Advice for my mounted Sophronitis Cernua

[VEEKTOR]

About 3 weeks ago my Girlfriend and I went to the Santa Barbara Orchid Fair.
Afterward we drove up to The Orchid Estate where I bought this lovely mounted orchid.
It hangs near a south east facing window and gets lots of diffused and dappled light.
I have been giving it a heathy misting of water every morning before I go to work, and once again when I get home.
The flowers you see in the second photo opened up a little more then died after a couple of days. I'm not sure if that is normal or premature.
The third and fourth photo I just took this afternoon.
Can someone let me know if this orchid is looking OK for 3 weeks in a new location or are parts shriveled up that shouldn't be. (i'm really a phal guy...)

Thanks,

[kmarch]

It's starting to look dehydrated. The pseudobulbs should be firm and plump. How often are you watering it ans how are you watering it?

[Orchidementia]

It needs A LOT MORE WATER!! Mounts need to be watered like they're being rained on in a storm - not just a quick splash. I water my mounts 2-3 times a day or more, depending upon the species, during the summer (mine are outside).

[VEEKTOR]

Ah OK.
When I get up I spray it with a spray bottle until it is dripping. But that only takes 10-15 seconds. Then I do the same when I get home from work.
I'll step it up.
Is it OK to do spray it at night before I go to bed???
It is inside my house facing a south eastern window.
My whole orchid training so far has been sparse watering but as this has no medium it makes sense that it would need a lot of additional waterings.

[orchids4me]

Hi I'm not a pro with mounts but I think it needs more than a few spritz a day. I don't think the before bed would be good either not enough time for the foliage to dry out. I may be wrong but run water through it mabe soak in a shallow bowl for 15 to 20 min a few times a day depending how hot and how dry it is....
If I'm wrong someone will correct me, the reason I'm thinking this is because after reading a few threads people take the hose to outside mounts and baskets but yours is tiny so run trickle water through it in sink or a soaking to re hydrate it makes sense to me but not at night for same reasons as other orchids fungal and rot problems.
Emmaye

Side note: I had gotten a couple Cattleyas that came mounted, my environment and available time makes it hard to keep a mounted chid especially small ones that dry out so quickly. I carefully had un mounted them and potted them up and they are doing very well.

[psyc1210]

My Sophronitis cernua gets watered everyday by going to the sink and running water on the whole mount, and has a small pad of sphag on the mount where the roots are. I added the sphag after it was declining due to lack of water without something to help hold water on the mount. You may want to try adding something to your mount that will hold water for the roots to soak up over time. After I added sphag on mine I've noticed a marked difference, and 3 new growths.

[Orchidementia]

Originally Posted by VEEKTOR

Ah OK.
When I get up I spray it with a spray bottle until it is dripping. But that only takes 10-15 seconds. Then I do the same when I get home from work.
I'll step it up.
Is it OK to do spray it at night before I go to bed???
It is inside my house facing a south eastern window.
My whole orchid training so far has been sparse watering but as this has no medium it makes sense that it would need a lot of additional waterings.

As it was explained to me: imagine trying to drink a days' worth of water at once - through a straw. Your mount is trying to do that with its roots, and that little bit of water it's getting just isn't enough. Adding sphag to the mount plus daily soakings are both good suggestions; you could also unmount it and pot it (soak the whole plant for a while in warmish water and slide a blunt table knife under roots attached to the mount to detach without damaging - I've done this many times to remount orchids).

[kmarch]

Originally Posted by VEEKTOR

Is it OK to do spray it at night before I go to bed???

I dont' know. Is your air circulation good enough and/or are your temps warm enough to avoid rot?

[VEEKTOR]

First off thank you for all your help!!!
OK So I got up this morning and gave it a good soak in a bowl.
I'm thinking about moving it somewhere near a sink away from the hardwood floors.
I have a mini phal that is doing great in my bathroom. After showers we keep the door closed so the temp drops very slowly so as not to shock it and it gets maximum effect of the steam. I think i'm going to movie it in there.

[-k-]

As others have said it needs alot more water! I also run them under water for a good drink then hang them up over the sink for a drip dry before placing them back to their growing location. I do this routine every morning while getting ready for work...