Masd. exquisita trouble
 

Ok, first, yes I know Masd. are hard to grow and very touchy hense yes
I have perpetrated a most un-through killing

that being said, I have a masd. exquisitaI that has lost all but 5
leave, the ones it has now are spotted black and yellowed, that
wasn't to bad until it started dropping leaves like crazy (last
Friday it had about 15) is there any thing I can do to save it?

I had it inside 60-80F low light about 45-55% humidity, I water with
city water, weak fertilizer I put it out side this week when I moved my
plant outside for the summer (32 to 70F, usually 40night 60 day)

Any help would be appreciated if it can be saved, if not I guess I'd
better start preparing a place in the compost pile

Jack

Masd. exquisita trouble
 

Jack wrote:
Ok, first, yes I know Masd. are hard to grow and very touchy...

Oh, I don't know about that. I have good results with them here in
West Virginia.
Where are you? Your summers seem to be on the very cool side.


hense yes
I have perpetrated a most un-through killing

I'm not sure what this means.

that being said, I have a masd. exquisitaI that has lost all but 5
leave, the ones it has now are spotted black and yellowed, that
wasn't to bad until it started dropping leaves like crazy (last
Friday it had about 15) is there any thing I can do to save it?

How long have you had it?


I had it inside 60-80F

Indoor 80F is too warm for most Masd's I keep mine in a cool basement
room during the winter. In the summer I keep them in the shade and
water them daily.

low light about 45-55% humidity, I water with
city water, weak fertilizer...

How often did you fertilize it? Perhaps you overdid it.

If all the leaves are yellow and spotted, and there are no new ones
coming in, the plant is probably a goner.

Sorry.


J. Del Col

Masd. exquisita trouble
 

I fertilized it about every 2 weeks

I live in alaska, so the night (all four hours) are a little cold

I've had the plant 3 months

Jack

Oh I've already picked out a spot in the compost pile, just hoping not
to use it.

Masd. exquisita trouble
 

Thats what I like to hear... A man with the right idea to start with.

Now a word from a person on the other end of the world, take those [plants
out and show them that spot once a month to encourage flowering. You could
even possibly try checking that the pot fits in the hole etc just to ensure
that the plants intellect gets the right idea. And should all of that fail,
lean ghe axe against the wall near the plants. That ALWAYS seems to
encourage the buds to form ;)

Cheers
Kye.

"Jack" wrote in message
ups.com...
I fertilized it about every 2 weeks

I live in alaska, so the night (all four hours) are a little cold

I've had the plant 3 months

Jack

Oh I've already picked out a spot in the compost pile, just hoping not
to use it.

Masd. exquisita trouble
 

OK. Believe it or not you may save this one. Luckily you are in Alaska.

Heat stress will cause a masdevallia to drop their leaves, often overnight.
Since your temps are within its normal range, I can only guess that you had
one hotter day than usual and blip! There went the leaves.

In looking up exquista I see it is from the forests east of La Paz in
Bolivia at about 1800m. Its considered a cool to intermediate grower. It
likes night time temps 50 to 56F and daytime temps 55 to 68F, not a wide
temp diurnal range.

What to do is what you've done: reduce the temps and provide more shade and
try to get it more ambient humidity (rather than soaking the root ball which
may lead to root rot.) Try giving it the cleanest water you can and
fertilize it very sparingly, if at all while its recovering (I think thats
what the spots on the leaves are from - either poor water quality or
slightly more fertilizer than it needs) You should see new leaves in 4-8
weeks if not sooner.

Luckily, you live in alaska and can provide the temp range it needs. I
think it just neds a little tweaking and you should be off an running with
your masdevallias. Looks like a cute plant!

K Barrett

"Jack" wrote in message
ups.com...
Ok, first, yes I know Masd. are hard to grow and very touchy hense yes
I have perpetrated a most un-through killing

that being said, I have a masd. exquisitaI that has lost all but 5
leave, the ones it has now are spotted black and yellowed, that
wasn't to bad until it started dropping leaves like crazy (last
Friday it had about 15) is there any thing I can do to save it?

I had it inside 60-80F low light about 45-55% humidity, I water with
city water, weak fertilizer I put it out side this week when I moved my
plant outside for the summer (32 to 70F, usually 40night 60 day)

Any help would be appreciated if it can be saved, if not I guess I'd
better start preparing a place in the compost pile

Jack

Masd. exquisita trouble
 

yep, that's my downfall. Well it lost another, down to four, if the
leaves fall off, is it still viable or is it dead?

I flushed it and watered it with rain water when I put it outside, hope
that helps

as for temps, strangely enought, my 2 cats I put outside are ok, so
it'll have to do (otherwise I have to bring it in every night)

Jack

Masd. exquisita trouble
 

I have no experience with Masd., but a similar thing happened with a
Restrepia muscifera I brought. The leaves were mostly red and they all
dropped within two weeks. I waited another three months, hoping for
some sign of growth. Then I tossed it! Someday, I will try again.
So I can only offer my condolences.
I did read somewhere that Masd. don't like it much above 75F, which is
why I've never tried growing them. It just gets too hot during the
summer here.
Good luck!
Bob

"Jack" wrote in message
ups.com...
I fertilized it about every 2 weeks

I live in alaska, so the night (all four hours) are a little cold

I've had the plant 3 months

Jack

Oh I've already picked out a spot in the compost pile, just hoping not
to use it.

Masd. exquisita trouble
 

Oh, BTW Kye, I find that a machete works much better, and if they get a
little uppity, brandishing the scissors reminds them of their place.

Masd. exquisita trouble
 

It may still be viable. That's why I said put it in the shade (less stress)
and see if it'll grow more leaves. Your's wouldn't be the first masdevallia
to come back from one leaf to fullness.

K Barrett

"Jack" wrote in message
oups.com...
yep, that's my downfall. Well it lost another, down to four, if the
leaves fall off, is it still viable or is it dead?

I flushed it and watered it with rain water when I put it outside, hope
that helps

as for temps, strangely enought, my 2 cats I put outside are ok, so
it'll have to do (otherwise I have to bring it in every night)

Jack

Masd. exquisita trouble
 

Thanks for the advice everyone, I'll have to see if it makes it.

Jack

update
 

Today when I checked it, I saw a little green sprout at the base,
hopefully this will grow into a new leaf.