Lost in Mail

[KC C]

I had 4 orchids 'delivered' 5 Sept which never showed up; after much searching the PO finally delivered them today, 17 Sept. They're a bit on the dry side so I soaked them in rainwater for 30 minutes. The orchids are: LC Sky Blue Brazil, V. JVB-Ascda. Duangporn, Vasco. Pine River Blue, Vasco. Pine River Orange. The LC is in a 4" pot that is just a mass of roots with hardly anything else, except for the leaves looking a bit like orange peel and badly needing repotting it looks OK. The Vascos. leaves all look like orange peel and a lot of their roots look like brown wire, but on each plant 3 to 4 roots look fat and green with a healthy coat of vellum and even have points where new root directions have started apparently during their trip. Does anyone have any suggestions to help with their recovery?

[orchid-man]

I would not repot any of them at this stage or put them in very bright light.I would mist very regularary to try and help rehydrate the plants and roots.I would also be looking at keeping them in an area that is warm.

[KC C]

Thank you for the input, Murray. Until temps get below 55*F at night my orchids get to enjoy the great outdoors, so it will be easy to wet them down and mist them frequently. I have a self-recording thermometer in the orchid area so I can keep an eye on things.

[Tikva]

I am scared to give orchid advice, but if they looked all dry to me, I think I would run them under water for a while - I wouldn't do the leaves, but soak them or let the water run on the pots / roots.... give them a good soaking.
Disclaimer - I'm not telling YOU to do it, but I would LOL

[KC C]

All the orchids are looking a whole lot better. I actually stuck them leaves and all under the water for the first 30 minutes since everything looked so dry and shriveled and dull. The next day I soaked the roots for 30 mins in the AM, misted at 1PM and watered roots at 5PM. Since then I have watered roots at 9AM and 5PM. The LC Sky Blue Brazil looks like it never got dehydrated, its just sailing along. The Vascos. are greatly improved and are showing longer green tips on the healthy roots that they have. Their leaves are not looking as dry and the dimpling not being as noticeable.I think the 10 degree cooler weather we have been having has to be helping out somewhat also.

[Gin]

Only one word of caution , if cool / damp beware of rot .. Gin

[KC C]

Cooler for here is low 90s daytime and low 70s nighttime. Rot worry is why I stopped whole body soaks, they were just emergency measures because the roots were in such poor shape that I felt that they currently couldn't take care of the leaves very well and so the leaves would have to help with their own hydration. I also laid the plants on their sides instead of hanging them so that water would not pool in the leaf axils with all the watering I was going to be doing. I read about this problem in this forum so I thought about what I could do to prevent it and laying the plants on their sides until they don't need so much watering was all I could think of. I think I'll be able to hang 2 of the plants in just a couple of days.

[orchid-man]

you have done very well to bring them back from such dehydration

[Piper]

Sounds like you've done the trick - nice job, KC!

The stress may set blooming back a year. That's not uncommon. So don't get hopes up and measure success by new leaf and root growth. Blooms would be an unexpected surprise!

McJulie

[KC C]

I hadn't thought about that. Shucks! Phooey!