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Thread: What have I done wrong here

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  1. #1
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    Default What have I done wrong here

    I have had two of these Pot. Little Toshies for about 7 months. They almost started leaning immediately. I thought it was from lack of sun in the winter but when I gave them more light they just seem to lean further.
    I have been keeping all my orchids outdoors now and they seem to be doing quite well. Several have begun to spike like this one. They all even survived an infestation of several bears, yes, bears.
    Any and all help will be appreciated, I know I have to be doing something wrong here. Since I have had them they got 4 to 5 hours of filtered winter sun, and now 5 hours of tree filtered sun. I only water when dry, about every 10 days to two weeks. Fertilize 1/4 teaspoon/gal each watering; every fourth
    watering lots of plain water to get fert. minerals out. My water is straight from a deep well no chemicals.
    A few of my other orchids are leaning also but not as bad as this.
    Thanks,
    Gordon
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  2. #2
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    I'd be interested in knowing the cause of this, too. I have a few individual pbulbs on my catts that do this. Since I grow inside, I usually try turning the pot, but it doesn't always work.

    On a humorous note: it almost looks like your old growth is trying to run away from the new.

  3. #3
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    I have never heard of watering a cattleya type anything less than once a week myself. I have a couple Potinara's and they like to be watered twice weekly right now due to the heat and sun of summer.
    Connie

  4. #4
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Cjcorner View Post
    I have never heard of watering a cattleya type anything less than once a week myself. I have a couple Potinara's and they like to be watered twice weekly right now due to the heat and sun of summer.
    Connie
    Hmmmm? This one is in lava rock and when I bought it (on line) I called and they said to water it every week to 10 days. The other is in sag. moss and I always let the top get completely dry which is about 10 days. My orchids get very good tree filtered sun and even though I am in NC my highest max temp during the day rarely get TO 85 with night time lows in the low to mid 60's and sometimes 50's in summer due to my elevation. So I feel I do not get that summer blast like you would in Florida.
    I REALLY try NOT to over water. I always thought that my initial successes with phals was due to this and I carried that thought through to my later orchid additions.
    Gordon

  5. #5
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    You probably have decently high humidity, too, which makes a big difference in how often you'd water them. My larger catts get watered about once a week unless its been extra hot, then I end up going to about 5-6 days. Like today... forcasted for 100 degrees... it's 93 @ 2pm and only 25% humidity. But I typically do a full watering on Sundays anyway. (my 'moist' condition 'chids get heavily misted or dribbled over as needed during the week.)

  6. #6
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    Your old p-bulbs are pretty much stuck in that position now, as they will never fully plump up again. It's the way it is with catts. I have a couple that got too dry, leaned over and "hardened" that way. The new growths have been fine. I think every 10 days is not enough for one in rock. I would up to once a week. The other I would take out of moss and put in bark mix or rock and water once a week. The amount of sun seems just fine.

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by Diane View Post
    Your old p-bulbs are pretty much stuck in that position now, as they will never fully plump up again. It's the way it is with catts. I have a couple that got too dry, leaned over and "hardened" that way. The new growths have been fine. I think every 10 days is not enough for one in rock. I would up to once a week. The other I would take out of moss and put in bark mix or rock and water once a week. The amount of sun seems just fine.
    Sounds like a good plan. I guess I am being too conservative with the water but I have read so much about people killing orchids by watering too much. I did get a few kinky leaves on one of my Brassidiums from one under-watering,
    so I guess I'll bring on the juice and bark and water once a week and repot.
    Thanks,
    Gil

  8. #8
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    I called and they said to water it every week to 10 days
    I wonder what the original grower's conditions are. Perhaps 7-10 day watering schedule is fine for them, but it looks like it is drying up faster than 7 days in your growing area.
    If they were originally growing in a large, enclosed GH, with misters/humidifiers and only millimeters apart from other orchids, then perhaps 7-10 days would be a good watering schedule because the established microclimate kept them moist for that long.

    Diane is right, that leaning behavior is a result of the shriveling of the p-bulbs. The p-bulbs do not shrivel uniformly so they tend to curl up towards the side where the shrinking is faster or more significant.

  9. #9

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    . My water is straight from a deep well no chemicals.
    A few of my other orchids are leaning also but not as bad as this.
    Thanks,

    When you say the water is straight from the well, is that literally? I tend to believe that Plants do better if the water is around the same temp. as the roots. I might be wrong, but I rather err on the side of caution and keep it standing by for that purpose.

    just a thought ioi

  10. #10

    Post Hmmm. Is your Water too cold ?

    . My water is straight from a deep well no chemicals.
    A few of my other orchids are leaning also but not as bad as this.
    Thanks,

    When you say the water is straight from the well, is that literally? I tend to believe that Plants do better if the water is around the same temp. as the roots. I might be wrong, but I rather err on the side of caution and keep it standing by for that purpose.

    just a thought ioi

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