The State of The 'Chids & New Additions

[Amblnc38]

I've added some new babies. I haven't posted in a while because I've been too busy. School's started so now I'm home more.

Dtps Chien Xen Pearl 'Ming-Ho'

No flowers, got her at Merrifield marked down with no blooms. Healthy plant with a huge number of roots. $7 seemed like a steal to me when I googled the flowers.





Prosthechea Green Hornet

I'll admit...when I got her I was terrified. She looked like crap! But she started shooting out this new growth a few weeks ago. So I'm happy!



Bulbophyllum Lepidum

Both of these plants look awful to me...and they're weird at that! I *HOPE* that's new growth!




Maclellenara Pagan Love Song

Got her online...she looked awful and still does. But she's not getting worse. There are some new roots growing. So I'm hoping I can save her.



Dedrochilum Bicallosum



Probably my biggest heartbreak. I didn't pay much for her...so I'm not very upset. But still I have no idea what happened here.

[Dendian]

Wow - you have a whole load of unhappy looking Orchids - but new growths on most of them is great.

The best looking is the one I have managed to kill three times from crown rot - the Dpts. Chain Xen Pearl. I love the flowers so I keep trying! Yours looks very good.

I can't keep the Dendrochillium alive - I over water and they die or I underwater and they die. They do not like me! I finally switched what I had left of a huge cluimp to a porous rock called pumice stone - we will see...

The Bulbo likes lots of water and to stay damp all the time. I managed somehow to kill two by underwatering. I now have them all on/in spagh.

[Amblnc38]

I will up their water then and maybe put them in different pots. I've found that I don't like the terracotta...it dries too quick. :\

I have no idea what to think of the Maclellanara she's driving me nuts. At least the Bulbo growths are looking better. Most of these I got in crappy condition. Which is what I get for not being able to buy them they way I'd like to... at a show.

[Dendian]

Yeah, it is best to see the plant before you buy it. Were these plants from eBay? I have stopped buying ones unless I can see pictures of the plants - I had a few early experiences with unhappy plants because I couldn't see them. I no longer even bid if there is no picture.

I usually use clear plastic for the Onc, Phal and water lovers - I only use the terracotta for the Catts that like to really dry out.

If the Maclellanara is growing new roots - that is a good thing. It probably going to be a slow road to recovery for that one. I got a few rootless wonders from Lowes (root rot from overwatering back when I didn't know to check) and they started growing roots pretty quickly once they started growing. Some of the old bulbs never did plump all the way back up - but the new ones look very good

[Amblnc38]

The masd, bulbo & dendrochilum were all from evelyn2079 or evelyn_orchids_exotics. The Masd has come back well so I'm hoping the others will.

The Maclellanara came from Amazon seller The Orchid Gallery. It was just so dehydrated...it's never really recovered. I don't want to water it too much and kill the two/three good roots it has.

I have no idea where I got the Prosthechea.

Most of my orchids I get on base at the NEX.

[Dendian]

Oh - I have blocked evelyn because she chopped her plant up into little pieces to sell them off - claiming (at one time) that they were blooming sized with only one growth . I don't even look at her auctions - although they were usually very low priced. I would rather pay more for a plant that is well rooted and larger.

I haven't bought any orchids on Amazon - but did you contact the seller on that? It really doesn't look good - I would have asked for my money back or a replacement healthy one. When I was recovering some of mine I would soak it in water for about 3 hours - then take it out and let it dry all the way before soaking it again. That way it got enough water at one time, but it didn't stay damp. It grew lots of new roots - and is now working on its third new growth.

[Amblnc38]

I emailed them to no avail. I gave them a poor rating. Thankfully I bought it with a giftcard I won elsewhere, not with my own money.

I didn't know she was a forumite.

The Masdie was just fine. It was blooming when I got it. These other ones though are hardly healthy. Thankfully I didn't spent more than $20 on the three.

[Amblnc38]

Do you think if I put the Bulbos in a bowl of water at this point that they'd atleast get re-hydrated? They have some green roots but not many and looking at other pictures online....those pbulbs are definitely dehydrated.

[Dendian]

What's a forumite? If you mean eveyln_orchid_exotics (I just shortened her name) I blocked her on eBay - you can block vendors you don't like on the sidebar, that's what I did (I got tired of seeing all those poor butchered plants).

I would try soaking the whole pot for the bulbos - bark and all tomorrow morning - until the roots get a greenish tint to them.. then you can do that every other morning (or whatever it takes to keep the surface damp but not wet). Or - you could try moss? I wouldn't put the pbulbs or leaves in the water for long though - they do not like that (I tried it on my dying/dehydrated ones - they just rotted on me). They might not plump up very quickly - but they will at least get a steady supply of moisture. Be more careful on the one with the new growth - that's what rotted on one of mine -then the rot got the rest of the plant. Since they grow roots on the new growth - you might want to just give it a steady supply of water and let the roots grow...

[ArtGeekMark]

Ouch, I bought my neofinicia of evelyn2079 but I must have lucked out it was the one in the photo and arrived in good shape. I'm sorry you had multiple bad luck with that seller. I've used ebay a lot for orchids - my latest was a Paph Jade Dragon (I made a thread of it tonight it bloomed yay!) and had pretty good luck. Sorry.

[Amblnc38]

I'm sorry, "forumite" is a term we use on another forum for fellow members. Basically 'resident of the forum'.

They look basically the same from when I got them. Which I guess means I've been watering them enough to keep them from getting worse, but not enough for them to recover.

[Dendian]

Ah, I didn't realize she was a member - I don't recall seeing her posting but its always possible.

I still do not like having plants chopped up into little pieces to sell cheap. I have always preferred divisions to have enough back up (at least three pbulbs) to allow the plant to have strength to grow new growths and bloom at the next season. I also prefer divisions to me made months before I buy them - and to be rooted in well first too. I have been doing better - but I lost several divisions when I first started - hence my preferences.

I think if you up the water intake - you might see some changes . Of course some plants will sulk when they are divided or when growing conditions change drastically - and you might not see anything for awhile.

[Amblnc38]

I have all three, including the Dend soaking right now. I will let them soak for the a few hours then remove them. Hopefully I can save the Bulbos, I can always procure another of the Dend at a show.