Hello,

I am a novice grower and have had a small collection that has been hanging
on for a couple of years. Recently a few of my plants have been getting
yellow/brown leaves and my Phals leaves are shriveling. One of them even got
a few buds on the spikes and two of them already turned brown and fell off
so I am desperately trying to accommodate the very last one to see a flower.
I have noticed that most of the leaves on all varieties trend to split in
half on the tips. I am trying to be careful not to overwater and I was using
a water soluble fertilizer-Schultz 19-31-17 with each watering, but have
backed off to just reverse osmosis tap water room temp. They are all in a
window with western exposure and it's the best I can do. For the most part
they are hanging on but some of them appear to be getting worse so I'm
assuming it's something that is occurring over time. Any advice would be
very appreciated! Thanks,

Karyn

Hi, Karyn: Welcome aboard!

I think you made a wise decision to stop the fertilizer, because I think you
were overdoing it, esp. if you were using it at full label strength with
each watering. Even now, a good leeching might not be a bad idea [run lots
of plain water through all the pots, one time, to wash out any remaining
salts].

This is a tough one for many people, but if the plants are in distress, and
not going to produce a good flowering anyway (e.g., that last one), don't
encourage them to bloom -- cut the spikes so they put their energy into
survival.

The yellow/brown leaves could have many causes. But in conjunction with the
shrivelling you mention, it's most likely one of two things: either
overwatering or underwatering. I suspect the first, but the way to tell for
sure is to yank a couple of them out of their pots and look at the roots.
If the roots are pale and thin, or brittle, you haven't been watering
enough. If they're dark and mushy, you've been watering too much and
they've rotted. Either way, the foliage ends up dehydrated, because rotted
roots can't transport water up to the green parts.

If you have root rot from overwatering, you may also have other
fungal/bacterial diseases. A spray with something like Physan
[broad-spectrum fungicide/bactericide] won't hurt and might help. If the
potting media is fresh, that plus cutting back on water might be all that's
needed. If the potting medium is old, or prematurely broken down from
staying wet, then repotting is in order.

Is there someplace local to you that you could take one or two of them, for
an "in person" diagnosis? If not, could you post some pics on abpo? Kenni

"Fire" <fireoooo [at] comcast.net> wrote in message
news:PbqdnVl1lsEm9SXenZ2dnUVZ_t6dnZ2d [at] comcast.com...
> Hello,
>
> I am a novice grower and have had a small collection that has been hanging
> on for a couple of years. Recently a few of my plants have been getting
> yellow/brown leaves and my Phals leaves are shriveling. One of them even
> got a few buds on the spikes and two of them already turned brown and fell
> off so I am desperately trying to accommodate the very last one to see a
> flower. I have noticed that most of the leaves on all varieties trend to
> split in half on the tips. I am trying to be careful not to overwater and
> I was using a water soluble fertilizer-Schultz 19-31-17 with each
> watering, but have backed off to just reverse osmosis tap water room
> temp. They are all in a window with western exposure and it's the best I
> can do. For the most part they are hanging on but some of them appear to
> be getting worse so I'm assuming it's something that is occurring over
> time. Any advice would be very appreciated! Thanks,
>
> Karyn
>

Hi Ken,

Thanks so much for the advice. I will try to get some pics tomorrow so you
can see. I really appreciate your help!

Karyn
"Kenni Judd" <kenni [at] REMOVEjborchids.com> wrote in message
news:WsmdnSu1KqzoESXenZ2dnUVZ_vudnZ2d [at] adelphia.com...
> Hi, Karyn: Welcome aboard!
>
> I think you made a wise decision to stop the fertilizer, because I think
> you were overdoing it, esp. if you were using it at full label strength
> with each watering. Even now, a good leeching might not be a bad idea
> [run lots of plain water through all the pots, one time, to wash out any
> remaining salts].
>
> This is a tough one for many people, but if the plants are in distress,
> and not going to produce a good flowering anyway (e.g., that last one),
> don't encourage them to bloom -- cut the spikes so they put their energy
> into survival.
>
> The yellow/brown leaves could have many causes. But in conjunction with
> the shrivelling you mention, it's most likely one of two things: either
> overwatering or underwatering. I suspect the first, but the way to tell
> for sure is to yank a couple of them out of their pots and look at the
> roots. If the roots are pale and thin, or brittle, you haven't been
> watering enough. If they're dark and mushy, you've been watering too much
> and they've rotted. Either way, the foliage ends up dehydrated, because
> rotted roots can't transport water up to the green parts.
>
> If you have root rot from overwatering, you may also have other
> fungal/bacterial diseases. A spray with something like Physan
> [broad-spectrum fungicide/bactericide] won't hurt and might help. If the
> potting media is fresh, that plus cutting back on water might be all
> that's needed. If the potting medium is old, or prematurely broken down
> from staying wet, then repotting is in order.
>
> Is there someplace local to you that you could take one or two of them,
> for an "in person" diagnosis? If not, could you post some pics on abpo?
> Kenni
>
> "Fire" <fireoooo [at] comcast.net> wrote in message
> news:PbqdnVl1lsEm9SXenZ2dnUVZ_t6dnZ2d [at] comcast.com...
>> Hello,
>>
>> I am a novice grower and have had a small collection that has been
>> hanging on for a couple of years. Recently a few of my plants have been
>> getting yellow/brown leaves and my Phals leaves are shriveling. One of
>> them even got a few buds on the spikes and two of them already turned
>> brown and fell off so I am desperately trying to accommodate the very
>> last one to see a flower. I have noticed that most of the leaves on all
>> varieties trend to split in half on the tips. I am trying to be careful
>> not to overwater and I was using a water soluble fertilizer-Schultz
>> 19-31-17 with each watering, but have backed off to just reverse osmosis
>> tap water room temp. They are all in a window with western exposure and
>> it's the best I can do. For the most part they are hanging on but some of
>> them appear to be getting worse so I'm assuming it's something that is
>> occurring over time. Any advice would be very appreciated! Thanks,
>>
>> Karyn
>>
>
>

Fire wrote:

> Hello,
>
> I am a novice grower and have had a small collection that has been hanging
> on for a couple of years. Recently a few of my plants have been getting
> yellow/brown leaves and my Phals leaves are shriveling. One of them even got
> a few buds on the spikes and two of them already turned brown and fell off
> so I am desperately trying to accommodate the very last one to see a flower.
> I have noticed that most of the leaves on all varieties trend to split in
> half on the tips. I am trying to be careful not to overwater and I was using
> a water soluble fertilizer-Schultz 19-31-17 with each watering, but have
> backed off to just reverse osmosis tap water room temp. They are all in a
> window with western exposure and it's the best I can do. For the most part
> they are hanging on but some of them appear to be getting worse so I'm
> assuming it's something that is occurring over time. Any advice would be
> very appreciated! Thanks,
>
> Karyn

Hi Karyn,

I was busy when I read your post earlier so I waited to see what answers
you would get.
I don't see anything in your post that indicates that you have been
repotting your plants. If you have been repotting when needed, then I
have nothing to add to Kenni's post. If you have not been repotting your
plants, that may be a big part of your problem. Even if you are doing
everything else right, if your potting medium has decomposed over the
years, the plants will decline. If the medium is mush down in the pots,
the roots will rot and if there are few live roots, the plants will show
water stress no matter how much or how little you water.

Steve

There's another factor to consider, as well: if you've been using the
Schultz fertilizer with RO water, I'd suspect you've been applying an
extremely acidic fertilizer solution to your plants - a far lower pH than
they like. If you're going to use a fertilizer that is not designed
specifically for use in pure water, you must be sure to adjust the pH to the
low sixes or should just use ordinary "as-is" tapwater to make the solution.

--

Ray Barkalow - First Rays Orchids - www.firstrays.com
Plants, Supplies, Artwork, Books and Lots of Free Info!


"Steve" <tlswilso [at] aol.com> wrote in message
news:ib6dnbrfiPifLiXenZ2dnUVZ_sWdnZ2d [at] adelphia.com...
> Fire wrote:
>
>> Hello,
>>
>> I am a novice grower and have had a small collection that has been
>> hanging on for a couple of years. Recently a few of my plants have been
>> getting yellow/brown leaves and my Phals leaves are shriveling. One of
>> them even got a few buds on the spikes and two of them already turned
>> brown and fell off so I am desperately trying to accommodate the very
>> last one to see a flower. I have noticed that most of the leaves on all
>> varieties trend to split in half on the tips. I am trying to be careful
>> not to overwater and I was using a water soluble fertilizer-Schultz
>> 19-31-17 with each watering, but have backed off to just reverse osmosis
>> tap water room temp. They are all in a window with western exposure and
>> it's the best I can do. For the most part they are hanging on but some of
>> them appear to be getting worse so I'm assuming it's something that is
>> occurring over time. Any advice would be very appreciated! Thanks,
>>
>> Karyn
>
> Hi Karyn,
>
> I was busy when I read your post earlier so I waited to see what answers
> you would get.
> I don't see anything in your post that indicates that you have been
> repotting your plants. If you have been repotting when needed, then I have
> nothing to add to Kenni's post. If you have not been repotting your
> plants, that may be a big part of your problem. Even if you are doing
> everything else right, if your potting medium has decomposed over the
> years, the plants will decline. If the medium is mush down in the pots,
> the roots will rot and if there are few live roots, the plants will show
> water stress no matter how much or how little you water.
>
> Steve

I would like to thank everyone who responded to my post. I tried to
personally email you back but some could not go through,
therefore I would just like to let you know I have followed your advice and
repotted most of my orchids and I have also changed the water I was giving
them to tap water. They actually seem to be doing much better now and I
wanted to thank you all for your time and expert advice.

Sincerely,
Karyn


"Fire" <fireoooo [at] comcast.net> wrote in message
news:PbqdnVl1lsEm9SXenZ2dnUVZ_t6dnZ2d [at] comcast.com...
> Hello,
>
> I am a novice grower and have had a small collection that has been hanging
> on for a couple of years. Recently a few of my plants have been getting
> yellow/brown leaves and my Phals leaves are shriveling. One of them even
> got a few buds on the spikes and two of them already turned brown and fell
> off so I am desperately trying to accommodate the very last one to see a
> flower. I have noticed that most of the leaves on all varieties trend to
> split in half on the tips. I am trying to be careful not to overwater and
> I was using a water soluble fertilizer-Schultz 19-31-17 with each
> watering, but have backed off to just reverse osmosis tap water room
> temp. They are all in a window with western exposure and it's the best I
> can do. For the most part they are hanging on but some of them appear to
> be getting worse so I'm assuming it's something that is occurring over
> time. Any advice would be very appreciated! Thanks,
>
> Karyn
>