Shrivelling Vanda roots with black tips - Page 3 - Orchid Board

taipan · #21 08-01-2008, 09:57 AM

All orchids prefer rain water over tap water ( doesn't matter if it's English,French,American LOL ).
Neverend - I dont think it is the temperature as the temps in BKK are continually over 30 deg C everyday. I think your problem maybe the water - maybe containing a higher concentration of something. All our orchids are watered using water from a canal outside the nursery ( pH 8's to 9's ). We have noticed that this year the roots on our plants of Rhync.retusa were not very good. The plants are fine except for the roots ( approx.100 + plants). All our plants are watered daily except when it rains

Neverend · #22 08-02-2008, 03:19 AM

My Mem. Suranaree is still weak in terms of its roots, but weirdly my rhynchostylis coelestis and ascocenda crown red fox is doing fine, I think it could be that I'm giving the correct growing conditions for my mem. suranaree instead of a problem with water quality, any tips on how to grow this particular plant well?

taipan · #23 08-02-2008, 11:30 AM

Neverend
We dont have that particular hybrid but all the hybrids we have are grown alongside the species with the Vanda spp growing alongside the Rhyncostylis & Aerides spp. Being an intergeneric hybrid it should have the hybrid vigor. We have all the Thai species of Rhync's, Aerides & Vandas. Although some dont flower they will grow in the BKK heat & should grow in Singapore which is more tropical - more rain then BKK. If you post a picture of the troubled plant we may have a better idea.

Neverend · #24 08-03-2008, 04:41 AM

Here's my plant, it only has 2 good roots, the rest at the bottom are all dry and dead...

I water it twice a day, give it indirect sun for most of the day, but it gets some direct sunlight from 3-5 pm.

taipan · #25 08-03-2008, 04:53 AM

I agree that something is wrong & the plant may even have rot !. I dont like the idea of direct sun from 3pm as this is when it is quite strong. Some morning sun may be ok. If the plant looks to get worse you may have to cut the top ie cut the stem below the lowest good root after which rub some sulphur or even dried charcoal just to dry the cut ends. This helps to prevent fungus or rot from entering the cut - make sure you use a sharp pair of secateaurs to give it a clean sharp cut.

Neverend · #26 08-04-2008, 08:53 AM

I've inspected the plant and I haven't found any kind of rot, so I guess on the surface there shouldn't be any problems.

The direct sun isn't very strong, and in fact the plant isn't getting as much light as it should...

taipan · #27 08-04-2008, 09:09 AM

Have you applied any fungicide to the plant yet ?.
Also if you look at the base of the bottom leaf on the right hand side ( excluding the leaf that has turned brown & droops ) I think it is next to go as it has a "yellowish/brown tinge to it. Looking at the plant I think it may have a form of rot that works it's way up from the base.

Orchonubee · #28 08-11-2008, 11:59 AM

Someone astutely commented that all orchids like rainwater over tap water. Try to emulate nature, and the conditions they naturally thrive in. Start collecting rain water, and use it exclusively. See if you don't notice a difference in a month or so.

Swamper · #29 08-11-2008, 01:45 PM

That vanda looks pretty healthy to me except for that leaf which I wonder why you haven't cut it off. Can you get closer with the pics maybe I just dont have enough rot experience, thank goodness. But I can't see it unless you get a lot closer.

Neverend · #30 08-12-2008, 09:22 AM

I haven't applied fungicide, but I checked and it doesn't have any form of noticeable rot, the black portions are just accumulated soot. I've removed the leaf.

I'm using rainwater whenever I can collect it, so far the plant is just doing so-so, still growing roots and growing a new leaf but its growth is really slow, I think it's because of the lack of light, which I can't do much about given that I live in a high-rise building.