Leaf edges curling in thin leaved orchids

[stylingpat]

I've been coming across this in the new leaves on my thin leaved orchids (my oncidiums and in the picture my baby Zygo). All of which have been grown in windows. It seems the new leaves are curling around even thought I'm rotating the plant so the stalks grow straight.

Or are the curling leaves just what new leaves do in the beginning? I'm temped to put my zygo back under a grow light right above it because I'm trying to grow a nice specimen plant.

I like growing in windows but even when rotating I feel like my thick leaved orchids dont grow straight and up

[Ray]

1) You should not rotate plants. They orient themselves to take full advantage of the light source - like lining up the solar panels. By rotating them, you are defeating that, and making the plant work to rectify your actions.

2) That photo wasn't really good enough to diagnose a "curling leaf" issue. It might be normal unfurling, or it could be due to low humidity, insufficient watering, or mites.

[stylingpat]

Alright so if I want the plants to grow straight and up, they need to be directly outside or under a light if rotating them is bad.

I got high humidity, I'm in southern louisiana

Maybe the zygo isnt getting enough water

Here's a better pic

[Miss_Cat]

Humid heated conditions are likely causing the leaf curl. Happened to one of my Phals leaves after I kept it (temporarily) in a hot humid spot. Happened quickly and didn't revert FYI. Not a drastic damage though, I just moved the plant.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

I wouldn't really be too caught up with the orchid growing straight up. There shouldn't be a problem with the Zygo growing spikes that are unmanageable either. When I had one, it would throw out spikes nicely and never looked unruly, and I didn't have to rotate them around.

Should you have rotated them while they were in spike/bud/bloom, the flowers would have twisted in all different sorts of directions, and you may even have ended up with spikes that twisted at strange angles or develop kinks.

Zygos generally appear very neat in appearance naturally, and that is one of the reasons why they are visually appealing to many even though their flowers' color scheme is rather limited.

[Optimist]

This issue has come up before. One possible answer is that your particular cultivar is more curly than another. I don't have zygos, but I have some Catts and one is very curly leaved while the others have streight leaves.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Originally Posted by Optimist

This issue has come up before. One possible answer is that your particular cultivar is more curly than another. I don't have zygos, but I have some Catts and one is very curly leaved while the others have streight leaves.

It's usually a humidity or a water issue. They are usually not curly leafed genetically.

It may have not received enough water during development or the older pseudobulbs may have had some root damage while the new shoot was growing, and may have reduced water availability to the new shoot. Not sure which it may be.

It might not even be a problem, it could be, as Ray said, just unfurling, idk.

"Stylingpat" doesn't mention how often she/he waters the plant or what the parameters are for the humidity in the growing area might be, so it's hard to tell what's going on.

[lexusnexus]

Originally Posted by Ray

1) You should not rotate plants. They orient themselves to take full advantage of the light source - like lining up the solar panels. By rotating them, you are defeating that, and making the plant work to rectify your actions.

All plants do this (to my knowledge, but I admit I don't know every plant species on the planet). At least my garden and potted plants do.

[plumania]

Couple of my cattleyas developed curly leaves when left out in our 'winter'. I also noticed some root loss in those. I was not watering too much or too little as far as I know.May be related to damage from cold but it was mostly in 50s and occasionally high 40s. It has been a warm winter.
I would say check the roots because roots help absorb water for plants.

[Ray]

Frankly, the rest of the plant looks pretty good, so I don't think I'd even worry about it.