Yellowing... help!

[ShawnE]

I got a couple of orchids from wal-mart last week or so (dendrobium I think) and i re-potted them. Two of the three seem fine, but one has started to REALLY yellow... started with the lowest leaves and is slowly moving up the stem. I'm not sure whether I'm over-watering, underwatering, or what! I have read conflicting things about how much to water after repotting. HELP!

[Aniko]

First, you have to find out what kind of orchids you have: consulting for example the Photo identification guide of the forum or posting some pictures so experts can help.
Here is the very useful post of Cynthia about watering every type of orchid, and an easy way of controlling moisture:
http://www.orchidgeeks.com/forum/newbie-questions/1099-skewer-use-for-watering-of-orchids.html
The photo identification guide:
Orchid Photo Identification Guide

[Aniko]

If only one plant is suffering the problem could be something else, not watering. Can you identify and describe something different related to the other two ?
Aniko.

[mayres]

Dendrobium orchids are indeed what Walmart sells mostly in my neck of the woods - which is "only" about 4000 miles from you! :-) If they are not actively growing they don't like to be repotted. They also like to be in small pots/rootbound. They naturally will loose quite a few leaves each year after yellowing. Some canes will end up with either no leaves or just a few on top. Yours might be a combination of natural leaf loss and sulking at being put into a new environment. Hopefully it will snap out of it over the next few months - look for a new cane popping its head up out of the pot - the primary sign of new life at this point. Good luck.

[Cynthia, Prescott, AZ]

Probably just normal leaf loss for that particular Dendrobium. This is the season they lose leaves if they are going to, and most will lose one years worth of leaves. Cynthia

[jerrymeola]

It is normal leaf loss and also not normal lose.

Dens lose a lot of leaves naturally. However, you added the fatal word WalMart.

Lack of care will accelerate loss and with any of thee large stores there is no care being given to the plants. A major problem with these stores is that the plants are handled roughly and plants often fall out of the pots and are stuffed back in. Two or three occurrences and the plant is suffering big time.

When Den roots are exposed to the air they dry quickly and stop growing. This is not a big danger for the long term health of the plant but will slow growth while new roots form. If the plant had flowers it will shorten the life of the flowers greatly.

From your description it seems the plant is losing leaves too fast. You may well lose all the leaves. Fortunately, Dens are very strong plants and seldom die from this level of abuse.

Make sure the plant is well placed in its pot and secure it to keep it steady. Give it a place where it will not be moved and enough time. The plant should put out new growth from the bottom of the plant. Do not cut the bare leaf stems that may remain as they often flower the next year even when leafless. This is because it is still a young flowering cane just without leaves.

[ShawnE]

Hooray... it sounds encouraging!! Thanks SO much to everyone for your advice! I love my orchids, and killing one would really discourage me I'll keep you posted as to what happens. Thank you!

- Shawn

[Gladys47]

If those are the Happy Hawaiian or something like that. The Wal-mart near me has them and they are all labeled dendrobium. The attached tag gives directions for dendrobium care. Problem is I bought 2 phals and an oncidium that were also labled dendrobium.Kind of makes you mad considering some newbies don't know the difference and care for their plant as if it WAS a dendrobium. I'm a newbie but lucky for me I spend a lot of time at sites like this learning, so I knew better. Thanks, Gladys