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Orchid Flower Spike Problem!

LaurenHLaurenH Posts: 8
in Problem solving
Hello everyone! My Mum received three orchids for her birthday and I have been looking after them for her since then! :) I have been using ice cubes to water them once a week and occasionally mist them. This is my first time looking after orchids and it was going well until these problems came up and I am unsure how to solve them:


The first orchid's flower spike has died at the top, should I cut it down to the new flower stalk?



The second orchid's flowers have fallen off suddenly, is this due to the lack of humidity? :)


This is the worst; a whole flower spike has yellowed and shrivelled, please could somebody tell me the cause and how to prevent it? Another flower spike has began this process :(



Thank you!!!!!! 
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Posts

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Where's @Nanny Beach ... she grows lots of orchids ... she'll be able to advise you if no one else comes along ... 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    Not sure why you use ice cubes??
    The very cold water will shock the roots and it's certainly not what they're used to in the tropics where they grow.

    When the plant is hydrated the roots are green.
    Once the roots start to turn a silvery grey colour they need water - ideally rain water at room temp.
    I soak mine in rainwater with orchid feed for about 10 mins then let them drain - usually about once a week.


    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • Nanny BeachNanny Beach Posts: 8,719
    Here I am! Funnily enough,have literally just fed and watered mine! No ice cubes! Rainwater if you have it, otherwise tap water,let it sit for 24 hours to dechlorinate. Anything brown,cut off,the whole stem, partly brown,cut till you see a tiny bud. The 3rd phase is a dried up cream stick,yes,cut them off completely. Keep them out of the sun. They need spraying/ misting regularly. It's warm for them at the moment,and in the winter,they have to contend with drying central heating.when they stop flowering completely,if you put them in a cool room for about 6 weeks,they will start again. I use a feed you dilute in water.In the summer months,any not in flower,are in hanging baskets under trees in the shade, easier to mist and feed. That's their natural habitat in the rain forest. I will post a picture of one, outside as you will see,has a flower stem it's 2foot long and just budding
  • bertrand-mabelbertrand-mabel Posts: 2,697
    Agree with @Nanny Beach  No ice cubes.
    Rain water if posssible and spraying if possible as well.
    Put them on to a gravel tray/saucer and this will help to keep the humidity up.
    Such long lasting flowering plants and very much worth giving as presents.
  • Nanny BeachNanny Beach Posts: 8,719

  • Nanny BeachNanny Beach Posts: 8,719
    I forgot to post the picture!
  • LaurenHLaurenH Posts: 8
    Thank you Nanny Beach , bertrand-mabel , I will try to collect rainwater in future and shall cut off yellowing stems today!

     
  • LaurenHLaurenH Posts: 8
    The other watering method I have used in the past is to boil water (apparently this gets rid of something) and cool it down. Then I would soak the orchids and drain them after 10 minutes. Is this method ok? Also, how often do you feed your orchids? Thanks :)
  • LaurenHLaurenH Posts: 8
    Pete.8 said:
    Not sure why you use ice cubes??
    The very cold water will shock the roots and it's certainly not what they're used to in the tropics where they grow.

    When the plant is hydrated the roots are green.
    Once the roots start to turn a silvery grey colour they need water - ideally rain water at room temp.
    I soak mine in rainwater with orchid feed for about 10 mins then let them drain - usually about once a week.

    Thank you for your advice, I wasn't aware the roots changed colour. As of yet I haven't used a feed so I will buy some soon!

  • Nanny BeachNanny Beach Posts: 8,719
    You don't need to boil the water,if you have no rain water, just put tap water on a container for 24 hours to dechlorinate.dont leave them to soak,it can cause the roots to rot. I do mine on a sloping draining board,so it wets the roots and runs straight out. I spray them while they're on there as well. They get fed once a week when they have flowers
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