Green thumbs- please help!

[Tuckins1]

I really need some help with my orchid. I do not have a green thumb, and I usually kill every plant I buy, and I am really trying to keep this one alive. This is a phalaenopsis orchid. I have it in an area that gets a ton of indirect sunlight. I have been watering it with 3-4 ice cubes, once a week. The blooms have lasted a long time, but the leaves have become droopy, thin, and a dull green, instead of the thick, sturdy vibrant green they were when I first got it. What am I doing wrong? What kind of sun exposure should it be getting? (SE, NW, etc...)

Here are a few pics to illustrate what I am talking about.

 

[Tuckins1]

This one really shows the droopiness...

 

[Tuckins1]

Flowers

 

[Tuckins1]

Here''s a new, healthy one, for reference.

 

[Tuckins1]

Blooms

 

[PumpkinPie]

I don''t have any advice (no green thumbs on me either) but that''s a beautiful orchid. I''m too scared of them to buy one - I''m certain I would kill it pronto

 

[monarch64]

Oh! There was a lengthy orchid thread on here some time ago, in FHH I think? I think I remember Dancing Fire being one of the main contributors and maybe Mara? Hopefully the orchid lovers here will offer their thoughts!

 

[rhbgirl24]

I have about 8 orchids as well. I never water with the ice cubes. From what I understand they are very temperature sensitive with their water and that really wasn''t the best thing to advertise as being good for them. About once every week to week and a half I completely soak them, let them drain then but them back. I have one with slightly droopy leaves but that is because they are so big! It still blooms every year for about 3 months and the leaves are still shiney and green... so I''m not sure what could be causing your problem.

 

[movie zombie]

attended part of an orchd workshop at the sf flower/garden show two weeks ago: the presenter was very against the ice cube watering method.

but then she was also against the misting technique that i use with success depending on time of year, how hot its been, how hot i''ve heated the house, how much light they''re getting and whether or not i''ve soaked them recently. sometimes i do mist them along with watering the roots but i don''t soak them very long if i''m going to mist.

your''s may be getting too many hours of direct sunlight.

most orchids like to dry out before getting more water. then soaking for some minutes, drain well, then place in container that allows circulation around the entire plastic container...assuming you''ve got your orchid in a plastic pot and then place it into a prettier pot. the air circulation is crucial. many plastic pots sold specifically for orchids have slits in the side...as do orchid pots that are glazed....to allow air circulation.

mz

 

[Tuckins1]

Date: 4/8/2010 4:32:25 PM
Author: movie zombie
attended part of an orchd workshop at the sf flower/garden show two weeks ago: the presenter was very against the ice cube watering method.


but then she was also against the misting technique that i use with success depending on time of year, how hot its been, how hot i''ve heated the house, how much light they''re getting and whether or not i''ve soaked them recently. sometimes i do mist them along with watering the roots but i don''t soak them very long if i''m going to mist.


your''s may be getting too many hours of direct sunlight.


most orchids like to dry out before getting more water. then soaking for some minutes, drain well, then place in container that allows circulation around the entire plastic container...assuming you''ve got your orchid in a plastic pot and then place it into a prettier pot. the air circulation is crucial. many plastic pots sold specifically for orchids have slits in the side...as do orchid pots that are glazed....to allow air circulation.


mz

Do you think I should try putting them in a plastic container with slits? And when you soak them, do you immerse the container in a tub of water, then let drain? I don''t think it''s sunlight because they really don''t get much direct light, except in the late afternoon...

 

[movie zombie]

i'm looking at your decorative container and its definitely not big enough to allow air flow around the plastic container. you could try cutting slits into your current plastic container. however, you could also have some rot going on and perhaps taking the plant out, cutting out any of the dead roots, letting it air dry for 24 hours and then repotting with the appropriate orchid potting medium might be appropriate. i always cringe when i've had to do this but it has helped mine on occasion.

you want to go one step up in size for the next plastic pot.

and a lot bigger interior on your decorative pot to get that air circulation. i also put gravel and/or wine corks in the bottom of the decorative container to keep the roots up out of the drained water and keep air circulation good there, too. any accumulated water in the bottom then just evaporates creating a bit of "humidity" which orchids like.

no direct light for orchids. always indirect. the workshop presenter also said that when in bloom to move the plant to even less light. i've not done that, though.

she also said that an outside light, such as a street light, can throw an orchid off! apparently, orchids are very touch re light being not enough or too much.

up to you because most people would just toss the plant and buy another one. you and i are a lot alike i think: bought the plant now i find i feel a responsibility for keeping it alive.

when i soak my orchids, i place the plastic pot in a larger container, put water in another container and let it dribble it in from various angles several times. i let it sit in the water a bit, thin remove to a place where it can drain. then to the decorative pot....again, you need a larger interior for your current plastic pot!

oh, and i also had a problem as i was using my tap water......which was coming through a filtering system......a filtering system using salt!!!!! no good for orchids!!!! or other plants either, for that matter. we had the cold water removed from the filter system in the kitchen.....the orchids improved and my blood pressure went down as well as i'd been drinking that same water!

another thought: if you can, water that you use to water this orchid, have it at room temperature. just set some aside an hour or so before you plan to water it. orchids do not take kindly to Cold water....and they certainly do not want it Hot, either.

i don't think your orchid is too far gone yet. keep trying!

mz

ps yes, i've lost the battle with a few........the workshop presenter said there is no such thing as a successful orchid grower who hasn't killed an orchid.

 

[Tuckins1]

Date: 4/8/2010 8:43:37 PM
Author: movie zombie
i''m looking at your decorative container and its definitely not big enough to allow air flow around the plastic container. you could try cutting slits into your current plastic container. however, you could also have some rot going on and perhaps taking the plant out, cutting out any of the dead roots, letting it air dry for 24 hours and then repotting with the appropriate orchid potting medium might be appropriate. i always cringe when i''ve had to do this but it has helped mine on occasion.


you want to go one step up in size for the next plastic pot.


and a lot bigger interior on your decorative pot to get that air circulation. i also put gravel and/or wine corks in the bottom of the decorative container to keep the roots up out of the drained water and keep air circulation good there, too. any accumulated water in the bottom then just evaporates creating a bit of ''humidity'' which orchids like.


no direct light for orchids. always indirect. the workshop presenter also said that when in bloom to move the plant to even less light. i''ve not done that, though.


she also said that an outside light, such as a street light, can throw an orchid off! apparently, orchids are very touch re light being not enough or too much.

up to you because most people would just toss the plant and buy another one. you and i are a lot alike i think: bought the plant now i find i feel a responsibility for keeping it alive.


when i soak my orchids, i place the plastic pot in a larger container, put water in another container and let it dribble it in from various angles several times. i let it sit in the water a bit, thin remove to a place where it can drain. then to the decorative pot....again, you need a larger interior for your current plastic pot!


oh, and i also had a problem as i was using my tap water......which was coming through a filtering system......a filtering system using salt!!!!! no good for orchids!!!! or other plants either, for that matter. we had the cold water removed from the filter system in the kitchen.....the orchids improved and my blood pressure went down as well as i''d been drinking that same water!


another thought: if you can, water that you use to water this orchid, have it at room temperature. just set some aside an hour or so before you plan to water it. orchids do not take kindly to Cold water....and they certainly do not want it Hot, either.


i don''t think your orchid is too far gone yet. keep trying!


mz


ps yes, i''ve lost the battle with a few........the workshop presenter said there is no such thing as a successful orchid grower who hasn''t killed an orchid.

Thanks! I think I will go to the English Gardens by me tomorrow and ask for the appropriate potting medium and bigger plastic pots... Should I do away with the current decorative pot and get a bigger one?

 

[movie zombie]

yes, get rid of current decorative pot! it does not have nearly large enough an interior!!!!! you want at least 1/2 inch of space....more is better....separating the rim of the plastic pot from the rim of the decorative pot.

do some research first. here''s a starting place:
http://www.how-to-grow-orchid.com/orchid-potting-mix.htm

not all orchids want the same planting mix.....know your type of orchid..looks like a p keep it simple. don''t add soil or sand or rock.
here''s another: http://en.allexperts.com/q/Orchids-727/2009/10/phaleonopsis-sp-sick.htm

i was not confident in repotting at first.......but it has to be done at some point. the deteriorating potting medium is a problem for orchids and that could be your problem combined with the lack of air circulation.

i''ve repotted into plastic pots that i cut slits in and ones i''ve bought with the slits in them already. said slit needs to be about 2mm or more wide and most of the vertical length of the pot. also, bottom drain holes need to be large to quickly drain. soggy roots do not make a happy orchid.

mz

 

[Tuckins1]

Thanks much!! Will check back tomorrow after I *try* to fix it up!

 

[movie zombie]

good luck! i still hate having to repot.....i''ve got some i should do. perhaps you''ll motivate me!

mz

 

[Dancing Fire]

Date: 4/8/2010 2:06:21 PM
Author: monarch64
Oh! There was a lengthy orchid thread on here some time ago, in FHH I think? I think I remember Dancing Fire being one of the main contributors and maybe Mara? Hopefully the orchid lovers here will offer their thoughts!

yep,i usually kill about 3 plants per yr.

and the orchid show will be here in town next weekend.

 

[Irishgrrrl]

Tuckins, I'm very new to orchids, so I don't have too much advice to give. I just wanted to say . . . DON'T GIVE UP!!! I'm like you . . . I have NO green thumb whatsoever! But, I just love orchids, so I had to have one. I have a phaleonopsis that DH got me several years ago. Of course, it was blooming beautifully when he bought it, and then those flowers died off and it hasn't bloomed since. We tried everything . . . moving it to somewhere else in the house, misting, not misting, watering more, watering less, special fertilizer, you name it. But, no luck.

Well, just last week, it went CRAZY!!! It has three flowers on it now, that are absolutely gorgeous, and it has several more buds that will be opening soon. I don't have any idea what we did/didn't do that finally made it bloom, but I wish I knew! It's absolutely beautiful, but it does need to be repotted. The roots are starting to stick out over the edges of the pot, so we need to repot it soon, but we don't want to do that until it's finished blooming. It was so funny when we first noticed that it had buds . . . we were like "Whatever you do, DON'T MESS WITH IT!!!" LOL!

 

[movie zombie]

congrats on the blooms! yes, wait until it is done blooming, dropped its flowers, AND the stalk has started to dry.

mz

 

[Irishgrrrl]

Date: 4/9/2010 2:20:17 PM
Author: movie zombie
congrats on the blooms! yes, wait until it is done blooming, dropped its flowers, AND the stalk has started to dry.

mz

Thanks, MZ! I need all the help I can get with this thing . . . I''m orchid challenged! LOL!

 

[Tuckins1]

Date: 4/9/2010 2:12:23 PM
Author: Irishgrrrl
Tuckins, I''m very new to orchids, so I don''t have too much advice to give. I just wanted to say . . . DON''T GIVE UP!!! I''m like you . . . I have NO green thumb whatsoever! But, I just love orchids, so I had to have one. I have a phaleonopsis that DH got me several years ago. Of course, it was blooming beautifully when he bought it, and then those flowers died off and it hasn''t bloomed since. We tried everything . . . moving it to somewhere else in the house, misting, not misting, watering more, watering less, special fertilizer, you name it. But, no luck.

Well, just last week, it went CRAZY!!! It has three flowers on it now, that are absolutely gorgeous, and it has several more buds that will be opening soon. I don''t have any idea what we did/didn''t do that finally made it bloom, but I wish I knew! It''s absolutely beautiful, but it does need to be repotted. The roots are starting to stick out over the edges of the pot, so we need to repot it soon, but we don''t want to do that until it''s finished blooming. It was so funny when we first noticed that it had buds . . . we were like ''Whatever you do, DON''T MESS WITH IT!!!'' LOL!

Good for you! I actually tried a new watering procedure today... Soaking it in the sink and letting it drain. The roots already look healthier! I called a gardening shop and they gave me some tips. One thing she did say was "Don''t re-pot while it''s blooming", so you are right to wait. Care to share a pic of your pretties?

 

[Irishgrrrl]

Date: 4/9/2010 3:28:26 PM
Author: Tuckins1

Good for you! I actually tried a new watering procedure today... Soaking it in the sink and letting it drain. The roots already look healthier! I called a gardening shop and they gave me some tips. One thing she did say was ''Don''t re-pot while it''s blooming'', so you are right to wait. Care to share a pic of your pretties?

Oh, twist my arm why don''t ya???

 

[Irishgrrrl]

OK, trying again . . .

 

[Irishgrrrl]

^^^There she is sitting in our kitchen sink. I took that pic last night, and some of the buds are already open more than they were then!

 

[Tuckins1]

Date: 4/9/2010 7:33:03 PM
Author: Irishgrrrl
OK, trying again . . .

Oooh, how pretty!!

 

[Irishgrrrl]

Date: 4/9/2010 7:56:01 PM
Author: Tuckins1

Date: 4/9/2010 7:33:03 PM
Author: Irishgrrrl
OK, trying again . . .

Oooh, how pretty!!

Thanks, Tuckins!

We were at Lowe''s last weekend and they had some GORGEOUS orchids!!! They looked just like mine, except they had purple polka dots! Seriously! I almost had to bring one home!

 

[Tuckins1]

Date: 4/9/2010 8:13:42 PM
Author: Irishgrrrl

Date: 4/9/2010 7:56:01 PM

Author: Tuckins1

Date: 4/9/2010 7:33:03 PM

Author: Irishgrrrl

OK, trying again . . .

Oooh, how pretty!!

Thanks, Tuckins!

We were at Lowe''s last weekend and they had some GORGEOUS orchids!!! They looked just like mine, except they had purple polka dots! Seriously! I almost had to bring one home!

Lol....

I brought home the deep violet one this past weekend because the color was so stunning. DH looks at me and goes "Seriously, another one? You can barely take care of the one you have."
I just couldn''t help myself! At least i''m trying to keep them alive!