Hi all and sorry if I ask a lot of questions. I try to search and stuff, but I always end up with "I think this is it, but I'm not sure and I am paranoid."
I like to confer with others with more experience. Unfortunately, I joined my local OS, only to find out they meet on Saturdays and I work nearly every Saturday
, so you all are my go to when I need to talk to a person!
I have a Masdie 'Flying Colors' that I purchased on June 25th from J & L Orchids and repotted into an (I believe) 2.5'' plastic Aircone pot the following weekend. The potting mix consists of roughly a 1-1-1 ratio of sphag moss, medium grade perlite (about the size of aquarium pebbles) and medium grade fir bark. I water thoroughly with tap water whenever the top exposed sphag is almost completely dry (interior still has moisture, as visible through the clear pot). My tap water has a pH of roughly 7 (maybe 7.2) and gH/kH around 107ppm if I remember correctly. I fertilize every other week with MSU tap water fert at 1/2 recommended does. It has probably completely dried out once or twice through my exhausted negligence from working too much. It has a new growth started, new roots and has formed two buds and flowers from spikes that were just starting when I bought it.
It gets about one hour of direct morning sun (that I didn't know about until this AM), other than that, it is next to my terrarium and gets low light spill-over from that and the nearby southern-ish window. Night time temperature is usually around 60-63F while daytime is usually 75ish, but sometimes up to 80. Occasionally, it has gotten to 85 when I am not home... the BF cares a bit less about the demands of orchids but he tries. There's a ceiling fan in the room running 24-7, with this Masdie swaying gently in the breeze. Humidity runs between 55-75% depending on whether the humidifier has been filled.
My concern is that a two new masdevallias were growing near to it... about two feet away. I discovered the start of a scale infection on both (these two were acquired from the same ebay vendor). They have been removed from the area and are in my best of a quarantine, but I am a little worried. The Flying Colors is not showing the same symptoms and I haven't found any adult scales, but I want to make sure it's 'okay.' It looks like maybe what I imagine is a bit of heat stress- I hope other Masdie growers can confirm/ suggest something else.
Older flower with black spots on lower sepals (this one's been open since purchase, new flowers do not have these spots)
Leaf with brown, slightly pitted spots
Thanks for any help. I am a sucker for orange orchids and this is one of my favorites, so I hope someone can help!
Masdevallia 'Flying Colors' with spots on leaves and older flower
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