Hi everyone:
I am learning about orchids, so any help, Ideas, suggestions are appreciated. :-)
I tried to save an orchid which was accidentally drowned, but made the same mistake and finished what my siters husband started unknowingly trying to help the poor plant which he thought was going to die because it wasn't being watered. So far I've managed to keep about 4 phalenopsis alive.
I noticed pictures and posts about clivia which is wonderful to me because the cilvia I acquired last November seems to be in trouble for some reason. After searching the internet for weeks I've managed to find conflicting information and no information which seems to tell me how to change the situation for these plants. Out of desperation, I repoted them about 2 weeks ago. There was more root breakage than I wanted to cause, however I can't glue the roots back. They are in a combination of cactus soil, orchid soil, some peat moss, regular potting soil, and humm...I think that's the mixture..oh, a little pearlite but not enough to actually see this substance in the soil.
The leaves are going from their usual color to lime green, yellow, then brown at the ends and slowly the brown nds are getting nearer to the plant stalk. Because of advice from a friend who years ago had one of these plants, I placed them outside this morning. The older plant which has 12 to 25 leaves or so seems to be doing better. The younger plant which had I think about 10 leaves seems to be having slightly more difficulty.
Any help is appreciated for saving my clivia.
One tool which I have found helpful for keeping my orchids moist and not wet is to use a syringe to dribble water onto the top medium to keep it moist while preventing the rest of the medium from the middle to the bottom of the pot from getting saturated. About once a week depending upon how wet the pot is below the top, I will water thoroughly and remove any excess water from the pot in which the clear plastic container is setting.
I often check to be certain my orchids are not sitting in water by looking at the removed plastic container and also I check the roots which may be visible.
I have one orchid in a terracotta orchid pot which seems to need a little more water than the others. This plant came to me drenched in a sphagnum moss stuffed pot. So far the orchid is thriving. The one leaf is growing now.
