Sick Haraella retrocalla

[Rita-mo]

I hope someone can help me, I mist my Haraella everyday , and soak in water once a week. After soaking it this time, the leaves started looking wilted and now leaves are falling off, any ideas what I've done and what if anything I can do to save it?

[Ray]

What's it potted in and what growing conditions does it get?

I grow mine very airy and in phalaenopsis conditions, with a lot of watering.

[Mahon]

To me, it sounds like overwatering... when I had Haraella, I grew them alongside my Gastrochilus, as they need high amounts of water, but only during a certain time of the year... I watered heavily during summer (the monsoon months), and cut back around September or so with most of my Vandae... if the leaves are falling off, it sounds like overwatering, rather than underwatering... the leaves will most likely be turning yellow, then a goey brown color (it will eventually smell bad)...

That's my input, but post a picture so we can help you additionally... =)

-PM

[Rita-mo]

Ray.. it's on cork, as I said I mist at least twice a day and soak in water once a week, it has been doing great since I got in January, and then all in the last three days, it started wilting and dropping leaves.
Mahon... my camera is not greatest and the pics are all fuzzy, and I can't figure out how to post a pic anyway, I didn't think I was over-watering it.

[Mahon]

It definitely sounds like an overload of overwatering... =)

Depending on what it looks like, it still may be salvagable... do not stop watering it, you have to gradually reduce watering by one spray a day, then eventually every other day, then after a while of this, you can spray heavily once or twice a week...

I think what is really setting the plants back is the watering and time of year... this is when the plants get the most water over there, and it has been getting water in the dry months... this happens to people who have Catasetinae and keep on watering...

I am almost positive you will be able to keep it alive if you do this, has the middle portion of the plant rotted out, or is it still there? And are there any shoots, and are they ok?

-Pat

[Tindomul]

Wow, I did not know that this could happen to a Haraella. In the last month, I have increased ventilation and reduced mistings on my H. odorata(retrocalla). I sensed the plant wasn't growing the way it was in the winter, and so I cut one of the spikes off. Im going to cut the second spike off this week once the flower falls off. Should I continue to reduce its mistings, or keep it as is, without soaking it for a few months?
I haven't been able to find any of this info on the net, or in books. Thanks Pat!!!!

[justatypn]

Mine seems to be doing well, at least right now. It has a bloom going on and the roots are growing wildly and strong. I water mine 2 x's a day a.m and p.m. and under plenty of air movement. On the 2nd watering I merely place my mister between the bark and spag, not to get the stem of the plant wet. My guess without looking at a photo would be the overwatering as well, but if the later day watering is a soaker as well the plant itself might be staying to moist causing it to rot and leaves to fall off. But than again, its merely my 2 cents worth, noting myself as a novice. Hope it's a saver for you, they are wonderfully colorful, tiny lit'l guys with a nice aroma. The program for cutting back watering is workable and I beleive salvagable. Good luck with it.

[Tindomul]

Any updates on this situation??

[Rita-mo]

It didn't make it, darn it! But thanks for all the help, I hope I learned enough on growing one that I can the next one(yes i'm going to try again) happy!

[Tindomul]

Glad you could get back on the little Haraella horse
I had cut the spikes off mine becuase I saw that it had stopped growing roots and its newest leaf wasnt looking too good, was looking stunted. After I cut the spikes the roots immediately began to grow and its now growing a band new leaf, while the stunted one remains stunted. On the wierd side, its also growing a new spike.