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Friends Orchid
Hi, can some one help a good friend of mine with her orchid, she's been losing leaves, however it flowers beautifully, amazing really, sorry I never thought to get photos. However I got a shot of the horrid leaf.
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she waters it every sunday. How.. she lets the water run through it, it doesn't stand in water.
Is it one of the bottom leaves, Jimbolena? If so, it's quite natural, they do die off after a while but new ones should come out of the middle.
ok thanks for that
Jimbolena, orchids don't like getting their leaves wet. When watering be careful not to get the water over the leaves especially in the center of them all. Wipe off excess water and don't let them stand in water for too long either. The occasional wipe of leaves with a damp cloth will be ok. I'm your friend will see a new leaf coming soon, they do occasionally shed old leaves.
Thanks for that, I'm not 100% sure how she waters it but that could be the case, I know she takes the plant to the sink and waters with tepid tap water, she lets it all drain away, she could well be covering the whole plant.
I will send your post to her, thanks again.
Jimbolena, it would be better to get a small 'indoor' watering can with a long thin spout and water around the plant. Watering it under the tap the water is probably going all over the plant, which as you say is probably the cause of the problem.
I don't think she uses the tap, I'm sure she uses a watering can as you've described but I'm almost certain she doesn't know not to water the leaves. I have copied your comment in an email to her.
It's a truly stunning orchid she has, 3 spikes bursting with flowers, it was a gift and not something she'd buy herself but now that it's so stunning she was worried it would die. You've been very helpful because I'm sure that's what she's doing.
Will try and get a pic of the whole plant to show you how many flowers are on it.
I love them and have a few. Tell not to worry when the flowers drop off. New shoots will appear. She can when all old flowers have gone, cut the stem down to one of the 'nobbly' bits on the stem and new shoots will appear on those too. I think they are a stunning plant and they last for years.
I have one too, my niece bought me it, I proceeded to water as a normal house plant and all the flowers fell off! I then got upset and started to read about them a little, I know nothing other than they hate to be wet and need to dry out completely between watering. this is the 3rd year I've had it and just now I have flowers coming. I think it's been in the huff! lol.
How far back down the stem do you go, my stem has 3 nods so do I just go to the first one down or the bottom one?
Its up to you really, how tall is the stem? Depending how tall, but I'd probably go for the 2nd or 3rd ( as in highest) sometimes they do take awhile to reflower so don't give up........my daughter in law thought it had died after the flowers didn't grow back after a month a threw it away!!!! Lol