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#1
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Wilting leaves, new at orchids
Help, my blooming orchids (regular grocery store variety) are suffering
wilting leaves. The leaves are limp and wrinkled and not getting better. I am misting, they are in a filtered all day sun window and each have one flower stem. What am I doing wrong? I am fairly new to these beautiful flowers and want to expand my varieties, but not until I can keep these ones alive. Thanks! Nina |
#2
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Hi Nina, sounds like your plants may have rotting roots which
is usually because of overwatering & sitting in water? Do you have name tags? This would help to know more about their culture. -- Cheers Wendy Remove PETERPAN for email reply wrote: Help, my blooming orchids (regular grocery store variety) are suffering wilting leaves. The leaves are limp and wrinkled and not getting better. I am misting, they are in a filtered all day sun window and each have one flower stem. What am I doing wrong? I am fairly new to these beautiful flowers and want to expand my varieties, but not until I can keep these ones alive. Thanks! Nina |
#3
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Hi Nina
I bought a orchid & the same happened to me, the florist recomended that I used orchid fertilizer & only water a cup of water once a week. Hope this helps. Leonie wrote in message roups.com... Help, my blooming orchids (regular grocery store variety) are suffering wilting leaves. The leaves are limp and wrinkled and not getting better. I am misting, they are in a filtered all day sun window and each have one flower stem. What am I doing wrong? I am fairly new to these beautiful flowers and want to expand my varieties, but not until I can keep these ones alive. Thanks! Nina |
#4
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Here are what the tags say,
"phalaenopsis, Hamptons snowflake X Sabine Queen x Phal. Pinlong Memory)" and "phalaenopsis, taisuco firebird" I try not to over water, they only get a good water about twice a month. I did start to water more when they started to wilt, it didn't hurt or help. Thanks! Nina |
#5
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Take the plants out of the pots and see if they have any live roots. If
they do, re-pot into fresh mix. If they don't, well, they might be saved but ... how much time and effort do you want to spend? Misting is something we do not recommend; it will not provide much help with humidity and can lead to disease problems. Chances are, your grocery-store plants were badly stressed by maltreatment before you purchased them. Before you give up, buy a nice healthy one from a real nursery in your neighborhood and get growing instructions while you're there. I think you'll see a big difference. -- Kenni Judd Juno Beach Orchids http://www.jborchids.com wrote in message oups.com... Help, my blooming orchids (regular grocery store variety) are suffering wilting leaves. The leaves are limp and wrinkled and not getting better. I am misting, they are in a filtered all day sun window and each have one flower stem. What am I doing wrong? I am fairly new to these beautiful flowers and want to expand my varieties, but not until I can keep these ones alive. Thanks! Nina |
#6
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Thanks, I will check the roots. I should clarify that one of the plants
is recovering, the white one. These both have sentimental ties for me, so I will try to save them. (One was given to me at the birth of my daughter and the other one, the sick one, was a gift when I was in hospital fighting for my own life last year.) I should also mention that they are both blooming right now. I did not know that misting was not good! What do I do instead? They are in the kitchen, beside the sink and in a filtered window. I really love my orchids and want to learn more about caring for them so that I may expand my "collection". Nina |
#7
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O.K..... the roots were rotting. There are few healthy roots left, just
the ones that were growing in the air anyways. Now what? Nina |
#8
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Hi there Nina,
The url below is a good start. (shows pics etc.) http://www.midpacificorchids.citymax...age/235341.htm You need to repot your plants. Get yourself some orchid bark mix & soak & drain it. Cut the soft brown roots off, rinse the remaining roots. I use Physan to wash everything, including tools. Use a smaller pot, also stake the plant, they like to feel secure. Let it sit for a week or two then water. Take your plant to the sink & flush the water through & let it drain. You can fertilize at 1/4 strength each time. Overwatering, also plants in a damp area with no fresh air is what causes the roots to rot, in my opinion. Use a small fan. Ask questions here there's always good advice. Also if you search on Google - AOS phalaenopsis there is lots to read. Good luck, I hope you can save your plants. -- Cheers Wendy Remove PETERPAN for email reply NinaW wrote: O.K..... the roots were rotting. There are few healthy roots left, just the ones that were growing in the air anyways. Now what? Nina |
#9
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Hi there Nina,
The url below is a good start. (shows pics etc.) http://www.midpacificorchids.citymax...age/235341.htm You need to repot your plants. Get yourself some orchid bark mix & soak & drain it. Cut the soft brown roots off, rinse the remaining roots. I use Physan to wash everything, including tools. Use a smaller pot, also stake the plant, they like to feel secure. Let it sit for a week or two then water. Take your plant to the sink & flush the water through & let it drain. You can fertilize at 1/4 strength each time. Overwatering, also plants in a damp area with no fresh air is what causes the roots to rot, in my opinion. Use a small fan. Ask questions here there's always good advice. Also if you search on Google - AOS phalaenopsis there is lots to read. Good luck, I hope you can save your plants. -- Cheers Wendy Remove PETERPAN for email reply NinaW wrote: O.K..... the roots were rotting. There are few healthy roots left, just the ones that were growing in the air anyways. Now what? Nina |
#10
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Thanks Wendy! When I checked the roots I saw that the plant was potted
in a bark mulch, and the wood was downright soggy. I spread the mix on a sheet and "baked" it in the oven on low to dry it out. I then trimmed the dead stuff and repotted the firedbird. I knew about overwatering! I think that what happened is that water from the sink has been splashing into the tray under the plant. The pot had a moss plug that would have wicked the water into the mulch. I was watering without knowing it. The other plant does not have this set up, so it is not nearly so bad, only a few rotten roots. (This one I need to repot because it has outgrown it's pot). I think I may be checking into this NG from time to time! I have wanted to start collecting more orchids but was intimidated at the prospect. This NG, unlike many others, has people who are very helpful and willing to share! Thank-you! Nina |
#11
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Nina: If you really need to raise your humidity, the best choice is a
humidifier. Pebble trays [a deep tray with gravel, and then water at a level lower than the top of the gravel] are another option; I don't think they do a whole lot of good, but they probably do more than just the occasional spritz on the leaves. Plus they make watering more convenient. Misting the leaves of a plant raises the humidity for a very brief time; and if the foliage stays wet at night, you are just begging for disease problems. But chances are, your plants will put up with your ambient humidity so that you don't have to do _anything_ instead. Just water thoroughly when the plants need it. Here in So. Fla., we are blessed/cursed with a major abundance of humidity, but the plants will make do with far less. In fact, ours is often _more_ than optimum. The person who figures out how to export our excess to you folks in need will probably become richer than Bill Gates! -- Kenni Judd Juno Beach Orchids http://www.jborchids.com I did not know that misting was not good! What do I do instead? They are in the kitchen, beside the sink and in a filtered window. I really love my orchids and want to learn more about caring for them so that I may expand my "collection". Nina |
#12
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T'is my pleasure Nina, also read the Phalaenopsis post by Leonie
with replies from Kathy & Kenni, very knowledgeable girls. Keep in touch. -- Cheers Wendy Remove PETERPAN for email reply NinaW wrote: Thanks Wendy! When I checked the roots I saw that the plant was potted in a bark mulch, and the wood was downright soggy. I spread the mix on a sheet and "baked" it in the oven on low to dry it out. I then trimmed the dead stuff and repotted the firedbird. I knew about overwatering! I think that what happened is that water from the sink has been splashing into the tray under the plant. The pot had a moss plug that would have wicked the water into the mulch. I was watering without knowing it. The other plant does not have this set up, so it is not nearly so bad, only a few rotten roots. (This one I need to repot because it has outgrown it's pot). I think I may be checking into this NG from time to time! I have wanted to start collecting more orchids but was intimidated at the prospect. This NG, unlike many others, has people who are very helpful and willing to share! Thank-you! Nina |
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