please help

[Dragonfly]

I'm new, and intend to visit the intro thread soon, however I'm very concerned about my orchid.

My boyfriend brought it to me for Valentine's Day, and I love orchids, but have never grown one myself. It was budding in February, and now it's got three full flowers and five others that are in various stages of budding. It's a very lovely purple Dendrobium, grown in Florida and marketed by Kerry's.

My concern is that the lower leaves on the main cane, and now one top leaf from a younger cane, are yellowing and dying. I live in Michigan, and have the plant about 5 feet from a door wall that I keep the blinds open during the day while I'm at work.

I have the plant sitting in a shallow, wide decorative plate atop some sea glass and water (for humidity). The plant is growing out of what looks like a large chunk of wood resting in a clear plastic pot, which is then nestled inside a larger terra cotta pot. The tag said to let it dry out between waterings, but after reading the posts above, I'm having doubts. I just let it soak in a bowl of water for half an hour.

This plant is lovely, and I really want it to survive. I'd post a pic from my camera phone, but the form won't let me yet.

[Brooke]

Welcome to the forum!

Yes pictures will help but one suggestion from me is to increase the light. Five feet from a window/door wall makes the Den think it is growing in the dark. Dens are very high light orchids.

Brooke

[11Orchid126]

The plant is growing out of what looks like a large chunk of wood resting in a clear plastic pot, which is then nestled inside a larger terra cotta pot.

This is a bit unclear. Is the plant growing on the outside of the wood, what we would call mounted on the wood? Or is it growing in bark, or a chunk of bark? Does the terra cotta pot have good drainage?

[-k-]

I have a den that is also grown in a chunk of wood, the roots are within the wood with newer roots growing into it as well. The problem with this type of setup is you cant really check the roots. the other issue is depending on the state of decomposition of the wood the orchid is in. If the wood is stillk solid your watering requirments will be greater, however I would water from the top and allow to drain out the bottom oppose to letting it sit in water. Many of the roots may reach down deep into the wood and are becoming too wet.

If the wood is in poor shape, soft and breaking down it coud be retaining too much water which is equally not good.

So with that said what is the condition of the wood the Den is planted in?

[Dragonfly]

Originally Posted by 11Orchid126

The plant is growing out of what looks like a large chunk of wood resting in a clear plastic pot, which is then nestled inside a larger terra cotta pot.

This is a bit unclear. Is the plant growing on the outside of the wood, what we would call mounted on the wood? Or is it growing in bark, or a chunk of bark? Does the terra cotta pot have good drainage?

I believe it is mounted on the wood or bark. I know that it always feels dry. I see roots mingling in the cracks in the wood or bark and draping around the outside of it.

[Dragonfly]

Originally Posted by Brooke

Welcome to the forum!

Yes pictures will help but one suggestion from me is to increase the light. Five feet from a window/door wall makes the Den think it is growing in the dark. Dens are very high light orchids.

Brooke

Hi Brooke,

I did move it directly in front of the door wall, and we've been having some lovely sunny days lately, but I'm concerned that it may have been a bit late. The flowers that are in full bloom appear very healthy, but the three lower buds that never bloomed are now appearing wilted.

[Dragonfly]

Originally Posted by -K-

I have a den that is also grown in a chunk of wood, the roots are within the wood with newer roots growing into it as well. The problem with this type of setup is you cant really check the roots. the other issue is depending on the state of decomposition of the wood the orchid is in. If the wood is stillk solid your watering requirments will be greater, however I would water from the top and allow to drain out the bottom oppose to letting it sit in water. Many of the roots may reach down deep into the wood and are becoming too wet.

If the wood is in poor shape, soft and breaking down it coud be retaining too much water which is equally not good.

So with that said what is the condition of the wood the Den is planted in?

In touching the top, the wood feels dry. When I removed the plastic pot from the terra cotta (which felt damp..it is resting on my makeshift humidity tray) I can see moisture drops in the bottom of the plastic pot, but neither the roots growing out of the bottom of the wood or the wood itself reach the bottom of the plastic pot where the water droplets are.

When I do water it, I pour it from the top, and it appears to go straight through the pot to the tray underneath. Since the water in the tray dehydrates rather rapidly in the dry heat of winter, I tend to pour water into the tray in the morning before I leave for work. It's a very shallow plate that I have the plant sitting on, so the water in the tray is pretty minimal.

Thank you all for your wonderful inquiries. I'm hoping to get to the bottom of this issue soon. I dearly want this orchid to live!

[Brooke]

I think we really need pics of the plant. I can't tell from your description if the Den is mounted on a piece of wood or if it is growing in a chunk of coir that might look like wood to someone unfamiliar with it.

I suspect it is coir and the recommendations for it as compared to a mount are very different.

Brooke

[-k-]

Originally Posted by Brooke

I think we really need pics of the plant. I can't tell from your description if the Den is mounted on a piece of wood or if it is growing in a chunk of coir that might look like wood to someone unfamiliar with it.

I suspect it is coir and the recommendations for it as compared to a mount are very different.

Brooke

If it's anything like the 2 I have potted this way it's a large chunk of choir, looks like a small tree trunk! They are tighly packed in it which makes it difficult if not impossible to remove and repot, I've tried...

The choir on one is very solid, takes a real good watering to get it right, the other one has begun to decompose and remains very moist. As it continues to decompose I replace with smaller bits of choir and bark, it's all I can do with it...

[Brooke]

-K-

If you soak the hunk, you can slowly peel it away, one tiny piece at a time, starting at the top and pulling straight down. It takes a while but makes watering much easier.

Brooke

[-k-]

Originally Posted by Brooke

-K-

If you soak the hunk, you can slowly peel it away, one tiny piece at a time, starting at the top and pulling straight down. It takes a while but makes watering much easier.

Brooke

I'll take that as first hand experience... Thankx!
lol... I did start to peel away the one decomposing but it was too painful and eventually said eh, forget it.
It keeps putting out new roots and the fill in bark works good on the fly... I know I am putting off the inevitable though... :