Not really sure about your plant, though if you think its a miltonia, living where you'd live I'd get rid of it now and not stress over it. Another lesson learned: Don't pay top dollar for a plant if you don't know what it is!

I had a lot of heat issues last year. I grow on a south-ish facing balcony in the summer, and our apartment complex is made of brick, so I literally had a brick oven problem. Lots of yellow and burnt leaves. This year I planted a bunch of container plantings that have provided more shade for the plants, and really cooled the balcony down. Its quite serene going out there now! I just wish orchid foliage was half as interesting to look at as annuals!

I agree. Send it to a new home now.

That's one of the problems of trying to grow certain orchids in extreme climates. I've heard your summers are brutal, but when I was in Jerusalem one winter (Dec - Jan), I remember the temps as being almost perfect for growing these.

Our summer started off cold and I think I lost a few plants because they were outside during that period. It ended up being almost perfect the rest of the time. Most days were in the 80s F with only about 6 days reaching into the mid 90's. It was another dry summer (third in a row), but that really didn't affect the orchids. I just watered more.
Mid 80's to 90 F the next few days and then a big cool down for the end of the week. I'll be moving the plants to the sunporch by Wed.

Grasshoppers are bad this year. I found a huge one munching my Laelia lundii today. Why do they always go after the mini plants?

Kevin

Miltonias are brutal, if they don't like it where or how you grow them, they'll go South. For us here that's Mexico, for you its probably Palestine. The roots look good though, give it s chance, it may be OK or it may not be a Miltonia.

Nick

here in southern ontario, our day time temp has been in the 80's and nights +/-60F - we have had alot more rain than prev. years. humidity is 60+ on most days. the orchids have done well outside. the ones i almost killed seem to be reviving with new growth. i did loose about 3 or 4 - can't remember. i have 2 miltonias which i am growing semi-hydroponicly in lava rock. they are both doing OK - lots of new growths but no flowers yet. i have had them a couple of years. they were seedlings when i bought them. they are upstairs in west-north window. the roots look OK to me too. good luck.
sue

I grow indoors all year, and what had me worried this summer was how all my orchids would survive the AC! They've done alright... the Cym has put out new growths, the Den keiki that I thought I'd lose now has 2 tiny growths, and everyone else seems green and healthy!

Now, they all have to survive the dry heat of an indoor winter!

This has been the loveliest August I can remember in over 40 years here. Highs in the 80's for the last three weeks-- can't ask for better than that. Some storms, but nothing in the "terrible" category.

Got good growth on the (immature) plants outdoors. Mature plants blooming indoors seem to grow slower, but some.

The usual burn early this summer, but nothing much after that. Two visits from frogs, who seem to love hiding in damp shade cloth.

Shade steadily growing on the deck. This year I have a way to keep them outdoors on sunny days well into October (I hope). On sunny days, temperatures on the carts reach 80-90 at least, and they can come in at night.

I'm extremely pleased with this year, got over 20 spikes this spring during April and May.

Judy, I've gone from growing catts, encyclias, oncids and a few phals to all phals. I could grow and bloom the others, but providing the right sun/shade balance was too difficult. Now I just grow phals, and it's a lot easier on the poor old bod.

Our summer has be very harsh! Next year I will be inside my small GH using a swamp cooler. I watered often twice daily. We had about 20 days of triple digit heat coupled with 15-25 mph winds blowing from either the south or west, poor lants. I lost two, one of those was blown out of it's pot and into a flower bed, didn't find it until probably a week later. Our temps now are just in the 90s, so the plants will enjoy the coming weeks/months of Fall.

"This has been the loveliest August I can remember in over 40 years here."

In the year 2048, I wonder if the people growing orchids (hopefully, including me!) will long for the good ol' days, waay back in ol' aught eight!

I think a few people are confusing Miltonia with Miltonopsis. The plant looks like a Miltonopsis hybrid, a cool grower, not a Miltonia, a warm grower. I cannot thing a more unsuitable plant to keep outside in Israel than a Miltonopsis. I'd say goodbye to it.

Hey, Stitz. I hope that isn't derision. And assuming it isn't, I'll join you in hoping you're still around in 2048 :)

August here usually is pretty miserable, with everything, including trees, wilting and panting in highs at least in the 90's, lows in the 70's, and relative humidity and dew point in the high 60's.

So I hope you can see that high's of 82-85 for three weeks is an uncommon event.

As to whether people will be sighing for the good old days-- I don't think people are foolish enough to think one year of beautiful August weather undoes 39 years of the August stickies. But they'll remember it, just as I remember a Christmas week with highs of 72's. Didn't repeat, but unforgettable.

Elation is the feeling here for the 2008 mild August weather, except for the lack of rain. That's hurting. I'm sure that the two are, unfortunately, connected.

1964? I remember a very warm Christmas! We can only be so lucky, once again!

What a case of bad timing! Now, while millions of people in the South have fled their homes and are waiting in dread to see what havoc Hurricane Gustav will dump on them, we are discussing the weather and ORCHIDS??? My heart goes out to all those refugees from Gustav - hope that the damage this time will be minimal.
Now, back to topic: Summer seems to be a mixed blessing for most of you. But it's good news that most of the orchids survived.
Mehitabel - you seem to be the only one who enjoyed your summer. Sheila - your summer seems to be hotter and drier than mine - August averages are about 88 F, and 95 F is considered unusually hot (haven't had any of those yet, this season).
Jodi - congrats on saving your dendrobium. What a great sense of achievement that must be for you!
SMW - I grow my orchids inside our apartment all year round. Direct sun burns orchids and people, even in winter. I give the plants filtered morning sun - great for catts and dends but even phals were showing the beginning of sunburn before I moved them out of the sun's path. Interesting thought about the Palestinians. They are great gardeners - I wonder if anyone in the Authority is growing orchids?
Terpguy - glad you found a solution for your problem of shade. So, you and SMW agree with Kevin that I should toss the whatever-it-is?
Of course, I wouldn't have expected any other reaction from you, Kevin. We are all acquainted with your philosophy. Hope you enjoyed your visit to Jerusalem. You were very wise to come in winter. The only drawback is that the days are so short. We have travelled extensively in the States, with a couple of extended visits to New England, when our son was there on a research scholarship. Unfortunately, the closest we ever got to Minnesota was Ontario, Canada (?)
Sue and Nick, thanks for your words of encouragement. I think I'll hang on for a bit longer. The roots look good and it was a very expensive NOID (admittedly with very pretty yellow flowers and a lovely scent). I can always toss it later.
Thanks to all of you!
Judy

I do tend to think that. Its just not worth the headache. Orchids are easy enough to come by that you can easily find something more suited to your environment. Your plant seems to be ok other than the leaf tips, so the real answer SHOULD be sit and wait, like orchidnick said. It may very well not be a milt. But given your suspicions of its species and your location, getting rid of it MIGHT save you headaches down the road. But thats my approach to growing orchids: I have a very low tolerance for questionable plants. Other growers approaches will be different from mine.

Terpguy,
I understand the logic behind your thinking. It's a question of time and effort versus feedback. Then there's also the problem of space. At the moment NOTHING is flowering. (My epicatt is the only one not sulking - it is just now putting out its third sheath in 6 months). I think that when I get to the stage where I have no more room for another orchid (lol), I'll start tossing out the strugglers. I'm getting close, but meanwhile the whatsit isn't causing any problems or extra work - just sitting on its humidity tray, well away from the sun.
Thanks, anyhow.
Judy

Ah yes, the question of space! If you have plenty of space theres only one thing to do about it: fill it up! :) If this was your first summer, you'll get to the "space is at a premium" by next spring! Provided you have adequate plant sources over there...

hello, Judy, here is a culture sheet from AOS which may be helpful:
http://www.orchids.org/culture/miltonia.pdf

good luck.

sue

the summer is far from over out here =P

but so far not outrageous heat waves so for the moment were doing fine, more then likely though I think I'll be getting rid of the majority of the cool growers at the next OS meeting.

Gaston

Somehow, I just can't toss a plant, struggling though it may be, until it's well beyond saving... space has been at a premium for some time, but even so, I find it difficult to choose who should be compost and who should have the privilege of staying.

The majority of my indoor garden consists of various Amaryllid bulbs, but orchids are slowly gaining in numbers! Soon, I will have no choice but to begin thinning the bulb population, trading the more common and the duplicates for the space to keep more orchids.

Many of you would probably have tossed the leafless little Dendrobium keiki, I'm sure, but since my orchid collection and my orchid experiences are both limited, and because there's "always room for one more", I thought I'd give it a chance... I'm very glad I did... its two small growths are reaching up through the bark, growing quickly now, and I really do feel a great sense of accomplishment as I watch those growths gain size!

The heat of the last few days has been unbearable, but weather maps indicate rain on the way... ripple effects of the storms in the south. The rain is very much needed, and I hope it's more than just a sprinkle.

Sue,
Thanks for the link. I printed out the culture notes, which are clear and detailed. I'm still not sure if I have fertiliser burn or sunburn, but am treating for both.
Gaston,
Most instructions for beginners that come with the plants (usually with the multi-hybridised phals) include a reference to "southern California where orchids are grown successfully and where the climate is similar to Israel". But as I understand from recent posts, SoCal can have as varied a climate as we have here. In future I'm going to try to stay clear of cool-growing orchids.
Jodi,
I agree with your sentiments. I'm going to try to save this orchid, too. I've found a better place for it - my "hospital" faces a north-west window which gets a cool breeze in the afternoon. I'll let you all know whether the orchid perks up or dies a slow death.
Judy

For plants that show their displeasure at a very slow rate, they sure do go downhill fast once on the way! The first orchid I had, a Phal, lost its leaves in record time, it seems, once it was discovered to be devoid of roots. That one proved beyond saving.

My "plant hospital" area doesn't have good enough lights, I think. It's a mini-greenhouse with a heat pad and cheap grow lights, and I use it mostly to root cuttings and start seeds. It also makes a good storage area for extra pots and things, when there are no "patients" in it convalescing!

Good luck with your "patient"!