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Look at my poorly orchid please ?

(31 Posts)
FannyCornforth Sun 17-Oct-21 05:30:13

Hello
I absolutely love this type of orchid (I’ve forgotten it’s name, it begins with d…)
.
Anyway, I looked everywhere on the internet to find a company that sells them, they seem very hard to come by at the moment; and eventually found a garden centre in Devon.

Their customer service was absolutely brilliant. The sales lady emailed me photos so that I could chose my actual plants.

The orchids arrived expertly packaged and were absolute stunners.
But! Look at this. One plant has suddenly become really ill. The flowers have gone brown, and actually appear to be rotting on the stem.
I’ve emailed the garden centre and sent these photos.
What do you think is the matter with it? Have you seen something like this before?
Thank you

Oopsadaisy1 Sun 17-Oct-21 05:35:06

Pics?

Oopsadaisy1 Sun 17-Oct-21 05:35:35

Sorry they just popped up

FannyCornforth Sun 17-Oct-21 05:42:28

Thank you! It’s weird how they don’t post isn’t it. I needed to wait a while- not wanting to fall for the old ‘posting twice’ thing

grandMattie Sun 17-Oct-21 05:44:23

Dendrobium.
Could it be too much sun? They normally live in the forest canopy, so need light but not direct sunshine.
Also, too much water? I only give mine about 1tbsp a week, with occasional misting or a shower then severe draining.

FannyCornforth Sun 17-Oct-21 05:46:07

The flowers actually look worse in the ‘flesh’. I think that the first pic shows it the best.

CanadianGran Sun 17-Oct-21 05:47:42

I'm not much help with the orchid, but it is very pretty, and so is your crockery in the background!

FannyCornforth Sun 17-Oct-21 05:48:37

No, it’s usually in the corner of my living room, far away from the window, and I’ve hardly given it any water at all.
I think that it’s a disease. But the plant itself looks in great condition.

FannyCornforth Sun 17-Oct-21 05:54:51

Thank you CG! There’s quite a good story about the crockery.
My late brother in law had a removals and storage business. Every so often they’d have stuff in storage that was never taken back, and couldn’t be traced back to anyone.
They had boxes and boxes of this Denby ware, which he gave to me and DH. It was so exciting unpacking it all! smile
We live quite near the Denby factory, so we went an priced it up. There was well over a thousand pounds worth of it.
And a bonus is that I absolutely love it!
So thank you Paul, and whoever it belonged to, it’s found a good home thanks

CanadianGran Sun 17-Oct-21 06:14:16

Good score with the Denby!

I have a small orchid that was not blooming, and had some good advice here. I took it out of the pot, loosened the roots and repotted it, then started feeding it with a special food just for orchids. It did eventually send up a new stalk and bloom again! However, I cannot advise on yours that is already in bloom. I hope you manage to keep it happy and blooming. Maybe it is the shock of shipping or temperature change while in transit. It may lose a few blooms then recuperate as it adjusts to its new location.

I did find out that Christmas Cactus do not like to be moved when they are in bloom, and will drop all the flowers if moved. I have a huge one that I clip back once in a while, but I don't dare move it!

FannyCornforth Sun 17-Oct-21 06:45:49

Thank you CG, yes, it was quite a result!
I know what you mean about Christmas cacti. I think that poinsettias are the worst for that.
I’ve noticed that companies are selling them to by post shock
I should imagine that you’d be lucky not to receive just a bare twig and a box full of dead leaves.
I think that the orchid has had it as far as flowering is concerned.
I was chuffed to see that it had grown a new spike which was covered in buds; but now it’s suddenly drooped and dropped all of the buds.
Droop and drop sad

FannyCornforth Sun 17-Oct-21 06:47:22

I ought to mention that I bought two orchids. This one is the larger of the two. The other one is doing absolutely fine?

BlueBelle Sun 17-Oct-21 07:01:50

Looks like over watering

FannyCornforth Sun 17-Oct-21 07:24:20

It’s dry as a bone BlueBelle

BlueBelle Sun 17-Oct-21 07:47:16

Well I didn’t necessarily mean today ???

FannyCornforth Sun 17-Oct-21 07:50:35

I haven’t over watered it.
Is that less hilarious?

FannyCornforth Sun 17-Oct-21 07:51:48

I’ve only had them for about a fortnight. It’s happened really quickly. Like I say, the other one is absolutely fine

Katie59 Sun 17-Oct-21 10:19:40

Orchids like cool shady conditions and plenty of humidity and usually do well on a kitchen windowsill, watered sparingly and fertilized regularly.
Thats the theory, I find it very difficult to get consistent results

Parsley3 Sun 17-Oct-21 10:42:21

In my house, plants seem to love a north facing landing window. The two ailing orchids that I put there have now sprouted a flower shoot each. It’s all very hit and miss with those plants, I find.

FannyCornforth Sun 17-Oct-21 10:46:52

There’s definitely something very wrong with it.
You should see the state of it today.
It’s demise has been very swift.
But, as I say, the plant itself looks fine; it’s just the flowers

grannyactivist Sun 17-Oct-21 10:59:09

When the flower stalk has gone brown snip it off, give the plant one ice cube every week/ten days and otherwise ignore it. Hopefully you will find that a new stalk or two will grow and it will flower again next year.

FannyCornforth Sun 17-Oct-21 11:04:54

Thank you GA, even the stalks look healthy. It’s really odd.
It will be interesting to see what the lady at the garden centre says

Callistemon Sun 17-Oct-21 11:57:37

If they value their customers, the garden centre may give you a refund or send a replacement as usually orchids will last for a long time and then the flowers usually dry up rather than go soggy looking.

I'd remove it from the same room as the other one and chop it right back, put it in the light but not in direct sunshine. Water sparingly (the ice cube is a good idea, *grannyactivist!).

FannyCornforth Sun 17-Oct-21 12:12:44

Thank you Callistemon
I thought that too about the garden centre. Honestly, their customer service was brilliant.
I have moved it, in case it’s infectious! I’ll cut it back later.
It’s such a shame because it was an absolute beauty

FannyCornforth Sun 17-Oct-21 16:07:09

Update, and a picture of its sister for comparison