Why urea - free fertilizer is recommend

Urea requires micro-organisms to break it down and convert it to nitrogen. Orchids are in soil-less mixes so there are not enough micro organisms to do the job. Ammoniac and nitrate nitrogen are immediately available to the plant. Depending on:-

• What part of the country you’re in.

• How much sunlight you receive.

• What your temperatures are.

You may be able to get by with a urea based fertilizer. However, people we know who have switched to urea-free have all said they get much better results. (Urea has been linked to pseudomonas disease in Phalaenopsis orchids.)

Why won’t my orchid plant bloom
The most common reasons are:-

• Not enough light.

• Poor root system due to old potting medium or over watering.

• Not enough temperature fluctuation.

• Using a poor water source.

• As a rule, if you are not providing sufficient artificial light, plants will need to be close to a window, no more than 3' away at most. Plants see light from above, not sideways, and if you grow your plants too far from a window you will notice new growths becoming smaller and the leaves much narrower. They will not be able to store the energy they need to bloom.

• Poor root systems are caused by over-watering, or forgetting to re-pot when the medium is broken down. If this happens you will have to re-pot it as soon as possible in order to re-establish the root system.

• Temperatures should fluctuate below 65 degrees Fahrenheit at night (preferable 60 degrees) to above 65-75 degrees during the day. As a rule a 7-10 degrees temperature fluctuation is needed to initiate decent flowering for most orchids.

• Water should be clean. We always recommend using rain, distilled or reverse osmosis water. Softened water has too many minerals and will probably, slow down, damage, or kill root growth in your orchids
  

How often should I water

Orchids need to dry out somewhat between watering. In general, most orchids in a 5" or larger pot size will require to be thoroughly watered once per week. Smaller pots often dry out faster, and can require water two to three times per week. Do not attempt to put your plants on a watering schedule. Check your plants every 2-3 days. Are they dry at the bottom of the mix and well as on top? If so, you should water. Every grower's plant environment is different, and you will become familiar with your plants watering needs over time.

One trick to help measure moisture is to take a wooden chopstick and jam it down into the mix. Pull it out, and if the colour of the wood exposed at the tip has turned dark, you can be assured that there is moisture in the mix. The weight of the pot becomes lighter as the mix dries out. If in doubt, don't water. Wait a day or two.

If you happen to have an epiphytic plant that is being grown on a slab, you should be watering on a daily basis or have very high humidity for it to grow.

Why are my plant’s leaves wrinkled

Wrinkled or pleated leaves are caused by a lack of moisture reaching the vegetative part of the plant. This can be caused by not watering enough, or watering too much. If you can’t figure out what you’ve done, tip the plant out of the pot and examine the roots. If they are white or tan, firm, and spread throughout the mix, you need to increase the frequency of watering. If the roots appear brown and mushy, trim them off, re-pot into a new mix, and decrease the frequency of watering. Always remember, orchids should never stand in water

What is this clear sticky substance on
the spikes and leaves

>This is normal for most orchid flower spikes. It is simply a sugary secretion. You can mist it with lukewarm water to dissolve it off.

Do I cut the spike back when my orchid is
finished blooming

This is a very common question that really depends on what type of orchid you have. In general, once orchids are finished blooming you can remove the spike with a scissors. If you do not remove the spike, the flower spike will dry up and turn brown over time. There are some orchids, that can re-bloom off of the same flower spike more than once.
Certain species of Oncidium such as the papilio can bloom off of a broken or cut back spike. The most common re-blooming flower spike is that of the Phalaenopsis (moth orchid). If your Phalaenopsis is of mature size such as 12" or more in leaf-span, cut it half way back just above one of the nodes (the little notches on the flower spike). It should branch out in 90-120 days with a new spike. Generally we recommend trying this only once per flower spike. Trying it a second or third time will result in less flowers. Cutting the flower spike completely off will give the plant more energy in order to produce a new flower spike with more flowers.

My plant has dropped some leaves. It is ok?

Almost all orchids drop leaves as they grow. A Phalaenopsis plants bottom leaves will turn yellow and fall off when it starts to produce new growth. Common white and purple Dendrobiums often drop all their leaves on each cane after they have finished blooming. With most orchids, old leaf growth naturally drops once new growth starts to emerge. The only time you should be concerned about leaves dropping is when the new growth or large & mature leaves turn yellow or fall off. This usually indicates a bacteria or fungus problem. Unless you've a deciduous orchid that has resting periods where it may drop all of its leaves, if an orchid has no leaves it is most likely dead. Examine the plant carefully if the largest leaves or the new growth are changing colour.

I've got black spots on my leaves, what are they?

This is generally a leaf rot caused by types of fungi that are commonly classified as Cercospora or Colletotrichum. Many times this rot will start out as yellow spots, gradually turning to a brown or black colour. Note that certain plants such as most Oncidium hybrids often get several small black spots on the leaves due to the sun. In this case it is natural spotting and will not harm the plant.

The best kind of treatment for this problem is to use a bactericide or
fungicide spray such as Phyton 27. After treatment, examine to see if the spots are increasing in size or number within a 7 to 10 days. If you have successfully cured of the problem, the spots should dry up and turn brown. If there are still signs of new rot, repeat treatment. Leaves that are heavily covered in rot should be completely removed. Make sure you sterilize whatever tool you may use to remove the infected leaves with as it can spread the disease to other plants.

Why are my buds turning yellow and falling off?

This is referred to as bud blast,
and can be caused by the following conditions:-

1. The plant has been too dry between watering, causing it to withdraw moisture from the buds.

2. There may be some wide swings in temperature, where it may be too hot in direct sun, or the plant may be too close to an air conditioning or heating vent.

3. There may be some fumes in the air caused by paint, natural gas leaks, or other chemicals. Flowers naturally create their own methane and collapse after pollination to save energy for seed production. Certain forms of methane or ethylene may trigger bud or flower collapse.

4. Cattleyas in particular are sensitive while in bud to over watering, causing the buds to actually turn black in the sheath.

5. All plants need an adequate amount of light in order to flower correctly. Placing a plant in the center of a room, on a coffee table for example, is fine for display during an evening of entertaining, but to maintain proper growth and flower development it is best to keep the plant in its growing area (near a window or under lights).
   

I'm doing the same things I've always done, but this year my plant didn't bloom. What's wrong?

Things to consider:

1. Weather conditions! Long periods of cloudy days, cooler or hotter temperatures than normal can change when blooming will occur

2. Has the plant been moved to a different location?
   

Caring for newly arrived plants

Orchids may be shipped with or without pots depending on the preference of the customer and the practice of the grower. Many people ask for plants to be shipped bare root to minimize shipping costs and to allow them to pot the plants in their own growing media and containers.
When you receive a bare root plant, inspect the leaves and roots, cutting off any damaged portions with a sharp, sterile knife. Then pot it and treat it as you would any other newly potted plant.
Potted orchids are allowed to dry out before they are packed so they won't rot in the box. When you receive a potted orchid, inspect the leaves and cut off any damaged parts. Then water the plant. If the pot arrives broken, slip the root ball into a new pot. Unless the roots are badly damaged, you don't need to disturb them.

back