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dead orchid blossoms

maria_s
13 years ago

Hello everybody!

Its a gorgeous sunny day today in Greece, but...

MY ORCHIDS' BLOSSOMS ARE DYING!

I bought 6 plants (phalaenopsis) last friday. Gorgeous, full of blossoms. Almost 15-20 on each plant (from tiny ones to bigger ones). Two days later i saw the first blossom shrink, the tiny stem connecting it to the main stem turning yellow, and eventually... it fell !

I have counted 7... blossom deaths so far from different plants. Only two blossoms (of the bigger ones of course) bloomed. I am afraid they will all have the same fate! What do I do?

Its 5 days today since i bought them and I am afraid to water them AT ALL since i know that when blossoms fall it is a sign of over-watering- at least in most plants and flowers.

Any suggestions anyone?

Thank you all!

Maria

Comments (7)

  • terrysealey
    13 years ago

    Overwatering is not nescessarily the reason your flowers are falling off. The reason I suspect is a change in conditions from where you bought them to your home. Cold and draughts and a change in humidity can all do this and it is very common.

    I can only suggest that you check the conditions and try and rectify them.

  • maria_s
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Thank you for your advice.
    I bought them from the supermarket around the corner, and I cannot imagine that the conditions are so much different.
    I assume they took them out of a refrigerator and this is when the got the shock. I dont know really.
    There's not much I can do about the conditions either, My house is full of light, the perfect temperature for these plants, and the only thing I could change is the watering/ humidity. I usually spray my orchids, and don't pour water directly in the pot. I spray the plant and the roots and soil. It has worked fine so far. I think I used the wrong word , it is the buds that fall off. Each one has around 15 buds and i have thrown 7 already after they shrunk and turned yellow...
    Well, thanks for your opinion, anyway, I guess I will have to wait and see...
    Maria

  • highjack
    13 years ago

    Google orchids and bud blast. I think that would describe your plant.

    Phals should be watered thoroughly, until the water runs through the pot, then water again when dry.

    I doubt the plants were in a refrigerator. Phals would show more displeasure from the low temps than typical bud blast.

    Good luck with them.

    Brooke

  • velamina
    13 years ago

    My local supermarket has displays of flowering phals. during the summertime. They are often located in the frigid vegetable section where they've been adapting for some time. I can only imagine that the shock of bringing them outside in 95 degree weather and then into your home might cause this even if you have ideal conditions in your home.

    I received a mail order phal. that had first traveled in a box for a few days to get to me and only a short time after receiving it, I thought it would be a good idea to place it in the bathroom with a steaming hot shower for humidity. Out of about 7 blossoms only one survived.

    I think it has to do with a drastic change in conditions as was mentioned above as that was my first and hopefully last, (wishful thinking) experience with bud blast.

  • orchid126
    13 years ago

    Welcome to the world of orchids. Misting buds is not recommended. Misting the roots is okay. As Brooke says, water thoroughly until the water runs through the pot, and then don't water again until the phal is almost, but not quite, dry.

    Don't worry that much about humidity. The light is the most important, and watering properly is the next.

    You don't know how the plants were treated before they reached your supermarket. Heaven only knows. But if you give your orchids good care, they will adjust to your conditions and perhaps bloom again for you the next growing season. Hang in there!

  • maria_s
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Thank you all so very much for your advice!
    Hopefully, as you said they will eventually adjust in my home!
    Thanks again!
    Maria

  • donaldb
    13 years ago

    Quite interesting. I have over 40 different orchids and last year my next door neighbor who is not into growing anything received a NOID phal that was huge both in the size of the leaves and the amount of flowers it carried on its spike. She carried it over from her house which is about 150 feet from mine in December when the temps were in the low 30's. My immediate response was that it was nice but that the flowers would be lucky to still be there in a couple of days because of bud blast. To my surprise they lasted well into the first week of April. This is no exaggeration. Orchids never cease to amaze me as to their various quirks. Presently the same Phal has a huge spike that is 10 inches and producing many buds. One never knows.

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