I’ve been tasked with watching this thing for about a month now, and I think I’ve been overwatering it maybe. The instructions say to either submerge pot in water for 5 minutes/ place 2 - 3 ice cubes…once a week. I was watering it like 2 a week with a spray bottle for the first few weeks.

I just finished ice cubing it yesterday and it looks even worse I think.

Last picture is the plant currently. Additional info, it’s been very hot the past week and now. High 80’s and 90’s…

  • @IdliketothinkimsmartOP
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    62 years ago

    The other one is also not doing a whole lot better, but I’m watering this one 2 a week.

    The roots were gray so I’m watering em more often.

    • commet-alt-w
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      42 years ago

      not an expert either, but doing some searching around, these seem like good resources to look at

      help my orchid is dying

      It’s natural for the flowers to die off. However, if the flowers fall off faster than normal depending on your variety, be sure to check if theres anything bothering your plant.
      
           Buds falling off before they have a chance to bloom is known as bud blast, which is a sign of a stressed plant. You’re very likely to experience this after bringing a new orchid home as it acclimates to the new environment. 
      
          Dehydration can make an orchid drop its flowers to save the rest of the plant. 
      
          Low humidity is problematic for many species, as they naturally grow in tropical rainforests. 
      
          Changes in temperature are not appreciated and can result in flower drop. This is especially likely if it suddenly gets very cold.
      
          Too much or little sunlight can both mess with flower development and blooming, so make sure you provide bright but indirect light.
      

      is my orchid dying?

      Sign #4: Droopy leaves often mean your plant is dehydrated or has root damage and can’t absorb vital nutrients to survive.
      

      from what i can tell so far, if the roots are not showing signs of rot, it could be a humidity/temperature thing as these are largely rainforest type plants. the type of water you are using could also be an issue. faucet water is not recommended for many house plants, instead should use distilled water or even rain water gets recommended sometimes. these plants also go through natural cycles of losing flowers, so off chance things are ok? but i am unsure

      • @IdliketothinkimsmartOP
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        2 years ago

        Hmmm, I see. This purple fella has only been here for about 2 months, and I’ve been with em for at least a month. Prior to that, my mom was mostly watering it, but i waaaaanna say it was doing fine. From the discourse I looked up, people are saying most orchids are pretty resistant to hard water. This one is a phal and people said they were tolerant of hard water! Well I do have a water filter thingy, so maybe I’ll try it next week.

        I pruned the dying leaves/ dead ones. Hopefully, that makes a difference. I’m thinking Ornlu might have a winner here. I’ve been overwatering them a bit much these past few weeks. Hehe, thanks for the help :)

        edit: as it turns out, i shouldn’t be watering the crown of the plant either…good to know

    • Nax
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      42 years ago

      I’m no expert but maybe you watered it too much so the roots are rotting. not saying that’s the case but maybe look into that.

      also🦀🦀🦀

  • @DerPapa69@lemmy.ml
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    32 years ago

    I just showed the pictures to my fiancé, who’s a certified orchid crazy lady. She says that your orchids look fine as far as she can tell from the pictures! It’s normal for the flowers to die, so new leaves can grow. The roots apparently look normal too, except for some buildup of residue from hard water. Apparently that’s not a big problem short-term, but could damage the plant long-term. An easy solution is to just flush the whole thing out for ~30 seconds with distilled water once a month.

    • @IdliketothinkimsmartOP
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      22 years ago

      Oh wise Orchid Lady, thank you for your knowledge. Distilled as in filtered water? Would the water from my brita filter work?

    • @IdliketothinkimsmartOP
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      22 years ago

      Okay the ice cube thing seems very dumb now that I know they’re tropical plants 🙄. Hmm, I’m now wondering if using a spray bottle isn’t good enough. Cause if I’m supposed to sit it in water for 5 minutes, it must need hella water no? However, people are saying it doesn’t like to be drenched…

      I’m also worries about the bark in the purple one. That kinda looks like some mold.

  • @OrnluWolfjarl
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    32 years ago

    I have the same orchid and it’s been steady 40s (celsius) for 3 months now. I’ve been watering with half a cup of water per week. It’s pretty healthy. Most likely you overwatered it. Check the roots for rot. Also, first time I’m hearing about the ice cube thing. Freezing the plant doesn’t sound like a good idea.

    • @IdliketothinkimsmartOP
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      22 years ago

      Huhuhuhu hello! Do you spray the flower or just pour the water over the roots?

      • @OrnluWolfjarl
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        32 years ago

        Just pour it. My pot has holes underneath though so the excess water doesnt stay at the bottom. I have the pot sitting in another pot, which collects the excess water.