Arbo, thank you for posting. this is sad, sad news indeed. would you mind posting some of the pix you have of heronswood? jxa44

kerrizonasteen - "The reason I suggested putting it in container was so I could put indoors/in barn for winter. Didn't know if that would help it mend:)" We don't know where you live so we can't give advice as to whether your box needs any winter protection if planted now. But I would be prepared to say that wherever you live taking it indoors would almost certainly kill it and sticking it in a dark barn would also not do it any good. Get it in the ground asap and if you do have harsh winters with no snow maybe wrap it in fleece to prevent drying winds desiccating the foliage.

Louise, First, you might want to start a new thread for this. You have jumped in on the tail end of a three year old thread, and a lot of folks may just be looking over it. I'm located in the center part of South Carolina, USA and have very little experience with potting in sphagnum (in this part of the world we tend to prefer the fir bark mixes), so I'll leave potting mix preferences to someone else to comment on. Generally speaking the orchid plants sold in the "big box" stores and florist shops in the USA come double potted. the plant and potting mix are growing in a clear slotted plastic pot that is nested inside the heavy ceramic un-drained outer pot. This is the reason most new growers loose their first few orchid plants. It sounds like your plant was actually planed in the heavy non draining pot, and you have taken all the necessary steps to give it the best chance of survival. If your new plastic pot only has one or two holes in the bottom, consider cutting additional openings in the side of the pot for additional ventilation. Enclosing the pot and plant in a plastic bag increases the humidity around the plant, and this is good. You may also want to consider putting a few holes in the top and bottom of the outer bag to increase air flow. You want to enclose this plant in an atmosphere that has lots of humidity and warmth, and a bit less light than normal until the plant begins to grow. It also needs air flow to prevent any standing water from accumulating around the roots. The roots need to be moist in the potting mix, but not wet. Epiphytic orchids grow in the jungles attached to trees and rocks that are covered with moss, lichens, and other plants. When it rains, they get soaked, but as soon as it stops raining they begin to dry off. You need to duplicate this for your other orchids, but for this one plant that is already having problems, increasing humidity, temperature, and air flow without allowing standing water to collect around the roots is the proper method to deal with it.. This process is slow, and does not always produce the desired results, but when it does, it produces a great deal of satisfaction for a new grower, not to mention the knowledge and experience you have gained from the experience. Good luck. Bill

Has there been any new leaves develop since the repot? The root system looks fairly small, so I wouldn't be surprised that it would drop leaves to adjust to the lack of water when repotted. As long as there is new growth, just keep it in the current potting mix and water when dry. If no new growth, something needs to change (light, water, mix, etc...). Good luck, Bob