Beallara Marfitch Howard's Dream yellow leaves

[Traci]

It may have been a fluke. I checked reviews from lots of people and they all comment on how well the vendor packages the orchids. I am going to use my voucher for another plant and will check the packaging on the plant when it comes in. The other orchid that came with it was so well packed.

[Dorsetman]

I think this is just the oldest growth ? If so it is perfectly natural for the plant to drop the leaves on that one, when it is stressed, as it has to be in getting to you. It is not important to have all the roots in the compost with this kind of orchid, unless you have any root nibbling pests about ( in which case it is important) and exposed roots does enable you to tell that the plant is alive, and not gone into suspended animation since living roots will have green tips. These plants need a dappled light, and high humidity. Constant fluoreecent light wouid not be too bad if the plant is not too near, since it is a weak light. I would just wait until the brown leaves come off naturally, and not worry too much.

[Traci]

Thank you Geoff. I hope it's the case but it affected all but one psuedobulb with leaf die off. The one that isn't affected is the youngest one. The oldest or second oldest psuedobulb has two leaves left one of which is starting to yellow so I suspect it will lose that leave too. I've either saved it or help kill it with what I did today. The media it came in was mostly large pieces of charcoal and large pieces of bark with a little bit of perlite. I reported it in oncidium mix which is fine bark, lava rock, perlite and bits of charcoal. The roots seemed too fine for me to shove big pieces of bark in between. I did soak it in kelp max first.

[Dorsetman]

The thing is that on any orchid, the leaves are green and good on every growth where the roots are also good. When the roots die, under one growth, like the oldest growth, the leaves die too. You can't have one without the other. Roots and leaves can die of old age. Normally after say 3 or 4 years. With very good culture, especially with plants having thick hard leaves like cattleyas and some vandas, they can last a lot longer than that. With plants with thin leaves - all of the Oncidium group which includes your plant, 4 years would be excellent, 3 is nearer the norm. When the plants is stressed, 3 can easily shrink to 2 or 1 a like your plant.
Most of us grow fine rooted plants in fine mix, and vice versa. Only vandas with roots as thick as pencils go in very coarse mix. But some professional growers do use coarse mix fr everything , and if they have very high humidity and maybe water very frequently, succeed with this. But when we get those plants, it can be a struggle for us.
It is a very good rule to repot every plant you buy - but the downside is that repotting is itself strssful for the plant.
I hope this helps.And I hope this does not sound patronising - but it's based on more than 50 years of growing and learning the very hard way......and often when I have come to a conclusion about some aspect of orchid growing I have kicked myself, and asked why the heck did it take me so long to realise that !

[Traci]

Geoff not patronizing at all. We are all here to share and learn and you have helped me immensely with your response. I questioned that thick, chunky bark for such fine roots when I got the plant but it makes sense as the plant came from a very humid, cool environment. It works well for the grower. Once it got to me with lower humidity this time of year, it almost didn't stand a chance to not be stressed without a nice little greenhouse. I'm glad I had the oncidium mix on hand as I don't have oncidiums. I had purchased it for my Draculas and add some spaghnum to it for them.
Again thank you for your response. It helps a lot.