It looks like you overwatered the plant, which could be the reason why the leaves are yellowed and shriveled in places. The use of the hairdryer (never a great idea) could have very easily burned the leaves and caused them to turn yellow. In your photos, I see some leaves are yellow at the base; these leaves are done for, I would cut them off and be done with it. They won't recover... If there are any leaves which are bright green and healthy, those will do just fine. Using a finger to test the soil is a very good way to measure the dryness/wetness level of the plant. You mentioned trying this and that the soil was only slightly damp. Another test is to pick up the whole pot. If it's extremely heavy you may have overwatered. (Conversely, if it's very light it will need some water ASAP!) Always be sure your plant can drain off excess water and that it never sits in water for a prolonged period of time. Checking the roots will help you assess the damage level of the root system. If it's stinky or mushy, it's rotting. cut away any roots that are brown and mushy. Roots that are yellow or white are healthy. I would suggest letting the plant dry out before watering again. Also I might add that the heater nearby could be drying out the plant prematurely, causing it to need more water more often. Be sure the window it is near is not too cold; this can cause yellowing of leaves too. Good luck!

Not sure it anyone will answer this seeing how old this thread is, but I am a farmer and getting out of the produce side of farming . . . I am wanting to establish and begin growing blueberries. I have a high fence plot with a drip system already established. I live in Springtown, Texas, which is in Zone 8 . . . north Texas. I am on city water. My parents had a blueberry farm in East Texas for about 10 years and it had been established for about 30 when they had purchased it. He doesn't feel blueberry bushes will survive on city water and that the chlorine will surely kill them. I am going to get a soil test in the next few days; but, I am wondering if this is even possible? Can this work?

Congratulations Gary, you discovered sliced bread Twice, no less! This is exactly how they grow in nature and I grow most of mine the same way. My Cattleya types are all mounted. This does not mean they are hanging on branches, it means the roots are exposed to air like the plant you described. 1) The classical mount, a tree branch. Stick the plant on it and never touch it again. I have some who have been on the same mount approaching 15 years and may well resemble the plants you saw. 2) Wooden or plastic basket. Difference between growing them ON a basket rather than IN a basket is that my plants are growing in EMPTY baskets. Works exactly like the tree branch except the wood has been rearrange to look like a basket. Again, once there, I never touch them again, may put the whole thing in a larger basket when it's time or just let them ramble on. 3) Plastic or clay pots. Mounting plants on our conventional plastic pots only requires you to refrain yourself from adding bark or coconut. Put the plant in a small pot without medium. Often I add a few large rocks, 1 1/2" to 2" size to stabilize it and give the pot substance to keep it from falling over. When the plant rambles over the edge, drop everything into the next size pot, also empty. The roots will fill all available space. I have a huge BLC which was last potted in 1988 by the previous owner which is about 2' x 2' x 1' in size. After 25 year, I suspect the bark in the 6" pot it's in, is probably slightly deteriorated but who cares. All of the above plants grow similar to what you are describing and cannot be over-watered. Never need to be repotted and offer a painless, satisfying and somewhat effortless way to grow them. During the heat of the summer, they need to be watered more often, once a week does not work for them. I usually water them every 2 to 3 days unless we get into the 90s in which case I water them every day. Tap water is all they ever get with a little fertilizer added every time. I do have a potting bench, but almost all of my epiphytes never need repotting. A variety of plants, Bulbos, cloud forest plants, terrestrials and a few others do better the conventional way and need to get repotted as the sphagnum moss deteriorates. Stanopeas, Lycaste, Angola for example, also don't like the empty pot treatment, they are in something. In the end, the best medium to plant most epiphytes in is air, that's what their growth media is in nature and you cannot go wrong with it. It also never deteriorates and you don't need to repot. We are so brainwashed that plants need to be in a pot with their roots covered with something, we don't give that method a chance. It works extremely well. Nick

I don't use left over coffee in abundance b/c there usually isn't any left over but I do use it when I water my Rhododendron. I usually have to add water to the brew b/c there isn't enough or it is as thick as warm tar from sitting on the burner all day. Penny