2 Lowes "half dead" rack 'chids & their health issues ?'s

[Rivka]

hi all, new here, been reading what seems like a thousand posts in the last few weeks, the board is great.

question for you all..
i saved two half off orchids yesterday and I'm looking for some info on their various issues. I'm relatively new to all this, having been a orchid mommy for only a year or so.

first one is a Miltonidium ruffles 'sent of a woman’
has very nice flowers still, but the pseudobulb and some leaves have black sunken spot, one with a touch of white in it, see picture below.

the other is a quite large Odontonia Lorraine’s 14th WOC hawaii, i really cant believe how big the main pseudobulb is! (is that normal?) it looks ok cept for a bit of pleated leaves, but good more recent growth. it does however have small oval dark specks, generally over the growth and leaves.

both are in quarantine still i know what they are up to and i was going to repot them after i know they have been water properly for a week or so and adjust to our home.

any help figuring out what if any problems i'm facing would be most lovely

[patticake]

Oh, my! They're actually very nice! I would just keep an eye on the spots for now. They're small. If they start spreading, you may have to perform surgery. Good light, (maybe morning) and water well, let drain well, water again when approaching dry.Good luck with them and keep us posted on their progress!

[katrina]

IMHO the spot in the 2nd photo looks like some sort of old damage...not sure what but it doesn't look "active". The other spots on the leaves could be a few different things. Regardless, both plants look really good to me. When I read the title I expected much, much worse.

Keeping them quarantined for awhile is a good call. You might consider proactively treating for mites...using an insecticidal soap. It is mite season and they're hard to see so that might not be a bad idea.

BTW - Some of these plants can have huge pbulbs. One of mine...Brsdm Lillian Oka ‘Bonanza’...has pbulbs that are freakishly large.

[jerrymeola]

The spot on Ruffles is old damage either from an insect or physical damage. It is dried out and can be ignored.

[dounoharm]

looks like you got two nice bargains....they even have names! the bumps on them look like mechanical damage from being handled roughly or tossed around....not to worry...a good treatment of insecticidal soap is an excellent suggestion! gl with them and enjoy!

[Rivka]

ah thanks folks, i sprayed the bases down with a cinnamon and soap spritz after my first watering, they don't seem to be holding water that much at all, i have taken them out of the decorator pots so i can monitor them better, pulled them slightly out of the pots and they look healthy if not overly dry. i look forward to repotting them in some better media.

what do you guys use as a proactive treatment? i have some Physan 20 that i got mostly to clean tools and pots with. do you guys use it on plants? ( i know i know everyone does it differently!)
if you were gong to use it, how?
i would feel so much better with a routine for treating new plants, i am a sucker for sale racks.

and yet i do think i got lucky, these are good looking plants and i was shocked that they came with such good name tags!

[Rivka]

yeah i took a second hard look at the Miltonidium and the sunken patches are nice and dry and seem firm now, so i will jut watch and compare them to these pictures in a few weeks. does the Odontonia's wide spread little lines/dots mean anything to you folks?, they don't wipe off like anything and i have not seen any other thing on the plant.

[vcuchick]

Hi Rivka,

wow, totally impressed with your local big box store finds! Who knew they carried relatively nice plants! You'll love the Ruffles, it has a fantastic light fragarence... (see my avatar) I have one myself! (they are also prolific bloomers- my blooms laster over a month, faded and now less than 2 months later, I have new ones coming in already!

Enjoy your new plants...happy growing!

[Rivka]

yeah the smell has filled my kitchen, not a big perfume girl myself, but it is really nice!

[Rivka]

just a wonderful update, my Miltonidium still has its 2 spikes of flowers it came with and is now clearly sending up another strong spike! i guess it likes me.
and my Odontonia has gotten repotted and is finally not leaning over so bad and is now sending up a large new growth.

happiness is cheep healthy orchids

[Ochin@]

Congratulations, it is so nice when they reward us for our efforts, isn't it?