Thanks Jodik! I've had my fair share of deaths and near deaths. Of course, I keep coming back for more. oh yeah, and I forgot to add that not only did I have orchid troubles but I woke up yesterday to find the sunflowers I transplanted into a bigger pot outside were eaten by birds. Why did they wait until I spent money on a brand new larger pot to eat them?

Interesting thing is, the leaves did not look bad on the nearly alive phal, which is why there was a big surprise for me. It was growing (or not growing) in coconut husk, which I think was too moisture retentive and I switched to bark. I agree with you about the sphag as well. PA gets really humid this time of the year, and unless I have the air on all the time, humidity builds up in the house.

Well Jodik, patience is a virtue! You are lucky you learned such a great thing. I tend to live in a world of anxiety where I try to have patience! Hahaha.

Sarah

Patience is something I learned while raising my three step-children, and it served me well when I began collecting and pollinating hippeastrum bulbs. It's even more essential to have when growing orchids! Anxiety only brings heartburn and loss of sleep, and keeps me from having a nice set of nails to polish! The older I get, the faster life seems to pass by, and having patience allows me to really see and enjoy things I might otherwise miss.

Humidity is very low in my air-conditioned, second floor apartment... but even without the a/c running, the humidity is lower than orchids like, I think. Keeping humidity trays under the pots is the only way to keep the immediate area humid, to some extent. I think what we feel as humid is not that humid to plants, and our levels of humidity are not constant, anyway. Here in Illinois, it feels quite humid during part of the summer, but it doesn't stay that way on a constant basis.

The air in my one-room apartment is always being moved around by two ceiling fans, one at either end. It's very important to keep air circulating, so if you can't keep a window open for fresh air, running a small fan on low will help quite a bit. Keeping the air from getting stagnant will help keep fungi and molds from growing, also.

Some people have the climate and skill to grow successfully in sphagnum moss or other types of moisture retaining medium... but in my climate, the moss retains way too much moisture for way too long a time... bark works much better for me. It allows for oxygen to reach the roots, and it stays moist long enough for the roots to take up the moisture they need. Even my bulbs are planted in a very porous medium, and not in regular potting soil... they hate "wet feet", and prefer to dry out a bit in between waterings.

The leaves on the Phal I killed looked fine until it was way too late... when the first leaves began to show signs of dying, the roots were already gone, completely rotted. Orchids take forever to show their unhappiness, and I learned that, and other valuable lessons from that poor plant. I learned that it's wise to check root systems BEFORE purchasing orchids, to be wary of mediums that hold too much moisture, and that proper watering is absolutely essential.

I'm glad you keep "coming back for more"! There's nothing like the satisfaction of seeing a plant flourish and bloom in your care! I think it's well worth all the lessons learned! I enjoy the challenge of finding the perfect micro-climate in my home for each of my orchids, and giving each one the care it needs to thrive and eventually bloom!

I'm certain that Phal won't be the last orchid to die at my hands, but hopefully, I'll learn from the mistakes I make. They say that you can't call yourself an orchidist until you've killed at least a hundred orchids... if that's true, I have a long road ahead of me! The journey down that road will teach me a lot, and I'll love every step of it!

It hadn't been brought to my attention until then (?) but while Phals may not put on their best show on windowsills away from their native habitat but they really are pretty tough when you come down to it. After trying various media, I found that NZ sphag works well - for phals anyway - on my NYC windowsill under lights, not always on for various reasons including the extra heat especially during the summer, not to mention electricity prices these days!

Jodik, I'm sure raising your three step-children made you have patience. I work with families, and I'm pleased to return the kids back to their parents after our session! Haha. You and I can keep hanging in for the title of orchidist. Although, I'm not sure I want it if I have to keep killing orchids!

My humidity levels are different that yours, in that I get a good deal of humidity. This morning it was 90% in the greenhouse, with the top window open, when I woke up. I've been trying to keep the fan on whenever someone is home. Despite our difference in humidity, I still find sphag to be too moisture retaining for me as well. I think it sucks in all of the mositure in the air.

Nick, I find phals to be tough to, but I think where I used to have the phal last year wasn't good for it. This past spring, it bloomed, but the spike was on the short side. I knew something was an issue. I guess my watchful eye wasn't watchful enough. I'm starting to feel like taking care of the orchids, and all of my other plants, is becoming a 2nd full-time job for me.

Sarah

Jodik, forget about humidity trays, they do not work. Otherwise the humidity in this room would be way above the miserable current reading of 41%.

Why is the reading so low?...... because the air outside is coming from South Polar regions and is very dry. Heat up dry air and the humidity reading drops.

Of course, this is not going to affect the patch of hippeastrums growing outside under the crepe myrtle because culture on my part involves doing nothing because the climate must be right for them.

Tried Phals in Spag but they always go backwards in it in the conditions indoors in this house. So that is a mystery, why do some people have such success with Phals in pure spag and for other people it is a disaster?

Anyway, your story of the hippeastrums does relate to orchids in that the same problems arise of adapting your growing conditions/methods to the optimum if you want to have success.

Little orchid mysteries are what keeps us interested in the great hobby of orchid growing. You would think that once you have flowered a range of hybrid and species Phals that you would have the thing beaten. Not so, there are a few in my collection that have never flowered, but that is one thing that keeps me interested.

Yes, sphag is rather a mystery media ! When I started with orchids I was repotting every one into it but then they started dying. I brought in an expert and she told me to wait until the top of the sphag is crunchy to the touch. I had developed my watering technique from books, ALL of which had touted that Phals NEVER like to completely dry out ! So, I was actually overwatering. I started following her advice and have yet to kill another since by overwatering, other reasons, yes. In fact, I have modified to 50/50 sphag and bark for my Phals. I DO have one Phal in the original sphag I bought it in 3.5 years ago and WILL NOT repot it until it shows me a reason why I should !! It's the HEALTHIEST Phal I've ever had with 10 leaves and they keep getting longer and right now it has 3 spikes with more blooms than it ever had !!!!! It's a sequential bloomer and is rarely not in bloom. See below.

So, IMO what it gets down to is = adapt and modify until you find your own media, suited to your own culture, by keeping an open ear and mind !

P. Shenandoah Fire 'Ember'
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P. Shenandoah Fire 'Ember'
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Chryss

Chryss, that is a beautiful orchid! I love the color, and I'm usually not a yellow type of girl. ;)

I hope my phals will look like that next winter/spring!

Sarah

Humidity is a good thing. Water is a good thing. Problem is, you need light in the right intensity for the plant to be able to utilize these two things - humidity and water. Moving air is important, but air exchange is right up there in importance too **especially** if the air is saturated. Stagnant, stale, moist air along with wet medium are rots best friends. I live in a high humidity climate. The fans in my GH move humid air in, exhaust fans move it out. Fresh air, air exchange.

My biggest problem is in winter (Nov-Feb) when the GH is closed up for the night. The humidity goes over the rainbow, fans pulling fresh air in and out, are off. Now I have a dark, damp, cool (60 degrees) GH. I combat this but using electric heat to keep the temp at 58-60 degrees (this also helps dry the air) and I have an osolating fan to move that warm air around.

The wild orchids here grow in high humidity, but it air is never still therefore never stagnant. In summer they are soaked by daily rains. That lasts maybe 30 minutes and the sun comes back out. The sun runs the engine (if you will) that allows these wild orchids to use all that water just dumped on them.

Water, humidity, air movement, LIGHT.........it's a balancing act. Get one of these grossly out of proportion to the others, and it almost always spells trouble. I don't know **anything** about indoor growing - but dare I say, I think I would kill the humidifier for a while. See where you are in a couple of weeks. See how it goes.

Good Luck!!
Pat...

Good explanation Pat ! I live in a humid area also but not so much as yours. I have the humidifier on 24/7 just to keep the humidity at 50-60% during the 'humid' summer. During this winter I'm going to get a second humidifier because it's REAL hard to keep it at 40% !! Got plenty of fans moving the air for such a small room (8 x 5 , actual orchid used space). Ceiling fan 24/7, oscillating tower fan, humidifier fan, and three small fans tucked into corners.

You're definitely right about the light ! I took the sheers off my SE window (don't remember why I put them up ! Must have been one of my beginner's brainstorms !) this spring and EVERYTHING is going crazy this season !! I also put my mounted Neostylis outside where it gets morning sun til 11am only and it is in bloom plus has 3 more spikes on the way and I couldn't get it to do ANYTHING inside for 2 years !!! SUN IS THE WORD !!!

Chryss

Thanks Pat. I haven't had the humidifer on lately, b/c I realized it is humid enough, sometime too much, on its own. Like Chryss, I turn it on when the humidity levels drop between 50-60%. In the summer, this occurs sometimes when I have the a/c on. My next project is light. I do have an artificial high watt equivalent CFL on the orchids support the natural light. I'm still determining if the artificial light is enough or not.

Sarah

The purpose of humidity trays isn't to raise the humidity in a room. The purpose is to raise the humidity in the leaf area of the plant, and they do do that.

I've measured it at different times over several years, winter and summer. Even when the room humidity is 10% or so (cold winter days), the humidity at leaf level is about 50%-- a big improvement, and closer to the range needed by plants.

Like everyone else, I find it's hard to get things "just right"-- the intensity of outdoor light is especially hard to gauge.

Chryss, your Shenandoah Fire is very beautiful. I love the waxy flowers with intense colors. I have a Shenandoah Fire 'Brennan's Orchids' I got this spring from Brennan's Orchids. It's a very vigorous plant, and I'm hoping for blooms next year. and looking forward to them even more now.

Pat's explanation is perfect. Experience in your growing environment will tell you which of those factors are 'out of wack.' I consider humidity a treat. I don't worry too much about it. I rarely get humidity over 12% during winter indoors. I have never lost a plant to a lack of it. I have lost aerial roots which dry up, but I haven't lost a bud to dry air. Most of my orchids bloom in fall/winter and it doesn't seem to affect them at all.

What affects orchids the most, IMO, is light and air and temps. Pcans statement that 'sun runs the engine' hits the nail on the head. Without good light, everything else fails. Plants may survive, but will languish and slowly decline. Increase the light, increase the air (fresh) and you'll get growth. Light is the fuel for growth.

Jane

Mehitabel, I got my Shenandoah Fire from Brennan's at the 2005 MOS Timonium MD show/sale. I wish I had a pix of their entry S Fire 'Ember' at our NCOS 2007 show !!! Those spikes seem to never die (unless you cut them off like I did before I knew what I was doing !) and their specimen's spikes were YARDS long and all intertwined with each other and blooms were everywhere !!! It was UNbelievably gorgeous !!! There WERE some grumblings from the 'purists' but it was a unique and spectacular specimen plant !!

To get back on track, you're also right about plant humidity. I put my few humidostats (?) right where the plants are and after I fill the humidity trays (and every plant is on one !) it's always noticeable that it rises sometimes as much as 15% !!! And that's NOT because I spill water on the h-stats, because I remove them before I water then put them back after and NOT on top of the trays either !

C-

Yes, that's a beautiful, healthy Phal! Look at all those roots! The color combination of the flowers is very eye-catching! Nice!

My problem is battling the AC and heating systems in my upstairs apartment, both which dry the air terribly! I know that humidity trays aren't that fabulous, but they do help keep a little humidity around the plants, themselves. Every little bit helps!

I have a very large, bright east window, and supplemental lighting, so light is not a problem... I've cured my over-watering habits, so that's good... I think the lack of humidity and the fluctuating temperatures are my main concerns.

Our greenhouse hasn't been put up yet... we have a 10'x 12' Harbor Freight special in boxes in one of the garages... once that's up and operational, and I ease my plants into it, under some shade cloth, I think most of my problems will be minimal. Until then, I have no choice but to grow everything indoors... my bulb collection, orchid collection, and the few other plants I keep around.

So far, I think I'm doing pretty good. Working with the conditions I have isn't easy, but it's well worth the effort!

In fact, I'm off right now to pot up a new Epi... I'm using bark and a clay orchid pot. I think if I stick to orchids that are rather adaptable to indoor conditions, and save the trickier orchids for a greenhouse, I'll be alright!

Happy Gardening!

Jodik, if you don't mind how much did you pay for the greenhouse from Harbor Freight? I think I saw it in an ad a while ago.

Sarah

I believe we got it on sale for about $599.00... and from what I understand, it'll be a bear to construct! After doing a bit of research, I found out that a lot of modifications are necessary to make everything fit properly, and many times, not all the necessary screws and bolts come in the box!

I did a search on GardenWeb for Harbor Freight Greenhouses, and came up with a lot of great information... which led me to some fantastic websites! Luckily, most of the problems have been solved by those who have built these before, and there's a lot of good ideas and information available for help.

The price is/was great, and if you don't mind putting it together yourself, or have help, and don't mind a bit of trouble-shooting, it's a great deal!

Yeah, Harbor Freight is good for some cheap things, but sometimes there are strange problems with their expensive items. Good luck putting it together. Now the question is, will your neighbors think you've had a whole new landing strip outside? ;)

Sarah

The neighbors are far enough away that they can barely see our house and yard! And since a few of the local farmers do have landing strips for private planes and crop dusters, I doubt a lit up greenhouse would draw much attention!

The problem is that my husband is so busy fixing other things and working on other projects, that my greenhouse takes the back seat to several things... I'll be lucky if it gets put up by next summer!

Well, as long as a local plane doesn't get confused and land in your yard! ;)

Too bad you have to wait a year for it to be up, but that's ok. You still have all your orchids and other plants inside with you.

Sarah

Yes... but it's so frustrating... I'd love to add a few more orchids to my collection, but I'm limited by space and light! Waiting is difficult for someone with a plant addiction!

Patience... I must remember to have patience!

Well Jodi, I can tell you that you seem to have more patience than many. I have anxiety waiting to go orchid shopping in NY, while I'm there after Labor Day.

Sarah

Ooh! A shopping trip to NY sounds like fun!

I've been through a lot to learn the patience I finally have... but every once in a while, anxiety creeps in... rather than allow it to make me sick, I reach for a mother's little helper!

I'm trying to be patient, waiting for fall to attend the Chicagoland Orchid Festival! It sounds like we'll both be bringing home new orchids later this summer!

I think the topic first started out as black rot. Well, hormone or rooting powder isn't going to help the plant. Black rot is a bacterial infection. It spreads very fast leavng behind black ooze. You need to cut off as much dead or decaying material as you can. And treat the plant with a bacteriacide. Physan or Consan will santize the plant. But you also need a systemic bacteriacide. Go online or find a place that sells rose care products. Fungus is a different problem and should be treated with a fungicide. Captan is an old standby. But there are Bayer or Ortho systemic fungicides that work. Cinnamon is sometimes recommended. But it really won't cure a systemic problem. As for long strand sphagnum, I use it with good results. But I use it in a plastic pot only if my orchid is hanging (and gets more light and air). If it's on a bench, I pot it up in a clay pot. I put styrofoam peanuts at the bottom so it drains well. Like any medium, it has a certain amount of "shelf life" and will break down especially if you overwater. I use sphagnum only because here in California, water is rationed. So watering every day is not economical. Which is why many commercial growers use it. It does save on the cost of water. And when you have thousands of plants, that adds up.
If you live in Florida, its different story because you get lots of rain. So most growers will use clay pellets, lava rock or something that doesn't decompose.
I've given up on fir bark. Breaks down too fast. Plus, it does require too much water when it's fresh.

I have a bulb collection, as well as my orchid collection, and root rot can be a problem with both... I keep Captan on hand, and I also use Schultz's 3 in 1 insecticide/miticide/fungicide with good results.

Even though cinnamon has anti-fungal properties, it shouldn't be used on roots... I've read that it can inhibit root growth... but it is good to keep on hand for sealing cut leaf edges, and in my case, I've used it on fresh wounds with my bulbs.

As for which medium is best... I think it all depends on the climate and environment you have. There are many wonderful products, so choice is not limited... I've been thinking of trying the clay pellets on a plant or two.

For my orchids, bark works best for me, so far... and for my bulbs, you can't imagine what I went through to get the perfect mix!

Watering habits are very important to think about in conjunction with which medium you use... but either way, good drainage is essential.

How's that Phal doing, Sarah? Do you think it can be saved?

Toyo, I had to use a rooting hormone b/c just about every root was cut off. Therefore, some new roots have to develop.

Jodik, not sure. Since I changed the medium to bark, I'm still trying to get a grasp on how often to water. I will have to try out your bamboo reed trick you posted in another thread.

This phal is strange in that it could have no roots, yet still look find in the leaves. Very deceiving. I'm hoping it does okay. The orchid is still quite loose in the medium/pot, so it is still basically leaves with the base of the plant where roots were. I'm hoping the other phal is okay. I will have to get some physan one day.

Sarah

I use those bamboo skewers that you get at the grocery store... they come in packages of about a hundred for roughly a dollar or two. I believe you can also find them in some Dollar Stores.

Using a pair of wire nippers, I cut them in half so they're not so long... then, I slowly insert the pointed end into the medium, close to the center of the pot where the roots are... I start near the edge of the pot, usually inserting on an angle, if you know what I mean. I take it out every couple of days and press it to my cheek, which is rather sensitive, and if it feels cool and damp, or at all moist, it's not time to water... depending on the type of plant and it's requirements, of course.

I also invested in a moisture meter, which cost around $24, or thereabouts. It also reads light, fertility and PH. However, I trust my sense of feel a bit more for the moisture part.

I'm not sure it would help, but I've got a few strands of sphagnum moss wrapped loosely around the root area of the Den and Coelogyne I'm trying to get growth from. I think that helps keep a bit of moisture in contact with the root area. But for the most part, bark is the medium in the pots. I've also got the Coelogyne in a large plastic baggie, to help keep some humidity around it. The Den has its clay saucer sitting in a larger plastic saucer, which has a small amount of water in it... this helps keeps some humidity around it, but not too much.

I hope some of these ideas might help... orchids seem to show their displeasure very slowly, and before you even know what's happening, it's sometimes too late to save them. I hope you're able to save yours. I always feel so bad when I kill a plant... even though we learn from our experiences, good or bad.

Thanks Jodik, I will try some of those. I have a similar mositure meter (with light and ph). The problem I find is getting the meter into the medium, without disturbing the plant. Also, I don't think the light meter works well on them. I have two of the meters, b/c I thought the light meter was broken on the first. It only seems to report light if I hold it an inch away from a lightbulb.

Btw, the clay pellets you mentioned before. Those are tough. A few years ago, I thought I would experiment with hydroponic gardening. I killed all the plants I tried to grow hydroponically. I think hydroponics works well if you have a entire watering system set up, otherwise I found it even more tough to tell when I would need to water.

Sarah

Good to know... thanks! I'll be especially careful when using clay pellets to experiment, and only use one plant.

I'm not entirely certain those meters are that accurate, for moisture and other things... that's why I rely on my sense of touch, instead. I, also, find the prongs difficult to insert comfortably into the medium. It's on a shelf, gathering dust! But my fingers and bamboo skewers are sure getting a lot of use! LOL!

Sara, if your phal has no roots, there is no need to worry about watering it. Best to let it go fairly dry and keep up humidity around the leaves. But, don't overdo humidity or you will rot the crown. I would not water at all. The plant needs to make roots by searching for moisture.

The reason your light meter is only registering near the bulb is probably because it is not giving off enough light to register. I would suggest you increase your light. When there is not enough light, growth stops. If you continue to keep the media wet, the roots will rot. Roots only function to support growth. Light is the determining factor.

Jane

Jane, I just think my light meter sucks. Hahaha. Sorry for the bluntness. When I hold the light meter less than an inch from 150 watts, it shows light. As I move it less than a foot away, it shows just about no light. However, I know there is light b/c if I do a "hand shadow" test, it works. That's what I get by a cheap light meter. Do you know, on average how long it would take to develop new roots? I've never done this or used root hormone before.

Jodik, bamboo skewers are all in place. :) I found about 100 of them in my pantry.

Sarah

Phals can take a long time to do anything. Spring and summer are the time for growth and if you can keep the plant warm and alive, maybe 6-8 weeks if you are lucky. I have a Phal which developed crown rot over winter but had great roots. I put it out with all the rest in early summer, and just noticed the beginning of a basal keiki.

I can't answer your question because I don't know your conditions. Keep it warm and well lit and cross your fingers. You could try rooting hormone. But if the plant is not happy, you'll lose it. Give it a shot it's a good learning experience either way.

Jane

Very cool, Sarah! I've read that a lot of people use the skewer method to test for moisture, and I use it, too, on a few plants that I'm not sure about. It works very well for me!

I don't trust my meter, either, even though it's a fairly decent one. I do believe, however, that natural light is best for optimum growth, and by hook or by crook, next spring I'm taking all my babies outdoors for some much deserved sunshine! I just need to find a protected spot for them all... another chore!

I've got a Den keiki trying to recover from travel, and I hope it will grow new growth and roots. The stem is still green and has life left in it, so there's hope. I brushed a bit of rooting hormone powder on the root area before wrapping a couple of strands of sphag loosely around it and potting it in bark. I know they're slow to show signs of anything, whether it's good or bad, so have patience...

Well, here are the phals now just over a week later. I placed one under a terriarum, as I read this is a good way to maintain moisture for the leaves without having to water (as Jane said). This phal is in natural light facing NW. I now it isn't the best direction, but it is the only window I have that isn't too bright but not too dark either. The terrarium will be a test between the two distressed phals. The non-terrarium phal had its spikes cut off so it can put all of its energy in growing roots. The lighting for this phal appears darker than it is in the photo, yet I may increase the light more if needed. Lighting is something I'm always working on.

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Sarah

I hope they both do well for you... I'm sure you know, but just make sure that the terrarium doesn't heat up too much if any direct sun is hitting it during the day. The glass can act like a magnifying agent, and the temperature could cook a plant if it gets too hot. I'm sure you already know that, though. :-)

I once cooked a terrarium full of nice little plants... I was only a teenager... what did I know at that point?! I thought it needed more light, so I put it fairly close to a west window... oops! Live and learn!

I have a thermometer with a hygrometer in there as well now. I discovered the warmest and sunniest time for the orchid in that room is around 4-5pm. So, the terrarium comes off then so it doesn't burn.

Sarah

Very cool... I wish orchids would show results a little faster, so we at least knew if they were going to make it or not... but, this is the lesson orchids teach us... patience.

I try my best to just take care of them all, and not be so concerned with always looking for new growth or roots, but I find myself always searching to see if anything is happening yet!

It's almost nerve-wracking! :-)

Hi Sarah, how close to that window is the Phal? If the window is bright without direct sun, I would put the plant as close as possible. You want good light and warmth.

Your other Phal has very dark leaves, that usually is a sign of not enough light. This time of the year, you like to see light green leaves. Unless its the photo, that plant should get more light also.

Sorry to keep pushing the 'light' issue, but it truly is the major player in growth and flowers.

I like the little terrarium.

Jane

Thanks Jane for the idea. I agree with you. The second phal's leaves have gotten darker. But, the light in the photo I just added the day I took the photo, so may that will help some. The other phal (terrarium) is as close as it can get. Around 4-5 pm it gets direct light, and unfortunately on days like today when I work late I can't move it closer. However, on days I'm home I may push it closer in the morning, even though there is probably only another foot to go, and pull it away around 4.

Sarah

Actually, after the last post, I decided to move the orchid around. It is now in the living room, and will move back to the dining room later in the day. I'm trying to maximize the natural light with this phal.

Sarah

Way to go!

Jane

Thanks Jane! Actually, more changes have been made! Haha. I'm using the one phal as my own experiment. It is now moved from window to window to a holiday outside for the rest of the summer. I placed it on the ground next to my sunflowers. The pot from the sunflowers provide some shade, so there isn't direct sunlight on the orchid. I think the roots are surviving, b/c there are about three that appears to be a whitish color, which I presume is better than black. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it keeps producing roots.

Sarah

Sarah, I'd be very careful about putting any orchid on the ground !! Slugs and all kinds of crawling critters can do damage faster than the blink of an eye ! Raise it up on something off the ground, something that allows air to circulate is even better like a plastic milk crate.

Good luck with your learning experiment ! I'm still doing BOTH !!

Chryss

I never leave an orchid on the ground. Chryss is right. Too many pests.

Next year, I will get my pots off the wood deck surface. I'll lay some wire KOB shelving down to provide for air circulation underneath. Anything helps.

Re: slugs--A couple of summers ago, I tried Escar-Go. It's a 1% mix of Iron phosphate in pelleted form. It's worked for me--100%! I used to have a serious problem. No longer.

--Stitz--

Good going, Sarah. As others said, raising it up off the ground is good practice. Something like a box, table or anything to keep slugs away. I think your plant will enjoy the time outdoors. With a bit of cool weather coming, it may decide to spike.

Jane

Thanks for the advice. I'm still trying to find a place for the orchid outdoors. There doesn't seem to be anywhere outside that doesn't get direct sunlight for hours at a time. Fortunately, I don't have any slugs outside (eww), and I have many potted plants outside that seem to be bug free for an occasional spider, so I moved the orchid around. For a while, it was on a gravel path. But, as I said I don't even know where to keep it outside, so it goes in and out throughout the day. I will also look for something to raise it up on once I find a place outside.

Jane, that would be great if it would spike!

Sarah

Well, I'm sad to say the experimental phal's time has come. It is now part of my compost bin. Originally, I thought the roots could be saved, but now the leaves are turning black.

The other sick phal hasn't had much new root developmentment, but its leaves are looking good. Brighter green than before. I think it is enjoying its spotlight.

Sarah

Sarah,

The black leaves probably indicate sunburn. One has to be very careful when moving most 'kids from indoors to outside, slowly acclimate them to the brighter outdoor conditions.

I hang most of my outdoors 'kids in a birch tree, they get dappled light most of the day and some direct sun in the early morning and late evenings. I'll bring most of them in when the night temps get regularly into the low 50's and upper 40's.

Beter luck next time, we've all composted our share.

Bob

Bob, I orginally thought the same thing, sunburn. However, the black only developed over the past day or two, while the orchid had been inside for several days b/c it was so bright out. Oh well, it is what it is.

Maybe while I'm in NY state next week I will find a new phal to give a home to.

Sarah

So, the phal that is holding on to life has new growth! I discovered the new leaf growing when I returned from my vacation. Yay!

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Sarah

That's good news! New leaf growth is always nice to see!

The 2 little growths on my Den are getting bigger every day... I'm so thrilled!