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02-17-2008, 10:28 PM
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| New Orchid Owner---->>> Need some advice!!! Hello all!! I received a Phalenonopis Orchid for V-DAY. I never knew what big thing Orchids are. Well I have been doing alot of research and looking around to make sure I take care of my little Orchid. Three flowers are lready bloomed, 2 of which are starting to dry out...why is that? I already water it once and fertilized since getting it this past Thurs. I went to my local garden shop and they gave me some Jobe's fertilizer sticks...are those good? My leaves and roots appear to be a healthy green. I am just concerned with the flower petals be dry. The temp in my house is about 60-65 normally and have the plant in a window where there is indirect sunlight. Any advice is welcome!! Thank you!!      |
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02-17-2008, 10:36 PM
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| I would like to welcome you to the forum Orchid478  fist off could you please go into your UserCP at the top left of the page click usercp then a menu will drop then click Edit Profile scroll down to your Location. Please fill in your Location  It will help us to understand your growing conditions as we have members from all over the world with different growing conditions also by doing that it will help us with giving you the right advice. thanks  |
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02-17-2008, 10:58 PM
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| thanks for that.. this link will help you understand the Cultural needs for you Phal http://www.aos.org/aos/orchids/docum...lturephals.pdf I would say as you received the orchid on Valentines Day I would say you have bud blast because of your orchid going from one location with one type of conditions to your place with different type of conditions again. as for the Jobe's fertilizer sticks I have not heard of them. Fertilizing - How, What, & When |
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02-17-2008, 11:29 PM
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| Bud Blast sounds like a possibility, but I know the flowers close up and dry up when their finished blooming. But it sounds like you still had flowers on the way. A picture might help?
__________________ Have a Splendiforous Day!!!  |
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02-17-2008, 11:45 PM
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| Hi Orchid478 and welcome to the forum!  It sounds like you have a Phal going through a little climate shock. Give it a couple more days. If the rest of the buds start to wrinkle then it's going through bud blast. This would be from the moving of locations. As for the Jobe's fert sticks. I've never used them on orchids before. I've got them too. Truth is the sticks only work in moist soil. Orchids are mainly in a bark mix that usually dries out quicker, too quick for these to work in my opinion. Also with the sticks being in one spot all the time, I'd be afraid of fert burn on one side of the roots.
__________________ Jenny~   |
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02-17-2008, 11:56 PM
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| I would be reluctant to use Jobe's also for all the above reasons. Orchids need very little (if any) food and the sticks are too hard to control how much your plant is getting. Don't worry about fertilizing for a while and let your orchid adjust to it's new surroundings.
__________________ "If Nothing Ever Changed, We Wouldn't Have Butterflies." |
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02-18-2008, 09:32 AM
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| Do you think I should use some type of light or something for heat? I keep my Orchid in my room and there is no heater in there. I don't want it out in another part of the house, my roomie has cats who like to pick at things. I am trying post some pics. |
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02-18-2008, 10:35 AM
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| Hi Orchid478, Welcome to the forum! Where in Mass. do you live? I was born in Melrose, not too far from Boston. And now I'm in Ohio--go figure. Just wanted to tell you that I have three cats and they do not seem to bother my Phals. I think it might be because the leaves are thicker than they like (and also because I shoot them with a squirt gun if they even head toward my orchids).They catch on quick!! Orchids=NO,NO!!  Lastly, the idea of additional heat is a good one. Most phals are warm growing and like a little higher temps than what you have. A space heater might do the trick,but be sure to watch the humidity (you might use a pebble tray)...Do you have a sunny window (in Mass? LOL). Phals don't like direct sun,so cover it with a sheer. Hope this helps...I don't think you have much to worry about Last edited by patlee; 02-18-2008 at 10:38 AM. |
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02-18-2008, 12:07 PM
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| orchid 478 you tried to post the picture from your computer it will not work the image has to be on the INTERNET. Either upload it to the orchid gallery or use an INTERNET photo sharing site, there are several good ones that are free
__________________ jerry |
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02-18-2008, 12:39 PM
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| Very good on the posting - nice healthy looking green leaves. I can't quite see the roots inside the pot but hopefully you can. The ones on top look a little dried out - like maybe the plant has been in an different environment for awhile with less humidity so that some of the exposed roots have dried out? One thing many of us do is put your plant on a tray of pebbles with water just under the surface to slightly raise the humidity around the plant - it doesn't help as much as being in a greenhouse or humid overall environment - but maybe give you an extra 10%. Roots that you can see should be gray, light tan and/or green (they photosynthesize if they are exposed to light). If you had your plant near/over a heat vent this could dry the blooms and cause premature drop. As others have noted - sometimes just the change from the growing area to your home can be enough to shock it into dropping blooms. Bright INDIRECT light is best - though it could potentially take very early or late sun if not right up against a window where the sun's rays are magnified. |
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02-18-2008, 02:54 PM
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| Phals have 'aerial roots' which grow above the medium and they are completely normal. I live in a dry area and about 50% of my phal's aerials are dry. I don't worry about them, but some other growers may recommend misting. I think misting can cause more problems (like fungus or bacterial rot) then it's worth for the few seconds it adds moisture. I'm also thinking your room is too cold, especially close to the window. I have six cats and they ignore my orchids except for a quick sniff of the blooms once in a while. The only draw might be the bark - the chunks make great cat-hockey pucks!
__________________ "If Nothing Ever Changed, We Wouldn't Have Butterflies." |
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02-18-2008, 06:29 PM
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| 60-65F for a phal isn't too cold. They're intermediate growers, not warm growers. I think your temps are ok. Roots, arial or otherwise shouldn't be shriveled and dried out. It happens, even in plants which continue to grow and bloom, but it's not ideal. This is a sign of low moisture, usually low humidity. I suggest a humidity tray which is a little tray or saucer filled with small stones or gravel. Sit the plant on top of the gravel then fill the tray with water so that the water level is just below the bottom of the pot. You dont' want the pot sitting in water. This will slightly raise the humidity level around the plant. I dont' think you have anything to worry about the flowers. To begin with the petals look to have naturally thin substance. In addition ot this it is common as others have indicated, for phal flowers and buds to respond unfavorably to changes in conditions. The buds may die before opening (called bud blast) or the buds may open but the flowers may be short lived. While dissaponting, it's nothing to worry about. With good culture your orchid can bloom again next year.
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