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Orchid Feeding and Watering.
- Thread starter G H Nelson
- Start date
Garuf
Member
Still no luck with the orchid coaxing it back into flowering so I decided to see what's cracking off inside the pot, opened it up to find about 200 mealy bug like creatures inside the hollow shells of the roots. So there's the issue! So now after trimming back 90% of the dead roots off I'm left with a very, very sorry looking thing, d'ya think it'll make it through?
Hi all,
Garuf they may be mealy bugs, but from the description they sound like they might also be root aphis (Mealy bug look like they are covered with cotton wool and root aphis are also pale, but it is much more like big green fly that have been coated with wax). Doesn't really matter which they are, they will both sap the plant's vitality. You've done the right thing, all the dead roots need to be cut off, and unfortunately you will need to dispose of the compost as well (unless it is bark? if it is you can microwave it.). For most plants you could re-pot in a compost containing imidacloprid or thiacloprid (the anti-vine weevil systemic insecticide "Provado") or use it as a drench, but I'm not sure how Orchids react to it.
The pot just needs a really good clean. Whether your orchid survives or not will depend on how weakened it is, the new roots will need to grow from the caudex (towards the growing point), and this can be a long process, but there is nothing you can do to speed this up. I'd keep misting the plant, and if the remaining leaves remain firm and green a weak foliar liquid feed may help.
cheers Darrel
Garuf they may be mealy bugs, but from the description they sound like they might also be root aphis (Mealy bug look like they are covered with cotton wool and root aphis are also pale, but it is much more like big green fly that have been coated with wax). Doesn't really matter which they are, they will both sap the plant's vitality. You've done the right thing, all the dead roots need to be cut off, and unfortunately you will need to dispose of the compost as well (unless it is bark? if it is you can microwave it.). For most plants you could re-pot in a compost containing imidacloprid or thiacloprid (the anti-vine weevil systemic insecticide "Provado") or use it as a drench, but I'm not sure how Orchids react to it.
The pot just needs a really good clean. Whether your orchid survives or not will depend on how weakened it is, the new roots will need to grow from the caudex (towards the growing point), and this can be a long process, but there is nothing you can do to speed this up. I'd keep misting the plant, and if the remaining leaves remain firm and green a weak foliar liquid feed may help.
cheers Darrel
Garuf
Member
Hey Darrel, calling on you again, what's the best way of keeping Dendrobium sp? I got given one and I haven't a clue where to start, all my books skirt over dendro's.
Thanks in advance.
Gareth.
Thanks in advance.
Gareth.
Hi all,
Gareth depends a little bit which type they are. I've not had much luck with the larger flowered hybrids as house-plants, they never really thrive and over time become more moribund and end up as a series of bare canes. They aren't actually dead, they just aren't growing. They also seem to end up with either Thrips or Red spider mite, this may be because they like more sunlight than most orchids. My suspicion is that it is a humidity issue, and that if I put them in a case or similar they would start back into growth.
I've been more successful with the evergreen, small flowered, "hard cane" Dendrobium kingianum and D. x delicatum, you see a small bright purple one of these quite a bit for sale now. These are both drought and cold tolerant. To get them to flower I give them a cool, dry rest from November until Christmas, and then water them fairly normally. Mine are just coming into flower now.
Have a look at this post: <http://www.orchidgeeks.com/forum/orchid-care-cultivation/2228-dendrobium-culture-notes.html>
cheers Darrel
Gareth depends a little bit which type they are. I've not had much luck with the larger flowered hybrids as house-plants, they never really thrive and over time become more moribund and end up as a series of bare canes. They aren't actually dead, they just aren't growing. They also seem to end up with either Thrips or Red spider mite, this may be because they like more sunlight than most orchids. My suspicion is that it is a humidity issue, and that if I put them in a case or similar they would start back into growth.
I've been more successful with the evergreen, small flowered, "hard cane" Dendrobium kingianum and D. x delicatum, you see a small bright purple one of these quite a bit for sale now. These are both drought and cold tolerant. To get them to flower I give them a cool, dry rest from November until Christmas, and then water them fairly normally. Mine are just coming into flower now.
Have a look at this post: <http://www.orchidgeeks.com/forum/orchid-care-cultivation/2228-dendrobium-culture-notes.html>
cheers Darrel
Garuf
Member
Cheers Darrel. This is the plant: http://www.easyorchids.co.uk/shop/Dendr ... y-Oda.html
It's very nice, I've got it on a inverted dish sitting in a bowl of old AS acting as a wick to raise the humidity. Mines in full flower with some 9 odd spikes. Should I still soak them over night and mist daily or should I back off?
Will read that thread now and see if I can see my plant.
It's very nice, I've got it on a inverted dish sitting in a bowl of old AS acting as a wick to raise the humidity. Mines in full flower with some 9 odd spikes. Should I still soak them over night and mist daily or should I back off?
Will read that thread now and see if I can see my plant.
Hi all,
Garuf, good news this is a "hard cane" D. kingianum cultivar or hybrid <http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/load/orchids/msg051537071453.html>. They need reasonable light (E. or N. facing window sill would be ideal). They are very drought tolerant, so you can grow them in a very free draining compost, and they don't really need misting unless the atmosphere is very dry. I just water mine when they look dust dry in the winter, and in the summer I water them along with everything else.
It might need a cool dry rest to flower, but it might still flower with higher winter temperatures.
cheers Darrel
Garuf, good news this is a "hard cane" D. kingianum cultivar or hybrid <http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/load/orchids/msg051537071453.html>. They need reasonable light (E. or N. facing window sill would be ideal). They are very drought tolerant, so you can grow them in a very free draining compost, and they don't really need misting unless the atmosphere is very dry. I just water mine when they look dust dry in the winter, and in the summer I water them along with everything else.
It might need a cool dry rest to flower, but it might still flower with higher winter temperatures.
cheers Darrel
