Ok i don't know what Im doing. Can someone help me?

[ea.bednar]

Ok, so I bought a Phalaenopsis orchid about 3 weeks ago. When I bought it it was in full bloom, and it had probably about 20 flowers. It is very large and has a main stem and 2 other branches.

About half of the flowers have died. They started dying last week or so.

it has 6 leaves, two of which looks likes its about to die. One that looks likes it is about to die also had like a hole rotted through it, so I cut the leave to right below the hole.
Some of the leaves are getting a thin red brownish rim that goes around the leaf. And when I transported the plant back to my house, the weight of the plant cracked some of the leaves. though they don't seem to be dying I did not realize how important the leaves were at the time. Half of the leaves also have like white spots on them( it looks like some water with a white substance was splashed on the leaves and dried). Though I can't find any pictures of this leaf disease either.

Does it sound like my plant is going to die?

I know my plant it not getting enough humidity, does anyone have tips on what kind of tray to use for the gravel tray. Also what is a good way to get good air movement? I'm attaching some pictures of the leaves, and if anyone could help me it would be a big help and I would really appreciate it. This is my first plant...maybe I should have tried something easier.

[brookn]

Hi, the red on the edges indicates that it is getting a lot of light. I would love to see a pic, but you have to post 5 times before you can post one. Let's start with the basics, watering how often are you watering, what medium is it planted in, and where are you keeping it lightwise?

Check these out:

http://www.orchidgeeks.com/forum/new...f-orchids.html

AOS | Phalaenopsis

[ea.bednar]

Well I watered it once, just enough to keep the soil moist...but I will try this skewer thing it seems like a good idea.
However, The other day I was talking to my mother about the flowers dying. And she dumped some fish fertilizer in water in it. Which it kind of sat in the water for a few days. At the time I was unaware that this would harm the plant, and then I noticed the white spots...
It is growing in a potting mix. The soil is semi loose though, and I didnt pack it down or anything

[fred]

hi and welcome to the forum
I agree with brookn there
here is one of the basics that you will also need a Culture sheet
here is a link to the AOS culture information
AOS | Phalaenopsis

a small electric fan provides good air movement...

also it would help us if you could go to your UserCP at the top left of the page and update your Profile with your Location that will help us to understand your growing conditions and also with giving you the right advice.

Potting mix is that for orchids or is that garden potting mix ?

does you potting mix look anything like this ?

[ea.bednar]

Garden potting mix..I live in columbus oh..im growing it indoors.

[brookn]

Ohh garden potting mix-probably not good. Maybe it is peat or coir? If it sat in that mix of water for a few days, I think you are going to need to depot it, and rinse, then rinse, then rinse again on the roots. Then repot using a good potting medium for a newbie, like a bark mix. Honestly a pic would really help. Also if it sat on the leaves in any light, it would magnify the light and burn the plant. Like I said, redness on the leaves indicates it's getting bright light. It depends on how red. It also depends on if it has colored flowers, they tend to have redder leaves.

[fred]

I would not recommend gardening potting mix for Phals
you really need to get some orchid potting mix for your Phal.
but even before we move onto re potting it would be a great idea if we could see a picture of your plant.

if you can get 2 more posts up we maybe able to help even more

good advice brookn

[brookn]

I concur Dr.!! Fred when you get a chance check out the last page of the Neo thread, I have a spike!! Okay back to topic-sorry (I'm excited).

Edit] OK brookn I will take a look now..

[ea.bednar]

Ok I will get the special mix I didnt even know they did that thanks for helping me I will post the pictures as soon as i figure out how.

[ea.bednar]

ok i think after i post this i can post links to the pictures.

[ea.bednar]

http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/n...r/IMG_1115.jpg

http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/n...r/IMG_1114.jpg

http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/n...r/IMG_1113.jpg

Edit] try the IMG Code of the pictures....

[fred]

here you go this will help you with posting pictures.

Picture Uploading Info

How to Post Images

if you need any more help with uploading pictures please feel free to PM me ( private message )

[ea.bednar]

So when I just use a bark mix and soil, no planting soil at all? Also I got a picture up of the leaves.

[brookn]

Just bark mix, and soak it overnight before using it. Soil will more than likely kill your Phal. I will go check out your leaves.

[fred]

I think the plant needs a looser mix to let the roots breath better
I also think (my opinion only) I would plant the Pal into another pot and sit that pot inside the pot that it is in now for there are no circulation holes for the plant.

what is your opinion brookn ?

[brookn]

Well, it looks like peat or coir, and the plant is not really happy about it. It needs to come out of that mix IMO, and be repotted. The red around the edges is fine, it is actually a normal thing. The white spots are from water, and no big deal. It looks like it is either dehydrated, or it has root damage, and cannot take in enough water. I would actually have to see all of the roots to know, but if you repot, you will be able to see. Bad roots will be squishy, and dark brown or black. Did you purchase this from a grower?

Back to you Dr. .

[ea.bednar]

Well i bought it at a nursery that I had never been to...they had several different species of orchids, but they were growing in a green house and doing very good. All the plants were large
They were all large plants It came in soil so I assumed that soil was fine, the directions say pot in a porous mix, but I did not know what that meant really thank you for telling me about bark.

I'm relieved about the white spots I thought maybe it was getting a disease. When I repot, if the roots are diseased should I just cut them off like I had read?

[fred]

I concur with you nurse brookn lol
I also would like to see the root system on this one.
I think it does need a courser mix though.
with a courser mix and air movement the same pot may also be used again but if the roots are rotten mushy or brown we will be looking at a smaller pot as well.

[solay]

Yes you need to cut off the rotten or dead roots before you re-pot it. Post a pic.of the roots so others can give you more advice on how healthy the plant really is.

[norris]

Hi, and Welcome About the white spots on the leaves, those are just water spots, they can be cleaned off with a cotton ball dipped in lemon juice.

[patlee]

to the forum. I also live in Columbus (Pickerington, to be exact) and what you need to pick up is a bag of Schultz's potting mix for orchids. Get your poor baby out of that soil-mix ASAP and cut off all the black or mushy roots with a sterilized blade. It might help to dry things out if you can put your orchid in a very shaded place in your yard. This will also give you good air circulation, though a fan will work well,too. We've had some crazy night time temps,though. Make sure it does not go below 50 degrees...If any new cracks develop, pour straight H2O2 on them and then dust with a little ground cinnamon (that's right, cinnamon)

BTW, pretty blooms on your Phal.

[Tobi]

Hi and welcome ea.bednar. You've gotten good advice. Make sure your Phal. is not getting
any direct sun on the plant as is stated in the culture sheet for Phals. A east window
with lots of indirect light is usually good for it. As Brook stated, the redness around the
leaf edges is O.K. as long as they don't get sun burn.

[janet_a]

also don't worry about the flowers dropping--the plant could have been in bloom for a month before you bought it, and they could just be finishing up.

the big hole in the leaf looks like mechanical damage--don't worry about it.

[PhalPal]

Something not mentioned yet.....your pot is waaaay too big for a Phal. You want a pot where the roots are a little snug, just big enough to fit. Keep in mind that orchids grow attached to something in nature without 'soil' of any kind. The pots and media are for our convenience, not the plants. Orchids are easy once you know what to give them, but they are not house plants and will fail on you if treated as such.

[ea.bednar]

Ok I got all the soil off of the roots and tried to wash away any fertilizer, as suggested. I allowed the roots to dry on paper towels.. the roots looked pretty bad :


I then cut the dead roots off. leaving not half as many it seemed:



And then i got a new pot. The woman said it didn't need to have a draining hole because you don't put hardly any water on an orchid. Its made of like a spongy clay material. And its also a nesting pot. I put stones at the bottom of the pot, dampened orchid moss(suggested to dampen on the instructions) around the roots, and then ORCHID SOIL above the moss. Does this sound like a did this right?
It seems to already look more healthy to me...
[

[ea.bednar]

Thanks for the cinnamon suggestion!

[Brooke]

Do you mean the pot you placed your phal in has no drainage holes or do you mean the cache pot has no drain hole?

Brooke

[clarita]

Hi
May I ask your conditions and where you keep the plant? I live in Chicago and it is far too cold yet to put a phal outdoors.
Your phal is in dire need of light.

[ea.bednar]

No neither have a hole. The the woman said that the pot was porous and would seep up the excess water. She also said to put a little moss on the top and only sprinkle water on until the moss was wettish and I wouldn't have to worry about over watering

[ea.bednar]

Well I put my plant outside today..it got to 85 degrees here today. I keep the plant in a window facing south..where there is a house pretty close next door. I don't have an east window at all.

[patlee]

Oh, boy--first of all, you are going to give your orchid a good long drink of water every week. (I probably let a cup or two run through the pot of each Phal every seven to ten days. Then I drain it until no more water runs out the bottom.) You need a bark mix in order for it to have drainage and not rot the roots. Miracle-Gro has a potting soil for orchids, but I don't know anyone who uses and recommends it for your type of orchid. Don't listen to the lady in the store. The members of this forum have a pretty good track record

Secondly, (and Clarita will probably disagree with me on this) a Phal. is a low light orchid and if you have it in a south window you need to have either a gauzy curtain on the window or have your plant at a distance so it does not get sun burn. With the suggestions you have received here, your Phal. should pick up. Be sure to let us know how it is doing. Good growing to you

[brookn]

I am not sure what kind of pot you are talking about, but mine all have holes in them. It's not only for drainage, but for air. As these grow on trees in the wild, they like good air circulation on the roots. I know we have asked for a lot of pics, but could you get one of the main pot it is in? It already looks so much better, and I don't want to discourage you, but the holes are important. When I water an orchid, I put the pot and all in a sinkful of water up to the rim, and soak for about 30 min., then I drain and let them dry. Mine love it.

[luju]

I would have to agree with everyones answer. The number one key into growing orchids or any plant for that matter, is to think of them in the wild. Do they cling on a tree or on lay on the ground. Do they get partial shade, or full sun. When you bring home a orchid from a garden store, it is more than likely that your plant has been threw some serious conditions(they want that plant to flower as much as possible) so its pretty drugged up. So with that you have to take some time and patience for it to come back to life after its shock of coming home to you. One more thing, most growers will give you wrong info on how to care for it. they want you to come back and try it again. There is alot of info on how to give your orchid general care. Books on your first orchid, if the store doesnt sell it, go to the book store. hope i helped

[norris]

I hate to tell you this , but the person who told you you didn't need to have the drain hole in the pot was wrong! It is very important for the plant to get a good soaking, and then a period of drying out. You can always use the pot as a decorative outer pot that you place your plant back in after you water it, and it drains.

[articuno75]

Everyone here has given wonderful advice. I hate it when growers give bad advice to newbies. Why on earth would you tell some one to stick and orchid or any plant in a pot with no holes??? That will kill any plant, orchid or not. I agree with Phalpal. The pot is too big for what root system that you have left. I stress that you read the culture sheet on Phals. Phals like to be evenly moist, not soppy, and a good aerated medium. If you don't match the cultivation requirements that is needed, you will not see this plant bloom again.

[ea.bednar]

well...I had a feeling I had a wrong pot to begin with, but I listened to the worker any way, and Now i need a new one..thanks for all your help though I had NO Idea what i was doing.

[ea.bednar]

I really think im going to get one of these books

[ea.bednar]

Well its in a south window, but theres a house like RIGHT there and no direct sunlight gets in that window, though light does come in.

[PhalPal]

I'm sorry someone started you out on the wrong foot, but they really had NO idea what they were talking about. It seems you will need to reverse everything they told you! There is a thread on this forum with orchid book suggestions. I have to run now but will find it for you later.

Ortho has great beginners books that you can find at just about any store that sells plants.