Thank you for further opinions/advice. ashes_of_the_fire those roots are gorgeous! For most part I tend to slightly underwater my orchids, before the ailment that is (I always thought it was fine as they flowered and looked healthy) and the roots would be slightly thinner than yours. I am especially grateful for the step by step instructions. I will definitely need them as this will be my first repotting on my own! (mum refused to help as she says last time she got involved it got them to the current state). I have something by Westland called 'orchid compost'. It says it has organic matter, bark and wood fibre. This is the only thing suitable at the shop nearest to us (and that is 30 minutes away). There is another shop that is about 1 hour away in another zone that requires 2 buses. But I am not sure that one is much better. I think I'll repot the worst first (I will do it tomorrow morning when there is more light and might post photos in case I need advise of whether they are actually alive)... to see how they take to this compost. And order the following online: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Elite-Orchid-Compost-Range-for-Phalaenopsis-5-Litres-/261365464855 Does that seem like a good mix? Apparently one of the orchids is not actually a Phalaenopsis that mum owns (since it hasn't had flowers in years I did not know any better). Though she cannot remember its name. meyermike_1micha thank you for the tip ... I have been reading many websites and books about caring for orchids, but none actually go into any sort of detail. Something I read a year ago said that orchids can grow without any medium! in baskets but would require very frequent sprays. Wow! Maybe I need to do that to avoid the bugs. jane__ny thank you for the link! It is very helpful. As I said the books I could get from the library and some websites I came across weren't as helpful. Most of the books had various pictures and species, and talked about reproduction, illness and the fact that orchids depending on the type like various mediums including moss, bark, and something else. No one ever went into basics of how to physically water them (just state that you can spray or pour). Cloths were a strategy to get rid of insects. They have only been covered in them for about 3 months. These bugs are a pain to get rid of ... and one of the solutions is placing a layer of sand on top of the peat ... it cuts air supply to them and cuts their wings when they crawl out. I was a bit apprehensive of doing that (since who knows what the sand will be infected with!) So I saw someone's solution of placing denim to a similar effect ... break the cycle. Each fly lays many many eggs ... and the problem multiplies. Most of these I read were for houseplants ... as no one wrote about infected orchids. But the things is one of the orchids I bought was already infected and it was in bark! So it does happen. Probably not as frequently. I know most of the solutions I was trying were damaging the health of the plants, but as I mentioned these stuff eat roots ... and reproduce fast. So the fact that some of the orchids are still alive is pretty much a miracle. I do not wish this infection on anyone's plants. Oh and I place my stupidity/naivety to the fact that for many years that I have owned orchids they were healthy and I never saw what I have been seeing in the past 3/4 of the year. Thank you so much for your support! I also include the picture of the flies! (this was when the situation was improving too! before then you couldn't see the yellow ... it is a lot a lot better now). Just about 3 or 4 flies per sticker. Another quick question ... do I need to dry out the orchid compost completely before planting? (that is where I went wrong with the peat apparently) Lija P.S. Liquid Oxygen contains Hydrogen Peroxide. It was advised to me as it apparently burns up the larvae which seemed like a pleasant thought.

Mine did that too in the summer time and we're in similar growing zones (7). I attribute it to the heat, thought I've never though much about it. Many of my oncidium alliance plants suffer from those spots. I suspect its the heat, because growths that occur during the winter (when my plants are indoors and under lights) don't develop the leaf spotting. There's nothing you can do to get rid of the spots that are already there, aside from cutting away the leaves, but that's not a good idea. Basically, they're just cosmetic damage, the leaves are otherwise healthy and productive. As far as the leaf tip damage, you may be letting the plant dry out a bit too much between waterings OR you might be over watering (and killing off the roots). Sounds kind of odd doesn't it? Anyway, increasing the humidity would probably help with the spotting and leaf tip die back. I'd also suggest checking the roots to see if they are white and healthy with lots of green growing tips. If they look bad, don't worry too much, but cut back on watering for a bit and consider repotting the plant. Personally I wouldn't divide the plant when you repot. It actually looks fairly young and there aren't all that many growths (for a Twinkle). Give a another year or two before you consider breaking it up...really let it get large and healthy unless it's completely over grown the pot. Your plant is at least another growing season or two away from that point, though.

"But I was wondering how long it took yours to bloom? And how you grow yours to get it to bloom? " I can't say. Do you have one that hasn't bloomed yet? According to info I've seen on the Internet, they have to be root-bound to bloom. When I originally got mine it was blooming wonderfully! But was breaking apart the pot so I repotted it in the next size larger. Took a couple years to bloom again. It usually starts to bloom around now and continues until shortly after I put it outside for the summer. Its supposed to have bright shade outside. I give it Osmocote now and then. I expect I'll try planting some of those leaves with the dried up roots sometime soon. Best wishes, Barbara

~~~ Explain thermal protection? ~~~ A piece of rigid foam insulation might help if the gravel or concrete is getting too hot and cooking the roots. By watering the one pot twice daily you are cooling it much more than the others. The plants own respiration may be helping with that as well. You're stuck. Without the plant using the water, you're at high risk of over watering but without being able to water more frequently, you appear to be making tomato root stew. Not a happy situation to be in. The one with the tomato looks especially sorry and I'm wondering whats holding it erect. Except as an experimental to figure how to prevent this in the future, I'm doubtful of that plants value.