I just love these plants, but the feeling is not mutual. I've had a
cross for about one month now, and during this time, the new 4 inch
growth got mushy, a mature leaf got mushy and now another mature leaf
is drying off at the base.
What is my problem? I can only think that it's my watering.
I water once a week.
I thought the mushyness might be caused from getting water into the
leaf base, but just don't know.
I now have two blooming spikes and 2 leaves and five back rhisomes.
I am so totally clueless.

where are you located, and what kind of medium is the plant in?

--j_a

On Mar 20, 11:18*am, wrote:
where are you located, and what kind of medium is the plant in?

--j_a

I live South west of Seattle. Since it is blooming it is in the
kitchen temp 60-70 along with the blooming cyms and zygo. The medium
is small bark with perlite which appears to me to be appropriate for
the size of its roots.

mushy would seem to imply rot... how's your air circulation?

--j_a

clareinolywa wrote:
I just love these plants, but the feeling is not mutual. I've had a
cross for about one month now, and during this time, the new 4 inch
growth got mushy, a mature leaf got mushy and now another mature leaf
is drying off at the base.
What is my problem? I can only think that it's my watering.
I water once a week.
I thought the mushyness might be caused from getting water into the
leaf base, but just don't know.
I now have two blooming spikes and 2 leaves and five back rhisomes.
I am so totally clueless.

Finickiest orchids I've ever grown - and I grow disas!

They must absolutely dry out between waterings - and hopefully quickly.
Thus, you'll want them in something that requires you to water them
every 2-3 days, and they should be dry between. And no water in the
growths, especially new ones. Good air movement.

Don't ever let them get cold.

And even then they may still be irritable and die.

Good luck!

(i had to put mine in semi hydro; had it a year, it's been blooming
for ten months, but i wish it would grow a new pbulb.)

--j_a

wrote:
(i had to put mine in semi hydro; had it a year, it's been blooming
for ten months, but i wish it would grow a new pbulb.)

--j_a
It is not a myth that they can bloom themselves to death. One of mine
did. It was a smallish plant, just a couple mature growths, and bloomed
for almost 18 months on and off from one spike, then collapsed and died.

On Mar 24, 12:19*am, tenman wrote:

It is not a myth that they can bloom themselves to death. One of mine
did. It was a smallish plant, just a couple mature growths, and bloomed
for almost 18 months on and off from one spike, then collapsed and died.

So how to prevent this? right now mine is on its 5th flower with 2 new
growths coming along nicely, do I have to worry about it blooming to
death?

Back story of this plant - last year at a show a vendor has several
pots of P. Green Valley in bud, for $50 each. "What a bargain!"
thought I. On arriving home and removing the cellophane around the
pot, the medium looked suspicious so I peeled back the sphagnum, only
to find it has no live roots. Looks like it was barerooted for a while
then wrapped in moss and stuffed in a pot. Crossing my fingers I
repotted it and let it flower. It gave 2 blooms, then the next 2 buds
dried up. Expecting that the spike was done, I kept watering it and
relieved when I saw new roots and growths. Wasn't even paying
attention when one day I came home to find a flower had opened! But
perhaps it's still not in top health since the flowers last only a
month - I thought they last longer?

A plant will "bloom itself to death" if the overall cultural conditions and
feeding regimen do not allow the plant to keep up - in other words, if it
happens, it's your fault, not the plant's.

--

Ray Barkalow - First Rays Orchids - www.firstrays.com
Plants, Supplies. Books, Artwork, and lots of Free Info!


"Tippi" wrote in message
...
On Mar 24, 12:19 am, tenman wrote:

It is not a myth that they can bloom themselves to death. One of mine
did. It was a smallish plant, just a couple mature growths, and bloomed
for almost 18 months on and off from one spike, then collapsed and died.

So how to prevent this? right now mine is on its 5th flower with 2 new
growths coming along nicely, do I have to worry about it blooming to
death?

Back story of this plant - last year at a show a vendor has several
pots of P. Green Valley in bud, for $50 each. "What a bargain!"
thought I. On arriving home and removing the cellophane around the
pot, the medium looked suspicious so I peeled back the sphagnum, only
to find it has no live roots. Looks like it was barerooted for a while
then wrapped in moss and stuffed in a pot. Crossing my fingers I
repotted it and let it flower. It gave 2 blooms, then the next 2 buds
dried up. Expecting that the spike was done, I kept watering it and
relieved when I saw new roots and growths. Wasn't even paying
attention when one day I came home to find a flower had opened! But
perhaps it's still not in top health since the flowers last only a
month - I thought they last longer?