There is a considerable list of cultural influences that can/do cause necrotic leaf tips and margins, and the effects of these influences cause symptoms that vary by plant. Foremost are things that impact the plants ability to move enough water to these distal plant parts to keep the parts hydrated. Too little water, over-watering, and a high level of dissolved solids (salts) in the soil are the most common, with over-watering and high salt levels much more common than under-watering. All three of those conditions are closely related to soil choice and watering habits. In fact, the largest step forward a container gardener can take comes from understanding how to manage these problems through soil choice. Some plants are sensitive to certain elements (like compounds of fluorine and chlorine) that can cause necrotic leaf tips/margins, and while low humidity shouldn't be considered a primary cause, it does exacerbate any marginal issues that originate with impaired root function. Nutritional deficiencies and toxicities should also be added to the list. Al

I would say it would be next-to-impossible to experience leaf-burn with 1-0-1 and distilled water. Mine is in green-growth phase at the moment -- should I assume that the yellowing you're describing is on new growth? If that's the case, it may be wet leaves as a result of watering/misting. How's your air movement? You don't have to see a visible drop of water on the leaves for there to be a problem, which occurs usually at night. If the leaves are on older pseudobulbs, then it is potentially more complicated. It's entirely possible that the fertilizer you've been using isn't intended to be the only type of food used for orchids, but as a supplement. 1-0-1 sounds a bit light to me. "P" is just as important as "N" and "K". Does it have micronutrients? I've heard that as bark decomposes the microfauna in the organic components use up available nitrogen, although I've never read any convincing studies other than conjecture. Still, it may have relevance in a small pot. Watering can be especially challenging for indoor orchid hobbyists, particularly for more "persnickety" species. It's possible you are too wet. Factors here are plastic versus clay, pot diameter for size of plant, mix, and drainage. Are the roots attached to the sides of the plastic pot? If not, carefully lift it out part-way so you can get a look inside. Is the medium *wet* around the bottom? Is it drying out properly near the top, yet staying wet near the bottom? Then adjustments are necessary. Moving to clay might solve your issues, as will a couple well-placed styrofoam peanuts. Is the pot size too large? A Den. laevifolium with 5-8 growths would be properly-sized in a two to three-inch pot depending upon evaporation and mix. Depending upon temps, air movement, and drainage, plus your individual watering habits, one type of mix may perform better for you than another. One problem some hobbyists have is owning many different types of orchids in different-sized pots with different medium types. This complicates watering, and it's not uncommon to have rot issues as a result. With your description of the mix it's in, it would take years for it to become "sour", and then only if you had poor-quality water. If you've over-watered, it's possible that it has degraded near the bottom of the pot. Again, this is where the visual check would be helpful. Many people hate sphagnum, but it's my favorite medium. When providing proper drainage and pot size, it's almost impossible for it to stay too wet for long, and instead achieves that perfect "evenly moist" condition where roots do best. I nearly always use it on my mounts, and my laevifolium is quite happy wrapped in a sphagnum pad on a cork mount. Sphagnum works equally-well for me in plastic pots. Yet another problem indoor-growers have is air movement. Is there adequate room underneath the pot for air penetration through the drainage holes? If not, set it on a "mini-bench", such as a wire shelf-rack from WalMart. Another solution would be to bend a small wire hook to suspend the pot by hanging it on something. A small fan, if you don't use one already, will help circulate air better, as well as help dry leaves off. Given what you've described, I think your plant is too wet, and perhaps is suffering a bit from lack of nutrients. An occasional application of richer fertilizer will go far in making a plant better able to withstand stresses, when conditions are temporarily less than perfect. It doesn't have to be an expensive fertilizer either. I have tremendous success using the 7-7-7 MiracleGro African Violet Food, which costs about $2.25 at WalMart for an 8 ounce bottle. At half-strength, this makes 32 gallons. I also use seaweed perhaps four times per season. Any one of the issues I've mentioned above, or a combination of them, could be the culprit. Hope this helps. -Bruce

Not sure how much water they're getting, but in my area, I give my S. elegans regular water (once a week soaking for 15 mins.), and other three would get moderate waterings (once every 2-3 weeks for 15 mins.). This is taking into account the prolonged heat of summer and lack of rainfall. :) Brenda

Hi everyone, I purchased a 4ft fiddle leaf fig from eBay and it came in really poor soil so I decided to repot it in my own mix of potting mix + vermiculite + sand. I watered him and things looked good. However, I noticed the soil was not drying and stayed quite damp for about 2 weeks now. A few leaves started to drop and I am not noticing brown tips and curling on some. Knowing this is a big no-no, I took him out of the pot, removed the soil, and left him in a paper bag to dry out. Reading this forum, it looks like they require a faster draining soil and I am looking to purchase all the ingredients required for Al's Gritty Mix. Questions: Is he recoverable? Can he stay in a paper bag with roots exposed for 3 more days until I get the ingredients for the gritty mix? Should I prune the large roots to keep the areas directly under the root clear (umbrella root)? When can I resume fertilizing (Neptune's Fish and Seaweed 2-3-1)? Thank you!