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What am I Doing Wrong?

Discussion in 'Issues, Disease and Pests' started by summertime3612, Dec 8, 2014.

  1. Dec 8, 2014 #1
    summertime3612

    summertime3612 New Member

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    I am relatively new at caring for orchids, and have encountered some problems recently that I have been obsessively researching but have not found a solution to.

    My oldest phal I have had for about 3 years and it has ALWAYS been happy and healthy until now. I have 5 phals total. Well, a few months ago when the cold weather started, they all started going downhill. I had reported many of them at this time, into a Miracle Grow orchid mix (coarse bark). They all had healthy roots at this time. I keep a humidity tray underneath them, a ceiling fan is above them, and I water them once a week. They have southern exposure but the winter sun is really weak here in Washington and all their leaves are dark green...

    Some will try pushing out new roots but within about two weeks they stop and dry out completely, sometimes with deformed dents where the root tapers. They are far from a heater and I keep a humidifier close by. What am I doing wrong? Was it the potting mix? [emoji85]
     
  2. Dec 9, 2014 #2
    carl

    carl Active Member

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    Sounds like you've got slugs or snails. Try submerging the pot up to the top of the bark, and see what crawls out. Leave it submerged for an hour or so...
     
  3. Dec 9, 2014 #3
    summertime3612

    summertime3612 New Member

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    Okay I will do that, thank you! I don't see any slime trails anywhere so hopefully there aren't any
     
  4. Dec 9, 2014 #4
    summertime3612

    summertime3612 New Member

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    That really makes a lot of sense because of the dents in the roots... Maybe the potting mix got left open and something crawled in
     
  5. Dec 9, 2014 #5
    carl

    carl Active Member

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    Since I only have a relatively small collection, anytime I use bark I give it a blast in the microwave oven before use. I have a casserole dish my wife relinquished to my use, fill it with bark, add a cup or two of water, and give it 5 minutes on high, and 20 on about 10% power. That should poach any snail eggs...
     
    Daethen and annabanana1987 like this.