Help with seedling care - Orchid Board

CaptainCrud · #1 07-09-2020, 12:35 PM

Hi all! I'm new around here. I've been keeping a couple phals for quite a while and recently decided to broaden my horizons with 4 new plants. I went with seedlings because they were cheap -- in case I screw them up

This is my first time with Cattleyas or Dendrobiums. New plants are:

C. skinneri alba
Eplc. Volcano Trick 'Orange Fire'
Pot. Chief Sweet Orange
Den. officinale

Plants are currently in my south window with a sheer curtain. We are in a heat wave and this room is not well air conditioned -- it's a very old house. For the last few days the room has been around 86 degrees during the day, 80 at night. Humidity is down to 50% right now, but did peak at 80% last night. These conditions are hotter than normal inside my house; not always like this.

I have no experience caring for young orchids like this and I have plenty of concerns and questions

1) Should they remain in these very small pots they came in or be repotted?

2) When I water, they seem like they are bone dry the next day. I've been weighing them and they return to full dry weight in under 48 hours. Should I be watering them daily right now? every other? There is very little media to retain moisture in these tiny pots.

3) I have a fan in the room now, but do they need air movement when it is so humid, or is that more of a dry season concern? I worry it's just drying them out faster.

Attached are some photos.

The C. skinneri has some dark discoloration as you can see. I have no idea if this is normal or should be worrisome.

Not much to say about the Eplc. Volcano Trick other than it is very tiny. It looks healthy I think.

The Potinara has a small leaf that was green, but turned yellow 2 days ago and is now almost completely brown. It also has some emergent roots with black tips. Little concerned about this one. Being the largest of the bunch, it does have some roots growing out the bottom of the pot.

The Dendrobium looks ok to my novice eye, but I don't have much knowledge to base that on.

I'm really just looking for any feedback and advice I can get on caring for these very small plants. Thanks so much for any knowledge, I'm very glad to have found this board!

Roberta · #2 07-09-2020, 12:58 PM

First, Welcome!
That quick drying is great... Cattleyas need to dry out before the next watering, crave that wet-dry cycle.
Second photo from the left is the one I'd be concerned about... if there is rot in the rhizome (rot at the base of the pseudobulb is an indicator) it can be fatal... and not a lot that can be done. I'd suggest separating it from the others, and observe... if it seems to get worse, take it out of the pot and post some photos so we can get a better idea. I don't see anything worrisome about the others. The one that is outgrowing its pot.. if it has some new roots starting, this would be a good time to repot. Same size bark, a pot that is just a bit larger to allow for about 2 years' growth)

CaptainCrud · #3 07-09-2020, 01:18 PM

Thank you very much for the info Roberta!

I have only had the plants for about a week, but I do not recall seeing those dark spots when it arrived. Is there anything I may have done to cause that happen? Too much water or humidity or anything like that?

I've moved that plant to another room to separate it. I was really excited about that one, I hope it doesn't croak

Roberta · #4 07-09-2020, 01:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CaptainCrud

Thank you very much for the info Roberta!

I have only had the plants for about a week, but I do not recall seeing those dark spots when it arrived. Is there anything I may have done to cause that happen? Too much water or humidity or anything like that?

I don't think it's anything that you have done. Time is too short, orchids don't do anything fast. The worrisome one, you might sent a photo to the vendor. Documentation is important... some are going to be more responsive than others. But capturing it before you do anything to it is important. They may have advice.

estación seca · #5 07-09-2020, 01:50 PM

Welcome to the Orchid Board! I was born in Milwaukee.

If you can put them outside in bright shade they will be far happier this time of year. The temperatures will be perfect. Make sure early or late sun doesn't hit them.

The second from left doesn't have rot. It has blackening from either underwatering, or being hit by too much sun through the window. This is exactly what happens in those situations. Roberta probably doesn't have as much experience killing seedlings as I do.

In a typical house air circulation is not a problem. It is in a terrarium or tightly closed greenhouse. I wouldn't use the fan. It's drying them out too fast. Seedlings in pots that size with large chunks of bark usually need to be watered daily.

That Den. should not dry out while growing. The Catts are OK if they dry between watering, but not for long. In that large chunk bark with air at the roots they could also stay constantly moist.

You can repot any of them this summer when they're making new roots, but you don't need to.

CaptainCrud · #6 07-09-2020, 01:54 PM

Thank you for that info. I had thought about putting them outside as I've read that most Cattleyas like to summer outdoors. Unfortunately I don't really have a great spot. My patio just gets absolutely blasted with sun and heat all day long. Even my full sun outdoor plants are struggling right now.

estación seca · #7 07-09-2020, 02:19 PM

Then leave them in that room, turn off the fan and water them daily. The temperatires and humidity there are great for the time being,

I use Fred Clarke's (Sunset Valley Orchids) fertilizing recommendations for seedling Cattleyas: 1/2 teaspoon / 2.5ml of powdered MSU fertilizer per gallon / 3.78 liters of water. Use the pure water MSU formulation with rain or reverse osmosis water and the well water formulation with tap water. Fertilize at every watering, using plain water one day out of seven.

If you use a 20-20-20 formulation like MiracleGro use a little more than a quarter teaspoon per gallon.

Roberta · #8 07-09-2020, 04:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by estación seca

The second from left doesn't have rot. It has blackening from either underwatering, or being hit by too much sun through the window. This is exactly what happens in those situations. Roberta probably doesn't have as much experience killing seedlings as I do.

I have killed enough that I mostly try to buy plants that are a little bigger... being something of an old poop, I want a fighting chance of seeing them bloom in my lifetime..

I defer to ES on this one...

Dollythehun · #9 07-09-2020, 04:27 PM

ES is giving excellent advice and Roberta, you are not an old poop!

Putting them outside is a great idea. I put mine under a patio umbrella. You can even hang them from the umbrella ribs. Be creative! You can do this!