That's the one. It just looks like it is more in decline.

I'll try and get a look at it today for you then. Still have to get up to exchange the propane tanks, nap time came first.

I'll have to take a look at it tomorrow Ken. It's getting too dark and I haven't gotten around to buying a generator/inverter for power yet.

Lindsey I apologize for not getting back to you sooner. I've bought quite a few of the 'clearance' plants from Lowe's. I bought a Wandering Jew and brought it back to where is was really nice, until the deer figured it tasted really good. Now it's hanging in the greenhouse and I'm hoping it will come back. I should just go out and take some cuttings and restart it. Hmm, I have all of mine in Orchid bark only and have been watering/feeding once a week until now when it went from summer yesterday to winter today. I should probably cut back on that then for now. I have openings at the bottom of the greenhouse and air does move around pretty well. I have no power to either of them but will be getting a generator/inverter before summer gets here again. I've got no electrical outlets outside and I'd hate to pay an electrician to come out and run power to them, he may tell me all the wiring in my house needs to be replaced With the inverter I can put in lights and run some fans.

Chris, I don't know how big your greenhouse is, or how far from the house, but for my little 9X5 orchid shack, I have a 100 ft. contractor grade extension cord with a 4 way recepticle. I have an oscillating fan and a small programmable space heater plugged in to that. The fan runs 24/7, and the heater is set to come on at 50F, and turn off at 55F.
It doesn't use much juice, and so far it's keeping everything ok. Just something to consider until you can get what you need.

Both greenhouses are only about 40' or so from the house. I could probably get an extension cord like yours and plug it into one of the outlets in the kitchen and run it out a window to one then run another across to the other one. Plug in a fan in each one to circulate the warm air. My greenhouses are both 13 x 10 x 8. Thanks for the idea, I'll get something figured out.

Ken, they say pictures are worth a 1000 words. I un-potted the orchid. The bark was wet and had a woody smell. There is no moss mixed in with the bark. As you can see by the photo of the thermometer the humidity stays pretty high in the area of the orchids. I re-potted with fresh mix and gave a bit of the food I use which is the Better-Gro water soluble. Appreciate any advice or assistance as I would hate to lose these.

Chris, I think Ken is on the road to a Bowl game and he'll be away until Saturday. Not sure he takes a computer along with him on trips.

Looks like you have lots of healthy roots there, but a few that are declining, which is pretty normal. If you haven't already done it, when you re-pot any more of these Phals, cut off any roots that are brown and shriveled. You don't really want rotting plant material in the pot to harbor pathogens.

This means that your yellowing leaves are more likely due to nutrient deficiency, not root rot or other outside influences. Is the soluble fert you're using high in phosphorus (the middle number of the 3) ? Too much phosphorus can bind up some of the other nutrients in soluble fertilizer. Are you by any chance watering with well water (high pH or also could be high in phosphorus as mine is).

Try just adding Epsom salts to your water for the orchids, and feed them by spraying the leaves (any pump spray bottle will do fine. About 1/2tsp. of Epsom salts to a quart spray bottle should be lots. Don't water the roots of the plants for a week or so to let them dry out and breathe. (you're about to get cold weather, so the plants will be slowing down and not need as much anyway).

I would keep that one you re-potted in a shady area and let it dry out for a few days. These orchids do like to dry out between watering, but not quite as much as other types.

It is good that you repotted it in fresh mix as the bark had broken down and was turning into dirt.

Jim

Hi Elaine, so the white roots are normal? I cut off the dried up looking roots before I re-potted it this afternoon. The numbers on the orchid food I'm using are 20-14-13. I'm using city water but who knows what's in that So just spray the plant with the Epson salts solution and not use the orchid food for awhile? We've already got cold weather unfortunately. Once they dry out how often should I water/feed?

Thanks Jim, I expect I'd better go through and repot the rest of them then as they were all potted at the same time. How often should they be repotted anyway?

Chris, It depends on the type of orchid and the type of medium you are using. Epiphytes obtain nutrients from the air so the medium must allow air penetration. Chunky bark allows more air and takes longer to break down. Once the medium looks more like dirt than bark, it's time to repot. As for the type of orchid, Phals don't like change so avoid repotting them unless absolutely necessary. Every two years under normal conditions is about right. Cattleyas are a bit more complicated. Unifoliates (one leaf per pseudobulb) are easy to work with and can be repotted every year. Bifoliates require extra care and do not like to be repotted so be very careful. Bottom line is do some research on your plant and understand its care requirements.

Jim

Chris, As to the water quality, contact your local water district, and ask for a water quality report. You should be able to do it on line. That worked for me, but I also requested a written report. I received a 7 page (both sides) report. As I already knew, our water is highly alkaline and high in salts, so I collect rain water and use that on my orchids.

Thanks Jim, all of mine are Phals. They were all repotted in late June after I got them home from Walmart. I believe that my once a weeks feeding/watering schedule has been too much lately with the weather change and the days growing cooler. I think I'll skip it this week and let them dry out some. They've apparently been getting a lot of moisture from my humidity trays causing the orchid bark to stay wet. I'm just assuming this but it kind of makes sense.

Carol, I just looked at the water quality report for out town, I didn't see any mention of whether it's alkaline or what. Rain water is kind of hard to collect here as most times we get so little of it. Maybe if the El Nino gets cranked up this year I'll have a better chance.

Chris, I think this El Nino is about as cranked up as we're going to get. It's already hitting historic strength, and Yikes! Carol's in California where they haven't seen rain in years, it seems. And they're getting rain!

Didn't you get some rain or snow with this last front that went through? Or did it all pass to the north of you? That's been happening to us here.

In the water report, is there a number for the pH of the water? Anywhere around 7 is neutral. Above about 7.6 is getting pretty alkaline. There should be readings for the soluble salts, too.

Yes, I do think you need to let those guys dry out some, for now. Just a light spritz of the Epsom salts solution every couple of days while the weather is cold should be plenty.

Rain is as scarce as hen's teeth here! With the unprecedented 1" we got in Aug., the total since July 1 is 1.97". My solution is 6 35Gal. Rubbermaid trash cans across the back of my 12 x 52' mobile home. Not pretty, but those fancy (and expensive) rain barrels won't work in my situation. I tied 3 0n each side together with PVC fittings. You would be amazed at how much water you can collect from 1/4" of rain from half of that roof. I put hose spigots on the last one on each side for overflow, and run short hoses away from the house to water lawn. As of now, I have no empty barrels since last winter. Last year I ran out by Aug., but I've changed the way I water since then, so I'm good for quite awhile.

It is sad to hear that, Carol. I was hoping you were getting more rain than that.

Jim

That makes a bunch of us, Jim! It usually starts in Jan. so there is still hope. Northern Ca. is way above their normal, so far. We just need to move that jet stream south....or better yet move it north. I'm already tired of these chilly temps. Woke up to 37 this morning with a touch of frost on the rooftops. Brrr.

I don't know Elaine, we're sure not feeling the love here in Texas. We had the bad storms over Christmas in the northern part and the panhandle but we saw just some rain and I think one bolt of lightning but as far as a nice steady rain haven't seen that lately. The said because of the El Nino we're supposed to be colder than normal this winter and I'll believe that. I looked at the water reports and can't find the pH level anywhere. I've sent and email to the city water distribution department to see if they know. In your earlier post you mentioned just misting them with the 1/2tsp of Epson Salts in a spray bottle. Just the leaves or a bit of mist on top of the bark also?