Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
  #1   Report Post  
Old 26-02-2004, 07:28 PM
Frank
 
Posts: n/a
Default help! my 1st orchid! Bud fall!

Very sadly, this morning I found a bud fell from the Phal, my first
orchid! Really heartaching. :-(

I bought this Phal on Feb. 14. It came with 3 leaves on each side and
a long long stalk with 7 buds on the main stalk and 3 buds on a
branch. The first bloom came about 5 days later in my home. Then this
bud, the second largest one, appeared shrivel and finally fell today.
:-(

It is in a 6" pot. The media appear to be bark. Last Saturday, I took
the plant out of the pot, cut the dead root (the soft brown ones with
a wire in the middle and only leave the green stiff ones) then I plant
it back to the pot and soak the pot in water until no bubble comes out
and then let it drain well. I then feed some 30-10-10 MirocalGro
solution at half concentration ( not sure if the media can still
absorb nutrition after being saturated by the soaking, I saw the
liquid flow through.). Then I place it back to a pebble tray by a
northeast facing window (the kind of big windows that you cannot
open). The pebble tray is not too much larger than the pot. Could this
be the reason that there is no enough humidity? But in the past two
weeks, here in SF bay area, it rained a lot and the hygrometer at home
always has a reading 55%. Oh, when this Phal first came in, I placed
it in a bright hallway. One side of the hallway has 3 huge un-openable
windows, the other side is wall. So it was on a stand by the wall
first. Then, several days later, the bud appeared shrivel. So I
switched its position with a 6" Azalea and placed it to the window
side which is brighter than the wall side but no direct sun.

What goes wrong? It's really sad to see the bud lying next to the
plant when I stepped out of my bedroom this morning. :-((( My 2nd
orchid, a cymbidium, stays in my office, one WITHOUT window. The buds
bloom one by one and I can see new growth at the bottom, with two or
even three more POSSIBLE stalks! My plan is to water orchids once each
week. Since only one weekend passed, so I just watered this cymbidium
once. It seems ok. I had thought condition at home would be better
than that in my office. But why does my Phal suffer? Isn't that Phal
suppose to be easier to raise than cymbidium?

What can I do to help my Phal?

Thanks a lot!

Tiff
  #2   Report Post  
Old 26-02-2004, 11:19 PM
Ray
 
Posts: n/a
Default help! my 1st orchid! Bud fall!

My guess is that the plant is dropping buds not due to low humidity, but
because your treatment of it (unpotting, root trimming, repotting) has
shocked it.

--

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

.. . . . . . . . . . .
"Frank" wrote in message
...
Very sadly, this morning I found a bud fell from the Phal, my first
orchid! Really heartaching. :-(

I bought this Phal on Feb. 14. It came with 3 leaves on each side and
a long long stalk with 7 buds on the main stalk and 3 buds on a
branch. The first bloom came about 5 days later in my home. Then this
bud, the second largest one, appeared shrivel and finally fell today.
:-(

It is in a 6" pot. The media appear to be bark. Last Saturday, I took
the plant out of the pot, cut the dead root (the soft brown ones with
a wire in the middle and only leave the green stiff ones) then I plant
it back to the pot and soak the pot in water until no bubble comes out
and then let it drain well. I then feed some 30-10-10 MirocalGro
solution at half concentration ( not sure if the media can still
absorb nutrition after being saturated by the soaking, I saw the
liquid flow through.). Then I place it back to a pebble tray by a
northeast facing window (the kind of big windows that you cannot
open). The pebble tray is not too much larger than the pot. Could this
be the reason that there is no enough humidity? But in the past two
weeks, here in SF bay area, it rained a lot and the hygrometer at home
always has a reading 55%. Oh, when this Phal first came in, I placed
it in a bright hallway. One side of the hallway has 3 huge un-openable
windows, the other side is wall. So it was on a stand by the wall
first. Then, several days later, the bud appeared shrivel. So I
switched its position with a 6" Azalea and placed it to the window
side which is brighter than the wall side but no direct sun.

What goes wrong? It's really sad to see the bud lying next to the
plant when I stepped out of my bedroom this morning. :-((( My 2nd
orchid, a cymbidium, stays in my office, one WITHOUT window. The buds
bloom one by one and I can see new growth at the bottom, with two or
even three more POSSIBLE stalks! My plan is to water orchids once each
week. Since only one weekend passed, so I just watered this cymbidium
once. It seems ok. I had thought condition at home would be better
than that in my office. But why does my Phal suffer? Isn't that Phal
suppose to be easier to raise than cymbidium?

What can I do to help my Phal?

Thanks a lot!

Tiff



  #3   Report Post  
Old 27-02-2004, 01:08 AM
Diana Kulaga
 
Posts: n/a
Default help! my 1st orchid! Bud fall!

Tiff,

I agree with Ray; yiou are far too solicitous of this plant! Stop doing
stuff for it!

Also, orchids can be finicky about their micro climates. When you brought it
home, it was being moved, most likely, for the second (or more) time, at
least from nursery to retailer to your home. Then, in your environment, it
was moved once more. Give the beauty a rest. Producing flowers is
stressful for any plant, and just like us, they like "comfort zones".
Imagine if you had to sleep on a strange mattress every night!

You have drenched it sufficiently for the moment. Don't let it dry out
completely, but don't keep is sopping wet, either. Phals like indirect
light. Enjoy it, and don't worry about a lost bud or two. It's not
uncommon when we bring plants into a new environment.

Diana


Reply
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules

Smilies are On
[IMG] code is Off
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
My 1st S/H grown orchid Wendy7 Orchid Photos 7 19-10-2007 06:29 PM
help! my 1st orchid! Bud fall! Frank Orchids 0 26-02-2004 07:28 PM
help! my 1st orchid! Bud fall! Frank Orchids 0 26-02-2004 07:11 PM
help! my 1st orchid! Bud fall! Frank Orchids 0 26-02-2004 07:11 PM
Help needed on my 1st tree (giant sequoia) Fanta Gardening 7 19-07-2003 02:12 AM


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 08:54 AM.

Powered by vBulletin® Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright ©2004-2024 GardenBanter.co.uk.
The comments are property of their posters.
 

About Us

"It's about Gardening"

 

Copyright © 2017