New Phaph Seedling Dropping a Leaf- Tell me not to worry.

[VEEKTOR]

This is my Lawrenceanum Expansum seedling I got about 10 days ago.
While this leaf was a little faded when it got here it was still green.
I didn't think they dropped leaves when they were this young.
Is this OK or should I be worried? Should I separate it.
I'm hoping it will be fine. The other four seedlings I got at the same time all look fine.

[krpot]

I bet it's ok all though I'm new to paphs. Looks like it has plenty of healthy other leaves and maybe it's just the natural occasional old leaf drop. Hoping this will give the thread a bump.

[amersault]

i think the leaf after that and the third one up might be the next to go. it could be a number of reasons: environmental, water schedules, low humidity.

i'm not saying it too be a pooh-bah, but i've had disagreements with so many of my Paphs that i know well enough this is how it starts.

and you said the other ones look good?

[Ron]

i think the leaf after that and the third one up might be the next to go. it could be a number of reasons: environmental, water schedules, low humidity.

Nice looking plant, any of the above reasons can cause these leaves to drop, it is normal for on to go off sometimes.
It is sitting a bit high in the potting mix, I always, if I buy in new plants or seedling repot straight away into my normal mix and this also gives me an idea on how the roots are looking.
Perhaps a weak dose of organic fertilizers "may" give it a boost.
That is how I would treat it if it was my plant, makeing sure the new potting mix is moist before repotting.
Best of luck
Ron

[VEEKTOR]

Originally Posted by amersault

i think the leaf after that and the third one up might be the next to go. it could be a number of reasons: environmental, water schedules, low humidity.

i'm not saying it too be a pooh-bah, but i've had disagreements with so many of my Paphs that i know well enough this is how it starts.

and you said the other ones look good?

Yes, the other ones basically still look the same as the day I got them.

It has been Hot here in Pasadena but the heat is about to break.

They are near a window but never in any kind of direct or even filtered sunlight.

There isn't any A/C but the windows are open and two fans keep plenty of air movement. It has gotten over 90 in here at times

The humidity has been as High as 60% and as low as 20% in the past 24 hrs according to my thermometer. (Not to insinuate that this leaf has discolored in just the last day)

In the past 10 days I've watered them 3 maybe 4 times. Its just been so hot... Non clear pots make me nervous- gah- bark too- it always looks dry to me- blah- and then I can't go by what's on top. but I'll have to learn.

I agree some of the other leaves on this little fellow do look kinda wimpy.
We'll see...

Thanks!

[Ron]

In the past 10 days I've watered them 3 maybe 4 times. Its just been so hot... Non clear pots make me nervous- gah- bark too- it always looks dry to me- blah- and then I can't go by what's on top. but I'll have to learn.

One of the tricks I use to judge the wetness of the mix is too lift up the pot and look at the moisture on the mix near the holes at the bottom. Should be near dryness before re-watering.
The water table is in the lower 1/5 of the potting mix. Over dryness is more often not the culprit, over watering is!
Watering 3 or 4 times in ten days should not pose a problem with your high temperatures,
Ron

[VEEKTOR]

Originally Posted by Ron

It is sitting a bit high in the potting mix,

Ron

Hmmm.. interesting. Thanks Ron

Well up until now i've just been re-potting phals in sphag. Truthfully the idea of
re-potting one of these fragile little fellows scares me. But I think I will as soon as I can find the time, I can't wait to get them into clear pots.
I think I'll look for a mix that resembles that which my full size Paph is in. Its been doing great over the past month and a half.

[amersault]

Originally Posted by VEEKTOR

Yes, the other ones basically still look the same as the day I got them.

that took an incredible amount of patience to not tear into the box but rather photograph it step by step, hehe!

it's possible your boy might just be the runt of the litter if the others are still hanging on. just mind that no more than three leaves fall - he may just be getting used to being a SoCal Paph

[kmarch]

A few thoughts:

1) Paph seedlings occasionally loose the oldest leaf. In my experience at a rate of about one or two a year depending on how fast they grow. If I see the occasional leaf going here or there I usually don't worry.

2) This is a good reason though to check for things like mites, scale or other pests. I often pick up a plant that's loosing a leaf and I check it to make sure there's not an underlying cause for the leaf loss. If there are no pests, just another reason not to worry.

3) IMHO the bark mix you have this baby in looks a bit big and chunky. I'd use seedling bark for a plant this size. Bark that's too big can lead to drying out.

4) Your humidity level makes me go hmmmmm....20% seems quite lot. The 90F temperatures are nothing to worry. Most paphs can take those temps if the humidity is high enough.

[orchids4me]

Hi VEETOR,
I've got some seedling media I used on my paph I got from Oak hills that's 1/2 the size of your babys and its quite happy gave me a new leaf and is very perky now. I'm going to PM you.
Emmaye

[VEEKTOR]

I was very surprised when I opened the box from Oak Hill and found these seedlings in such CHUNKY bark. It is as if each one is wedged in between 6 or 7 huge pieces of bark in a tiny pot. Being a Noooobe I thought perhaps paph seedlings were potted this way for extra air to the roots. The only other paph I own which i bought full size in in bark not even half as large.
Perhaps it ships better this way...
Anyhoo I will re-pot as soon as I can get my hands on some smaller paph mix which if it isn't too much trouble Emmaye has offered to send me!
What a great community this is!
Thank you all for your help!

[kmarch]

Well chunky is fine if you have excellent humidity and water fairly frequently. I suspect those aren't your conditions though, right?

[orchids4me]

Hi VEEKTOR,
Its no problem at all, watch for a package between thur and fri. I will ship tomorrow to you.
Thanks
Emmaye

[VEEKTOR]

Originally Posted by kmarch

Well chunky is fine if you have excellent humidity and water fairly frequently. I suspect those aren't your conditions though, right?

No, we are HOT and DRY
And I'm a Sphag Man with my phals because I'll over water if I have to water frequently.

I think with the smaller bark mix in a clear pot I will be fine.

I've never seen a Paph in a clear pot... Is that not good for it???

[VEEKTOR]

Originally Posted by orchids4me

Hi VEEKTOR,
Its no problem at all, watch for a package between thur and fri. I will ship tomorrow to you.
Thanks
Emmaye

Thank You so much!

This community is such a wonderful family!

[kmarch]

Originally Posted by VEEKTOR

No, we are HOT and DRY

That's what I thought. When it gets hot and dry for you you'll need to compensate by watering more often. Australian summers are very hot an dry (around 90-100F with less then 10% humidity). In summer I have to water my paphs every few days while in winter when it is cool and wet I only have to water about once a week.

Originally Posted by VEEKTOR

B]I've never seen a Paph in a clear pot... Is that not good for it???[/B]

It's not so much good or bad as it is largely irrelevant. There's no chlorophyll in Paph roots like there is in phal roots so there's nothing in the roots to benefit from the light. I do have a few paphs in "clear" pots as an experiment to monitor how much moisture stays in their mix.

[dounoharm]

i have a couple paphs in clear pots.....and i am not real happy with thier growth compared to the opaque pots....the roots look fine tho, they just arent growing as fast as i would like to see em grow...i am going to move em back to solid pots....paphs are terrestrial plants and thier roots are used to darkness.....