Question
Whole plant
I purchased this orchid from the store last summer. After it was done blooming, I noticed that it had black spots on some leaves. I cut off the worst of them and re-potted the orchid in bark. It seemed to be doing well-putting out new roots and leaves; however, now the black spots are back (with a vengeance). Some leaves are also turning brown/gray at the tips. I must mention that I began watering this orchid twice a week because the pseudopods (is that the right word?) were drying up. It is being kept in a window with significant afternoon sun that can get a little warm (but my African violet loves that area, so ?). I feed once a week for 3 weeks, then no food for the 4th week. Is this orchid save-able? Will it infect my other orchids with whatever it has? Please see attached images. Thank you.
AnswerSarah, from your picture, it appears that a couple of leaves are sunburned so I would back it away from the window. You don't mention where you get your water for watering the plant or the type of fertilizer you are using. Sometimes leaf tip die back is due to an accumulation of salts in the potting mix. Usually, pseudobulb shrinking is a sign of root rot and you did well to repot in an orchid potting mix. I would flush the plant with water for the next several waterings and, after that, feed with 1/4 tsp of plant food per gallon of water twice per month. The good news is that, overall, your oncidium alliance orchid looks healthy and you have healthy new growth. In summary, reduce the light and reduce the feeding after repeated flushing with rain water to remove the salt build-up. Since there are no signs of insects, I wouldn't be concerned about the other orchids for now.
