Hello, I recenty bought two orchids, the species is dendorobium. I
dont know exactly what kind of dendrobium. Everyting was ok, for about
3 weeks, and then I watered them this saturday (I usually water them
once a week, although I think its maybe too warm at home, and probably
they need more watering). An then the next day i saw that the leaves
of the orchids looked somehow thin like a skin and somehow withering.
The one thing i did when i watered them is that i put some fertilizer
in the water. What could have happend and what should i do to preserve
them?
Thank you for your help
Jeny

On 10 Feb 2003 08:58:08 -0800, (Jeny) wrote:

Hello, I recenty bought two orchids, the species is dendorobium. I
dont know exactly what kind of dendrobium. Everyting was ok, for about
3 weeks, and then I watered them this saturday (I usually water them
once a week, although I think its maybe too warm at home, and probably
they need more watering). An then the next day i saw that the leaves
of the orchids looked somehow thin like a skin and somehow withering.
The one thing i did when i watered them is that i put some fertilizer
in the water. What could have happend and what should i do to preserve
them?
Thank you for your help
Jeny

Jerry - We would like to help. Dendrobium is probably the most
diverse of all the Orchid families. So some generalities and some
questions.

Most Dendrobiums do not want much fertilizer. In fact some do not
want much water in the winter. How strong a fertilizer mix did
you use?

When you do water them do you run the water thru the pot so it
gushes out the bottom?

Where you have the plants - Is the humidity normal house
humidity? Have you done anything to raise the humidity? Do you
have other plants in the same area? Do you have the plants
sitting in a saucer? Did you let the water stand in the saucer
after you watered?

Did you repot the plants? Are they in very small pots for the
height of the plant?

Can you post a picture of the plants where you are growing them
on - alt.binaries.pictures.orchids -the photo newsgroup about
orchids? If so, please also take a close up of the plants.

Some of the above should be yes, some no. The picture will tell
exactly what your conditions are and may help us ID the plants a
little more.
SuE
http://orchids.legolas.org/gallery/albums.php

Hello Sue, glad to meet you)
So here are the replies of your questions. I will take some pics of
the orchids tonight and post them aslo.

Most Dendrobiums do not want much fertilizer. In fact some do not
want much water in the winter. How strong a fertilizer mix did
you use?

I used it exactly as it was prescribed on the lable of the bottle. 1
cap of the fertilizer should be mixed with 4 liters of water. But the
one thing i dont know is whether this fertilizer was the appropriate
one. I originally use it for making strong foliage There is a
nitrogen also in it, and i have read on the www.orchids.org that the
nitrogen is good for the orchids) I confess than I am completely
ignorant. Let me tell you how I get this 3 orchids (2 Dendrobiums and
a Paphiopedilum. Still there is nothing wrong with the Paphiopedilum).
I accidently went to the botanical garden and saw a blooming
dendrobium. It was magnificent, and I decided to buy some. They have
too few orchids to sell there and they all are quite small. I am not
sure whether mine will bloom this year Anyway thats how it all
started...

When you do water them do you run the water thru the pot so it
gushes out the bottom?
Yes, I dont leave them in water. I take them in the air, water them
and then wait for the water to drain then I put them back on the
table.

Where you have the plants - Is the humidity normal house
humidity?
I have them at home, right in front of the window, only the heating
instalation is between them and the window.

Have you done anything to raise the humidity?
Yes, I put some containers full of water on the heating instalation,
so i suppose its more humid now there, because the water evaporates
very quickly.


Do you
have other plants in the same area?
Yes, I do have some other plants near the orchids. A huge cactus, a
begonia( i dont now if it is also begonia in english), some violets
aslo.

Do you have the plants
sitting in a saucer? Did you let the water stand in the saucer
after you watered?
No, there is no saucer under them


Did you repot the plants? Are they in very small pots for the
height of the plant?
No, i dont want to repot them now, its not the right time(btw what is
the most appropriate time to repot them?) The pots are small, but the
orchids are small also. You will see them on the pics I am going to
post.


Can you post a picture of the plants where you are growing them
on - alt.binaries.pictures.orchids -the photo newsgroup about
orchids? If so, please also take a close up of the plants.
Yes, I will do that, maybe this is the best way for us both to
understand more about my orchids


Some of the above should be yes, some no. The picture will tell
exactly what your conditions are and may help us ID the plants a
little more.
SuE
http://orchids.legolas.org/gallery/albums.php