Sybil wrote:
I have a phaleanopsis that has appeared to be thriving until yesterday. I'm
not certain what's gone wrong, but I'm hoping someone might give me
guidance. It gets plenty of indirect light, I was fertilizing it with orchid
food until it started to bloom, and I water it about once a week (just
enough so that it doesn't dry out). Yesterday, I noticed that two of the
blooms are starting to dry up, or shrivel up. Meanwhile the leaves at the
bottom still look healthy, and I've got three more blooms about to open. I
thought their blooms were supposed to last for about 2 months. Was I
misinformed, or could it be something else? I'm hoping this won't happen to
the blooms that are coming also. Help!
---------------------------------------------
I read your email to my husband, who formerly bred orchids professionally.
His thoughts are:
1. if the leaves are a dark lush green, it's not getting enough light.
2. is your area a high smog zone? The flowers rarely last as long as you
want in such a place.
3. you may not be watering enough, SOAK the pots thoroughly and allow to
drain. The substrate should be nearly saturated at every watering, and
allowed to freely drain.
4. not all phaleanopsis last for two months. Some have much shorter blooms.
5. increase ambient humidity
- Tera.
Sybil,
More than 20 years ago when I was raising orchids, the main thing I had to
watch for in winter was a hot, dry house. Orchids need humidity. One way
to help with that is to put your pot on a tray of moist pebbles.
Ann James
I have a phaleanopsis that has appeared to be thriving until yesterday. I'm
not certain what's gone wrong, but I'm hoping someone might give me
guidance. It gets plenty of indirect light, I was fertilizing it with orchid
food until it started to bloom, and I water it about once a week (just
enough so that it doesn't dry out). Yesterday, I noticed that two of the
blooms are starting to dry up, or shrivel up. Meanwhile the leaves at the
bottom still look healthy, and I've got three more blooms about to open. I
thought their blooms were supposed to last for about 2 months. Was I
misinformed, or could it be something else? I'm hoping this won't happen to
the blooms that are coming also. Help!
Sybil Walker Barnes
Editor, Policy & Practice
The Journal of the American Public Human Services Association
Washington, D.C.
"I love deadlines. I especially like the whooshing sound they make as they
fly by."
Thanks for the comments re: the orchid. Last night I placed a tray of
water/pebbles under the container, and i also moved it where it may get more
direct sunlight. Hope this helps. Thanks
Our phaleanopsis does this. In fact, we always lose a leaf or two every year
also. I always swear it's dying and then it comes back strong and healthy.
Orchids have cycles. Maybe that's all that's going on with yours.
Sybil Walker-Barnes wrote:
--
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"I would like to be able to fly if everyone else did, but otherwise it would be
kind of conspicuous!"
-- 12 year old, quoted by David Riesman
Linda in Longview, WA
lindaj@teleport.com
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On Wed, 16 Feb 2000 09:11:35 -0500, Sybil Walker-Barnes
> i also moved it where it may get more
> direct sunlight
Phals will tolerate a little sunlight but not a lot. Bright indirect
light is better.
--
Magda Plewinska mplewinska@mindspring.com
Miami, Florida, USA
