Need help with my lady slipper
 

Hello all,

I bought this lady slipper last summer. It was in bloom for a short while. Can someone tell me how to encourage it to grow?

I live in Ontario and all my orchids sit by an east window. I water once a week and alternate with an organic fertilizer that contains 2 percent nitrogen, 2percent phosphoric acid 7 percent potash and 55 percent organic matter. I also have the Schultz orchid food (19-31-17)
What am I missing? What size pot should I use? I have bark, moss and hydro ton beads.
Thanks

That looks like a Phalaenopsis. It’s roots seem to be mostly if not entirely dead. Perusing the sticky thread “The Phal Abuse Stops Here” would be helpful. The first few pages have a lot of tips for growing.

There are many different ways of growing these and no one method works for everyone. This is what works for me:

Get or make something similar to a 3 inch diameter clear plastic slotted orchid pot: 3" Slotted Clear Orchid Pot

– rePotme

Do not cut anything off your plant. Do not treat it with hydrogen peroxide (a lot of people do this after viewing YouTube videos and it does a lot of damage).

I use a 5 parts small grade orchiata, 1 part medium perlite, 1 part charcoal mix. Something like Phalaenopsis Monterey Dark Imperial Orchid Mix

– rePotme is pretty similar if you want ready made.

Pot up your plant so that the green leaf bases are above the level of the mix. If it wobbles secure it to a stake.

Note the color of the dry bark through the pot. Thoroughly water it while keeping water out of the crown of the plant. Allow the water to drain out. Put the plant somewhere bright and warm that doesn’t get hit with direct sun. Water whenever the bark starts looking dry. This may be 1-3 times a week depending on environmental conditions.

Be patient. You should start to seen new root growth in a month or two.

If you search Phalaenopsis care on this forum you can turn up a lot of information and alternative approaches. The aforementioned works for me but you may see other options that you may deem better suited so don’t be afraid to pick and choose.

Good luck!

sii ---- the leaves look good, and there's even a new leaf starting to grow. What made you take it out of the pot? It appears to be growing already.

And how was it being grown before?

Well, yeah it's hard to see from the picture what type of orchid it is. It does indeed not have many roots left.

But are the roots hairy? If they're hairy then it's a Paphiopedilum (Lady Slipper).

Well, I also consider myself a beginner even though I have had a Paph for many years. Recently I went to an orchid nursery and asked their advice on how to repot it. They just said bark chips and a little bit of spaghnum moss, not too much of that. They said it's too cool for their roots and I live in a colder climate.

I hardly ever fertilize mine, I just give it tap water (I live in the Netherlands and we have soft water here), and mine has grown and grown and was so huge I could divide it into 4 pots. But I also hear some people mention that they add crushed sea-shells or egg shells in to the mix.

Looks like a Paph to me - one that needs a better root system.

What is the mixing ratios you’re using the those two fertilizers? For weekly feeding, the Schultz formula should be used at about 0.4-0.5 ml/L. Much more than that will stifle root growth. That other one (I’d really like to see a photo of the label) can be used up to about 9-10x that amount.

Does the plant dry out between waterings? In,y experience, paphs do better if the don’t, but the medium should be moist, not soppy.

I’d recommend applying KelpMax, but it costs too much to ship into Canada, and C&C Orchids in Hamilton is back-ordered over 50 bottles (our governments foolishly think it’s “non-essential”, so they cannot pick it up in Niagara Falls like they normally do).

I took it out of the original pot it was in because the stem and a leaf dried out. I’ve been watering for a while and didn’t see any movement. I bought that plant last summer, so I thought something was wrong. Yes, I did see the little leaf growing. It is definitely a lady slipper as I have tons of phals and can recognize them (received as gifts).
Just wondering if I should put it in a smaller pot, which of my 2 fertilizers works best and light conditions.
Right now it's sitting in an east window, behind the other larger orchids.

I think Paph. It threw me off a little because in that last picture, you can see what looks like a spent flower spike by your thumbnail, and it seems to be coming from the base of the plant rather than the apex, as flower spikes on Paphs come, however I thought about it, and decided it could be a spent flower spike from an older growth that has lost all its leaves, making the spike appear to be coming from the base of the plant. Also, the spike appears to be hollow the way Paph spikes are, while Phal spikes are not.

So yeah, I agree that it's a Paph. The remaining roots look more Paph like that Phal like, also. And it seems like you know orchids, and I trust the person holding the plant in his or her hand looking at it in person more than I trust my eyes looking at a picture, so if you say it's a Paph, then I'm sure it's a Paph.

Hey Ray,
Yes definitely lady slipper. I bought this because I’ve never had one. I have lots of phals! 🤣. I’ve sent a pic of the natural fertilizer (seaweed) and how I’ve potted it. Should my pot be smaller? Now that you mention watering, I water all my orchids once a week, sometimes more because it’s summer and warm in this room. My phals are ok. Maybe this one needs more?
Please let me know if I should switch to the Shultz. I can look into Kelpmax. Maybe amazon? I also have KLN and Revive at home. To be honest, I’m not great when it comes to fertilizers. 🙄🙄
Sorry, don't know why those pics are sideways?
Thanks

You can only get KelpMax at Ray's store:
KelpMax Superior Plant Growth Stimulant – First Rays LLC

But definitely get it. It's worth it. It's great for helping sick plants, but it is also great for applying to healthy plants once a month. It will make your plants more robust. I love that stuff. It's like magic, and I don't even believe in magic. KelpMax is not a fertilizer, so use it in addition to your regular fertilizer.

That's good to know! I'm open to that. Will wait for Ray's response. I would need a 'prescription' on how and when to use any additives. I've purchased different bottles in the past because someone recommended it, used it for that specific plant and then never again.

---------- Post added at 01:55 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:45 PM ----------

No, the roots don't appear hairy, but definately a lady slipper. Fell in love with it when I saw it!

Even though I've had orchids for 10 years, I still consider myself a beginner. Fertilizing is where I run into trouble. But lucky you if you don't have to. :-)

I use one tablespoon of KelpMax per gallon of water once a month for healthy plants. I think Ray will tell you the same, but he invented it, and he's the expert, so by all means wait for him to confirm how you should use it.

---------- Post added at 01:03 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:00 PM ----------

As far as fertilizer, use a weak solution. It's important not to overdo it. I use a time release formulation. But when I used to use liquid, I used 1/4 teaspoon per gallon about every other week. I think with fertilizer, it's more important that you do it at all than it is exactly which fertilizer you use. Just don't use too much.

A few thoughts:

Definitely Paphs need more water than Phals! I water my Paphs about twice as often as my Phals and they all have very happy root systems. (Of course this also depends on your growing media, but generally just think MORE for the paphs).

As for fertilizer, do it weakly if at all! Fertilizer is like vitamins, not like food. The plants mostly just need air and water to grow and thrive. Some common phrases I hear are "fertilize weakly weekly", or, "if in doubt, don't fertilize". So, do not go crazy on the fertilizers! You also want to at least alternate fertilizer with plain water to help wash out any salts or other things left behind from the fertilizer. I generally do about a 1/4t. / gallon every other week and Kelpmax once a month.

Brandon Tam is the curator of orchids at the Huntington Botanical Gardens. He gave a detailed talk on Paphs to the Desert Valley Orchid Society. You can read notes of the talk here:

Paphiopedilums by Brandon Tam, Huntington - DVOS 2017 09 21

update
 

I guess my efforts were unsuccessful. :( I made sure the media was always damp and didn't dry out and I kept it out of direct sun.
I also used a weak seaweed solution once a week - just sprayed it onto the medium near the root.

I don't think this is savageable. Roots are gone. Might have to toss in the towel on this one. It was my first lady slipper. :_(:_(:_(

sii ------- whether this one makes it or not --- and of course I hope it still has a chance -- it is great that you put in effort to try keep this one going.

If you do have some small to medium pieces bark, you could still try pot this one up in a relatively large - good drainage pot. This one might not make it, but might as well try, since it still has a couple of leaves or so.

I grow some paphs, and I can say that in my tropical conditions, the paphs generally have moisture in the pot - most of the time ----- but occasionally, the potting media inside the pot does get a bit dry, but nothing happens to my paphs. In fact, they still grow leaves, and my big paph grows fairly long and wide leaves ------- and even grows off-shoots (new growths).

If you can view youtube, I recently made a video only to show what I do when I water my orchids ----- in general that is.

If you're interested ----- and if you want to take a quick look at the video ---- and jump right to time 20 mins 38 seconds, you will see that I don't even put water near the stem of my big paph, which is a Paph. Saint Swithin 'Jill'.

Watering of scoria-grown orchids in the tropics: - YouTube

Each grower will eventually know more or less how much water should be applied, under the circumstances (eg. media, humidity, temperature etc) ----- just as you'll come up with your system.

For your paph ...... just review (run through for yourself again later) lighting conditions, temperature range, humidity etc. If you can maintain some good growing conditions ------ then definitely try again.

Everybody had to begin and start somewhere.

Anyway - your orchid still has leaves ----- so might as well pot it and give it any chance it still might have to grow a root etc (regardless of what happens). Because you had started growing a paph ----- you're in the paph 'club' already.

That is NOT a total loss in my book.

Get a bottle of KelpMax - no other - from C&C orchids in Hamilton. They have a Facebook store, I think.

Mix a 1:250 solution. 4ml/L or 1 Tbsp/gal. No more, no less. Use lukewarm water.

Immerse the entire plant in it for several hours.

Pot it up however you intend to grow it, and water it in with the KelpMax solution.

Invert a clear plastic bag over the plant and pot (don’t seal it) and keep it in a very warm, shaded location. When it needs to be watered, use the same concentration KelpMax solution.

In a few weeks it’ll sprout new roots. Once they have begun to grow into the medium, it is safe to remove the bag and treat it normally.

Excellent recommendation from Ray as usual. The bag will be to help the orchid not get dried out when it has no roots to get water.

Placing a clear bag over the top should do it. Also check out this vid here at 2 mins 26 seconds. But instead of sealing the whole bag ----- definitely do what Ray mentioned ----- leave enough gaps for a little air-flow or air-movement.

Yes! I ordered it yesterday. Hopefully will arrive within 3 days. For now I’m just resting it on damp moss in a blueberry container, which has a seal. And away from the sun. Fingers crossed!

In the mean time, you should slip the bag over it, with the plant NOT in direct contact with the moist moss.

With a compromised root system, the plant has no way to efficiently take up moisture. It does, however, still lose it through transpiration. In the old “sphag-n-bag” method, the bag serves to maximize the humidity, slowing the loss from the plant, and the moss is only there to provide moisture for humidity.

Ok are you saying that I should put damp moss in a plastic bag and place the plant on top so that it just comes in contact with the bottom?

sii ----- the bag is to just allow inside of the bag to stay humid, which can stop the orchid from drying out.

The damp moss is used as a sponge thing, that can release the moisture in to the air inside the bag, that helps to keep the inside of the bag humid.

The plant is placed in a position that doesn't touch the damp moss ----- and that's mainly to prevent parts of the plant from staying wet for too long ----- and some parts of the plant staying wet for too long can lead to rotting, fungal growth etc.

Also, not sealing up the bag completely (ie. allowing at least some air-movement into and out of the bag area) allows for air/oxygen exchange --- and also could cut down on unwanted organisms like fungus/bacteria or something..... from growing on the plant.

Ok, is this what it should look like? The bag is open, plant away from the damp moss.

I'll keep it out of the sun.

I think that looks quite ok.

Also check this link here : (click here).

It’s sort of different ways of accomplishing the same thing. If the plant is undergoing “KelpMax therapy”, it may be potted up, as the new roots will grow into the medium relatively quickly. The inverted plastic bag is a way of reducing stress on the plant while it is recovering.

If you’re trying sphag-and-bag with an unpotted plant, it should not be in contact with the moisture source in the bag. I have usually used soppy paper towels as the moisture source instead of moss, and I’m not growing anything in paper towels! In that case, once roots begin growing, you can then pot it up in whatever medium you want.