Thoughts on my slippers

[Rubyslippers]

I'd appreciate any thoughts on my lady slippers. I have killed so many. (big sigh) They grow in a SW window with no extra lighting. I have phals, cymbidium and encyclia that flourish and bloom. I did begin having more luck with blooming since I started giving them acidic water from my filter, approximately 5.5. My catts and oncidiums have not bloomed/rebloomed, although they are growing.

However, the phrags and paphs I have now just sit there. The phrags, Sorcerer's Apprentice and a NOID are in bark and always have been. The paphs were in S/H but I recently moved them to bark because they looked as if they were dying. When I removed them a couple had roots that were dried up even though I always kept water in the bottom of the pots. These two I sat down in moss that I keep wet hoping to grow roots.

I use K lite or Better Gro fertilizer. I do seem to have better luck with the Better Gro. I mix it at one quarter strength. When I water I flood them to flush every time.

Right now I have 12 of 28 orchids either blooming or spiking, so why can't I grow lady slippers which is, by the way, my favorites.

 

[Justin]

The plants you have are probably set back and may take months or years to regain their vigor. Suggest replacing them with new healthy plants which would be a better way to start as you get the right culture figured out.

 

[Mikefallen13]

+1 to the above.

Though, IME, Sorcerer's Apprentice is pretty tough as far as phrags go and should recover if given proper conditions. SA was my very first phrag and suffered a lot of abuse but still managed to grow and flower even after coming close to death on several occasions.

 

[PaphMadMan]

We need more information. It seems like there may problems with basic culture. Since you are successful with a range of other orchids I would look first at water quality. Many slippers are more sensitive to water quality issues than other commonly grown orchids, so what else can you tell us about your water?

A SW window may be too bright for some Paphs. Specifically what Paphs and Phrags do you have?

You have had problems with Paphs in S/H. Have others orchids done well in S/H for you? What media do you use for S/H? And for non-S/H?

 

[gonewild]

To get good advice you need to show pictures otherwise it's just a guess.

What size is the bark?
How often do you water and how often do you fertilize?
Regardless whether the pots sit in water does the bark dry out around the roots or stay moist?

 

[Rubyslippers]

We need more information. It seems like there may problems with basic culture. Since you are successful with a range of other orchids I would look first at water quality. Many slippers are more sensitive to water quality issues than other commonly grown orchids, so what else can you tell us about your water?

I have a filter under my sink that makes pure, alkaline and acidic water . I use about 5.5 acidity scale.

A SW window may be too bright for some Paphs. Specifically what Paphs and Phrags do you have?

I do have shutters, so they kind of get filterd from the open slats. I have Sorcerers apprentice and a NOID phrag. Paph pinocchio, a paph raisen pie hybrid, and a paph bulldog.

You have had problems with Paphs in S/H. Have others orchids done well in S/H for you?

I have 2 psychopsis, a potinara, an encyclia, and several phals blooming right now.
Sharry baby alive but struggling. Catts are growing but no spiking.

What media do you use for S/H? And for non-S/H?

I use LEICA and orchid bark from an orchid grower/seller.

[[I

 

[Rubyslippers]

To get good advice you need to show pictures otherwise it's just a guess.

What size is the bark?

Mixed for paphs and phrags--smallish.

How often do you water and how often do you fertilize?

I water every 5 to 7 days. My house is cool at 70 degrees so they don't dry out too fast. I fertilize every other week with diluted fertilizer

Regardless whether the pots sit in water does the bark dry out around the roots or stay moist?

I dont know for sure, but I never let them dry out.

 

[Ray]

First I'll echo a few from above, and say that we need a lot more info.

Second, I think there needs to be some information interpretation: for example, "S/H" does not really tell us how you're treating the plants. Some specifics, please.

You also mentioned that you seem to have better success with one fertilizer over another. Unless you have tried either one - alone - for a matter of many months, I doubt any of us old discern a difference.

Lastly, you have GOT to provide more info on the filter that makes acidic or alkaline water for you. I've not heard of anything like that before, and it makes me wonder how it does that, what it might be adding, how much, etc.

 

[Wendy]

My house is cool at 70 degrees

This MAY also have something to do with it. I find slippers like it a bit warmer...at least in the day.

 

[PaphMadMan]

The amount and type of dissolved solids in the water is far more important than the pH in most cases. For pure water, with very low dissolved solids, pH will change easily depending on fertilizer, media etc.

 

[Rubyslippers]

First I'll echo a few from above, and say that we need a lot more info.

Second, I think there needs to be some information interpretation: for example, "S/H" does not really tell us how you're treating the plants. Some specifics, please.

I bought the S/H pots and the medium from Firstrays.com a couple of years ago. I water before they dry out. Fertilize with dilute fertilizer a couple of times a month.

You also mentioned that you seem to have better success with one fertilizer over another. Unless you have tried either one - alone - for a matter of many months, I doubt any of us old discern a difference.

This is true; however I did use several different brands for one container each before changing over the years

Lastly, you have GOT to provide more info on the filter that makes acidic or alkaline water for you. I've not heard of anything like that before, and it makes me wonder how it does that, what it might be adding, how much, etc.

This is my filter
https://echoh2water.com/home But my filter is three years old.

I always used RO water until I bought this filter. Then after buying this filter I used the purified water setting. A few months ago I started watering on the acid filter setting. (it has purified, alkaline 1-4 and acid 1-4 settings. I put it on acid 2 setting). My phals, psychopsis, potinara, encyclia's, and cymbidium all started spiking recently and getting new growth. But the paphs and phals do not look so good. Since I have my orchids in the window sill with only natural light, I'm not sure the catts are getting enough light to bloom even though they have new growth and look good. But I think it should be enough light for the slippers.

Maybe lady slippers just aren't my thing, but I really love them.

 

[gonewild]

They probably are not getting enough water and humidity.
They probably are not getting enough fertilizer.
They probably have a media pH that is very acid.

Probably :wink:

 

[Happypaphy7]

First of all, I think SW might be too bright, depending on the type of slippers you have.

You also mentioned you left water on the saucer and roots are gone.
That is generally the way. Paphs might like moisture at the root zone, but that is not the same as sitting them in water.
With phrags, it may not be an issue and also even help.
I have grown phrags sitting in water and they do very well that way.
I have also seen Sorcerer's Apprentice with huge tower of flowers ( a bit too big of a plant for a windowsill I think??) planted in a large pot, which was sitting in a large bucket full of water.

With S/H, not everything will adapt well, so you need to keep a very close eye and make a wise and timely decision, in your case with paphs, I think it was a bit too late.

If you have killed all your paphs the same way, wet feet and no roots, I think you might want to try keeping the saucer dry instead of leaving water there.

Also, the ones that you are trying to save, having wet moss around at the base of the plant won't do good. Moist is the key, not wet, which will most likely result in more rot. As long as leaves are rigid, then you still have some chance of reviving them, but it may be a long way back to healthy plant as Justin pointed out.

Good luck!

 

[NYEric]

There is a lot of different advice here but, #1 s/h only works when you keep flushing with water. Your light and temperatures are fine. You should usepure, neutral water and adjust the pH with your additives.