P bellina -- what do you s'pose these spots are?

[MJG]

I received this beauty about 3 weeks ago, in the middle of a snowstorm with no heat pack.

It looked then exactly like it looks now -- beautiful except 2 leaves are lighter green with darker green spots. Those 2 leaves also have no waxy coating.

The vendor suggested that it might be a nutrition issue or something in the leaves triggered by the cold. He said to foliar feed it with my regular fertilizer, and that it would probably clear up. I did, and nothing changed for better or worse.

Do you think this is cold damage, or nutritional, or "something else in the leaves triggered by the cold" as the seller put it? I'm actually not too freaked out about it, as the plant overall looks so healthy. Just very curious and trying to learn. Is there something else I should do about it? Thanks.

[SouthPark]

Possibly cold damage. Middle of snowstorm with no heat -pack isn't great on regular type plants.

I probably wouldn't go ahead with the foliar feeding thing. That probably won't do anything to help the situation. Just provide warmth and good lighting levels.

Hoping those patches won't degrade too. If everything stays nice and stable for the next couple of weeks or so, then that will be great.

[Roberta]

I agree, cold damage is very likely (it can take a bit of time to show up) The plant still looks good, hopefully any problem areas will just dry up, not spread. Foliar feeding is pretty useless on orchids - that tough cuticle that helps them to preserve water also makes it pretty impossible for significant amounts of nutrients to be absorbed that way. Fertilize the roots... but lightly. Orchids grow slowly and so need very little fertilizer.

[Leafmite]

As long as it doesn't turn mushy or spread, it should be fine. It looks like a very nice bellina. Is that a small spike starting? I keep checking mine to see if it has started a new one but...nope, not yet.

[MJG]

Yes, there are actually 2 spikes!! I can't wait for it to bloom. I'll post a pic when it does.

The leaves aren't mushy, and the discoloration hasn't spread from how it was 3 weeks ago when I got it. So hopefully all is well. Sounds like the consensus so far is cold damage.

[KingKong]

that is how cold damage has looked for me before but I would avoid coco fiber if that is what it is planted in.
I don't think a bellina is suited to grow in coco.

[Roberta]

The exact medium really isn't the issue... what conditions result from watering, humidity, etc. I don't have a source of coco fiber, so it's not on my list of possible media. I know lots of excellent growers who use it on mounts. When I receive plants that way, I keep them in that enviroment. The long fibers give lots of air space, and modest moisture retention, and don't break down - which could be very good for Phals, if loosely packed in the pot. (We're talking coco fiber here, not coir)

[MJG]

I have never used coco fiber or coir. This plant is tightly packed in something that's fibrous. Can you tell from this pic if it's coco fiber?

The pot has bottom drainage but no air holes in its sides. I grow in my east and north facing sunroom. I have temps in the 70s and humidity of 50-60%. I've been watering this 1-2 times per week, not letting potting medium get bone dry, just slightly damp between.

I was planning on letting it go ahead and bloom before I repotted. By the looks of things, that's June or July. Do you think I should repot right away instead? What medium would you use given my growing conditions? Thanks!

[Roberta]

The medium looks like a mix of tree fern fiber and either peat or coir. (Coco fiber looks like the stringy stuff on the outside of a coconut, different animal) I think it will be fine under your conditions and practice. The exact medium is not terribly important, the end result is the important part - humid air around the roots. As the medium dries out, the water is replaced by air - perfect. When you water, flush well - not only does that avoid a buildup salts, and other crud, it also pulls that all-important air into the root zone. Long term, pick a medium that works well for you to accomplish that wet-dry cycle with your watering practice. There's no one "perfect" choice, it's all about the objective of getting the plant a mix of air and moisture.

[MJG]

Thanks, that's very helpful. I've killed a p. Bellina and a p. Violacea in the past. That's a pretty rotten track record. I'm determined to get this right. I think what went wrong with my 2 prior attempts was the wet/dry cycle.