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moth orchids not performing

Discussion in 'Everything Else Orchid' started by robby jones, Feb 27, 2017.

  1. robby jones

    robby jones complete newby

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    Location:
    ipswich australia [nr brisbane]
    bought a few moth orchids from bunnings in flower [all of them] after the blooms stopped theyve remained green with new leaves periodically growing.but no signs of new shoots or flowers...

    part 2
    one moth orchid had its newest leaf fall out after the pot fell on the concrete floor.its all green n looks good.will anymore new leaves show or is it over for it.no shoots either.no new flowers.

    Anyone??? what do i do .im feeding it liquid fertilizer bought from a local nursery for orchids...

    the roots are silver grey n i dont over water them,theyre in sphagnum moss..please help
     
  2. Ray

    Ray Orchid Iconoclast Supporting Member

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    Location:
    Oak Island NC
    First, the simple question: Yes, it is likely the plant with the broken leaf will continue to grow new ones.

    The silvery coating on the roots is velamen, which acts like a sponge to soak up water. The roots should turn green when you water them.

    I'm not sure why, but I get the feeling you've succumbed to "overwatering kills orchids" thing, and are not watering enough. The key is to keep the potting medium evenly moist, witouth suffocating the roots, as orchids do a great deal of their respiratory gas exchange through them, rather than leaves, as is the case in terrestrial plants. Moss can be a tricky potting medium, as if saturated, it will hold so much water that is does suffocate the roots.

    As to reblooming, you need to understand the life cycle of the plant. Phalaenopsis, for the most part, thrive in high heat and humidity, in fairly deep shade. In order to bloom, however, they need to experience a period of about ten days to two weeks in which the average growing temperature is about 10-15F cooler than what they had been experiencing. For most home growers, that happens naturally in late autumn, with flower spikes emerging size to eight weeks later.

    Go light on the fertilizer. Of all of the parameters of orchid culture, it is probably the least important. Yes, they need food, but not a lot, and "more" is more harm than good.
     
  3. robby jones

    robby jones complete newby

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    Location:
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    i used to water them weekly untill they soon started dying.after buying more [these current ones] i read water later rather than now.i wait till the moss inside the clear pots are dry n the inside roots a silvery not green like they are after waterring.the top of the moss is dry but putting my finger further in its damp still so i wait a week longer. they are still alive versus my over waterring ones died a few weeks after.

    i have a small [3m by 3m] greenhouse with 80% cloth on it. if i put them in there they'll get the leaves n joints wet like i was told not to do because of infection between the leaves..

    im pleased i havent lost the one that lost its latest leaf.

    cheers n TY for the guidance..robby j