Question
QUESTION: Hello,

I have had this orchid since about June of 2006. I took a picture of it here: http://picasaweb.google.com/jamoehome/MyPlants/photo?authkey=KFpa_dE9Zzw#5190411

I don't remember what color its flowers were or what they looked like. If you can help me define the orchid, I will do the research I need to make sure I'm taking care of it properly. For now I have it sitting on rocks in a tray with water in the bottom of the tray. My boyfriend suggested that would help the orchid by giving it humidity.

Thank you,
Jamie

an orchid.  I don't know what type, but  www.claycentre.com/pics/orchids10.jpg will show a picture of the kind I have.  It's actually a few years old now.  And I have absolutely no idea of how to take care of it.  Could you please explain the repotting, watering, and pruning (i.e. cutting stems) procedures for me?  Also, I understand that orchids do not like sunlight.  Is this correct?  Lastly, can I plant these outside?

Thank you!

ANSWER: Hello Jamie,

It appears that you have two separate questions, I'll take them one at a time.  

From the photo link, the first one looks like it might be a dendrobium orchid.  Also from the photo, it looks like it needs to be repotted because the roots look to be rotting.  I'll go over the repotting process with your second question.  

The second orchid is a phalaenopsis orchid.  If you have had it for several years, it may be a good idea to repot it.  Gather the materials you will need such as orchid potting media and a pruning shears.  Take the orchid out of the pot, clean off the old media from the roots, remove any roots that are soft and mushy as they are dead.  Clean the pot then put enough media to cover the bottom, lower the roots into the pot until the bottom leaf is just below the pot rim, while holding it in the center of the pot, begin filling the pot with more media.  When full, gently press down on the media and add more as needed to fill the pot.  For the dendrobium, the bottom of the bulb should be just below the pot rim, otherwise everything is the same.  

You didn't mention where you live but here are some things dendrobiums like in their growing area.  Bright light but with semi-shade during mid day.  Temperatures between 50F to 85F, humidity above 40% with some light air movement.  Since it appears yours is one of the evergreen dendrobiums, keep it evenly moist but not constantly wet.  By this, I mean to allow the media to become almost dry between waterings.  

Phalaenopsis need bright indirect sunlight with maybe a couple hours of direct early morning sunlight.  Temperatures between 60F to 85F, humidity above 50% with some light air movement.  Water it when the media becomes barely moist.  

Both dendrobiums and phalaenopsis do not need lots of fertilizer to grow and bloom but it helps to feed them a little once in a while.  Use a balance type orchid fertilizer but use about half the amount suggested on the container.  

As for orchids not liking sunlight, all orchids need it but to varying degrees depending upon what kind they are.  There are some that require full direct sunlight while others deep shade.  

Neither one should be planted out in the garden, but you can put them outdoors if you can give them what they want in their growing environment.  

Placing the pots on a tray of pebbles with water is a good way to increase the humidity around them.  Just be sure the bottom of the pot does not sit directly in the water.  

Hope this helped.  

Jim Kawasaki
San Jose, Ca.



---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hello Jim,

Thank you for getting back to me. I found out I incorrectly asked you my question because I pasted part of another question at the bottom of my question. From what you told me, I have a dendrobium orchid. I'm going to get orchid growing medium and a larger pot to repot it.

I wanted to show you some more pictures because one of the orchid's leaves is turning yellow with black spots on it. I'm worried that it has a fungus and if so I will get fungicide. Another one of the larger leaves is starting to turn yellow, also. Here are pictures of the leaves and the roots:
http://picasaweb.google.com/jamoehome/MyPlants/photo?authkey=KFpa_dE9Zzw#5194052
http://picasaweb.google.com/jamoehome/MyPlants/photo?authkey=KFpa_dE9Zzw#5194052
http://picasaweb.google.com/jamoehome/MyPlants/photo?authkey=KFpa_dE9Zzw#5194052

Thank you again,
Jamie

Answer
Hello Jamie,

Thanks for including more photos, it really helps to see the problem you've described.  

The larger black spots look like sunburn, where they had been exposed to too much sunlight.  There are some smaller black spots that look sort of like fungus spots, possibly caused by a water droplet that remained overnight.  As for the yellowing leaf, I really could not see anything that might be causing it directly on the leaf, might just be old age?  

One thing I did notice in the photos is that the potting media appears to be past its prime and could be replaced with fresh media.  In fact, this could be one cause for leafs turning yellow prematurely.  With the size of the dendrobium plant, I would suggest cleaning the current pot and reusing it to repot.  Dendrobium prefer their roots to become potbound, they grow and bloom better when they are.  As for media, look for one containing orchid bark with maybe a little perlite or sponge rock in it.  To repot, remove it from the pot and clean off the old media from the roots.  Remove any roots that are soft and mushy as they are dead and rotten.  Place a little media in the pot then lower the roots until the bottom of the pseudobulbs (growths) are just below pot rim level and with it being in the center of the pot.  Fill in with more media until it is full then gently press down to slightly compact it and add more as needed to fill the pot.  Water it then place it in a warm shady place for a few weeks, keep it barely moist but try not to water it too much, misting in the morning helps.  Put it back in your growing area and care for it as I suggested earlier and it should bloom again next year.  

Hope this helped.

Jim Kawasaki
San Jose, Ca.