weeping willow water (1 liter hot infusion and 1 liter cold maceration). Today it will be 24h since the hot-infused weeping willow water is sitting, so I will bath the affected orchid in this water.
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Don't know enough, please ask someone else about this.
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Originally Posted by ro0ter
Also, thank you for identifying the bugs, I thought they were mealy bugs... My biggest fear... Yet, there are also some "drosophila melanogaster"-like bugs, - that is dark bodies with wings. I don`t know what those are.. but the camera from HTC One X+ šüçks big-time (anti-advertising, they deserve it).
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Those aren't
Drosophila melanogaster flies. Those are probably fungus gnats.
The fact that you might fungus gnats means 1 thing...
The potting media is staying too wet, and that there is vegetative material rotting. When there's vegetative material rotting it = fungus. Fungus gnat adults feed on fungus as part of it's diet, they can also feed on living roots because symbiotic fungi can colonize plant roots. The damage that fungus gnats do is when they lay eggs in the root areas of the plant and the larvae hatch out to feed on the roots.
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Originally Posted by ro0ter
I heard that a natural plant-friendly pests killer is a maceration of fine chopped garlic, fine chopped onions, fine chopped hot pepper and pepper with a drop of dish detergent. I don`t know the proportions, but will search this forum. Will this affect the orchids?
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It might. Phytochemicals are a plant's natural means of chemical warfare. They produce these chemicals to naturally ward off any kind of potential bacterial, fungal, or viral infections. They also produce these chemicals to discourage predation from insects and other kinds of animals that can harm them. Some phytochemicals are also plant growth inhibitors, allowing the plant producing these chemicals to outcompete other plants.
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Originally Posted by ro0ter
Yep, it`s quite a novel that I wrote, sorry everyone.
Kindest regards,
Dorin
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No, it's quite fine. At least now, we know what directions this has taken...
Did you just cut one of the canes off? Were the cutters sterilized before you used them to make the cut?
Each cut with a pair of cutters must be sterilized per cut. So, for example, sterilize one pair of cutters to cut one cane; then sterilize again before cutting another cane.
Next time, I wouldn't do that unless there was something seriously wrong with it, or you actually know what you're trying to accomplish. I'm not trying to sound mean, I just am trying to figure out what you're trying to do, because I'm confused.
I also noticed you put some cinnamon on the cut surface of the cane to cauterize the open surface. I'm gonna let you in on a secret...
Be careful about applying cinnamon as well. Do not get it on the roots of your orchids.
Why?
It all comes back to those pesky things called phytochemicals.
First off...
Phyto = plant
So, the word "phytochemical" is the same as saying "plant chemical" or "plant produced chemical".
Cinnamon contains a phytochemical called cinnamaldehyde.
Does any part of the word "cinnamaldehyde" look familiar to you?
How does it compare to a word such as "formaldehyde"?
Cinnamaldehyde has antibacterial, anti-fungal, and anti-viral properties, sure, (which is why it is also used as a food preservative to some degree). But it is also a plant growth inhibitor and desiccant. So be careful with what you're doing.
When you pot the seedlings, do not bury any part of the canes in the potting media. Only the roots go inside the potting media, not any part of the canes.
---------- Post added at 08:39 AM ---------- Previous post was at 07:37 AM ----------
Quote:
Originally Posted by ro0ter
And the weed-like orchid which is healthy as a horse.. Also what worries me is the texture on the orchid stem.. What may cause this texture (sore/pustules)? Root rotting? Bugs?
Thank you!
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Those "sores"/"pustules" are scale insects. Get rid of them immediately.
Grab a cotton Q-tip swab, and dip it in 70% isopropyl alcohol. Swab the areas with scale repeatedly. Do not let the isopropyl alcohol drip onto the roots. Do not apply any isopropyl alcohol onto the roots. If the scale insects have infested the plant's roots, remove them by hand.
Keep repeating this and keep your orchids properly, then the problem will eventually go away.
---------- Post added at 09:18 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:39 AM ----------
I took out what I originally said about the Weeping Willow Tree extract. I don't know enough about it, consult someone else about this.
Hybrid Mode
