I would be grateful for some help.

[Zoology]

I am really quite new at this. I have had orchids before but always purchased locally and in full bloom. I am a busy fella and so have little time for research and this is my first attempt. I recently purchased three orchids online. One is in full bloom and is a simple but gorgeous phalanopsis. I have purchased two paphiopedilums both are little seedlings but one is more mature than the other. I have a couple of questions that are most important to me at the moment. My smallest paphio looks very healthy and has a gorgeous purplish color towards the base. However, where it enters the soil it is a little limp and wants to lay back flat. I sort of have to prop it up with a little piece of bark it has been this way since I purchased it. Is this a problem is their somthing I should do. I realise it could be a couple of years almost before my two young ones blossom. In the meantime should they always be green and leafy, Does the Plant go through phases as the year go by? what are the danger signs. I am worried I will not pick them up if they occur. One last thing. On my mature plant a couple of little buds formed turned a beutiful red and looked to be about to open and then abruptly fell off there are more young buds on it now and the flowers that have opend are still healthy. Is this a concern. Any advice would be great

Thanks Zoology

[Maba]

Hi Zoology

I hope experienced people will pick up the cause and answer your questions. In general, it doesn't sound healthy for a seedling to be limp at the soil line....

On my phals I have had the buds blast when they were exposed to cold air briefly. After I changed that, the rest opened well. Another time I let the plant get too dry and the buds did the same thing. I have heard that any change in conditions can cause this on a budding plant.

But there are lots of experts here to give you a more experienced opinion.

[jerrymeola]

Limp leaves on a paph are a very bad sign. It may be that this plant is past the point where you can do anything. A dealer should not have sold and shipped a plant in this condition.

also paphs are not a beginners plant and take 9 years to bloom from seed. Depending on the size of your seedlings you may have a long wait. Paphs are also not an easy plant to bloom for a beginner.

They should not be allowed to dry out and be slightly moist all the time. Your's sounds like it got too wet. Let it dry out once and then water carefully for a while. Maybe you will get lucky.

Your Phal sounds notmal. Bud blast is common in shipped plants and not a sign of an unhealty plant.