Question
Hi Jim!
I recently bought a beautiful Pui Chin "Flying Tiger" AM/AOS
orchid and
after all the blooms that were on it when it was bought fell off, I
cut the
spike just above the highest node, as I do with my phals, in hopes
it will
bloom again. But the whole spike has begun to turn yellow,
starting with
the top where I cut it. My phals don't do this. I know the plant is
healthy
as its roots and leaves are green and firm. Its medium is moist,
and it
gets sun through my semi-transparent curtains. I live in Austin,
Texas,
so there's plenty of humidity. The daytime temp is probably about
79-
85 and the nighttime about 73-77. Too hot perhaps? I'm
wondering if it
needs special care (other than what one does for phals) or
perhaps I just
need to wait for a new spike? Should I repot it? Since i just bought
it I
have no idea when it was last repotted, but I assume recently as
the
roots are all underground except for the little green baby ones on
top.
Thanks so much!
Annalee

Answer
Hello Annalee,

I believe what you have is a Disa orchid. Is that correct? Disa are one of the orchids I know very little about. But, what I do know is that they bloom only once from a spike so you might as well remove the rest of it.

Also, from what I know of Disa, they are best grown under some what cool conditions, under 75 F and above 50 F with some humidity. Expose it to enough sunlight to maintain a light green color to the leaves, but make sure the leaves are not exposed to direct hot sun. Be careful to not allow it to become dry between waterings. Speaking of water, Disa are very sensitive to salt so if your water supply is high in calcium and sodium, it would be best to purchase distilled water. Good air movement is a must, not hurricane force, just a gentle breeze will suffice. (grin)

Yes, it probably is a good idea to repot it now so you know the freshness of the mix. The mix should be an open mix that retains moisture

That's about it I'm afraid, wish I could help you more with it. Good luck and good growing.

Jim Kawasaki
San Jose, Ca.