Orchid- Zygopetalum help

[Florida_guy_26]

A new blog entry has been added:

Orchid- Zygopetalum help

I need help because even with the wealth of knowledge on the internet, I still managed to destroy a Zygopetalum I got from HomeDepot. The moral of this article NEVER buy orchids from those places because the info they give on the plant care is minimal and not helpful enough to keep a plant in good shape.

[stonedragonfarms]

A few things about zygos...
-For the most part, you can follow the same cultural practices as for cymbidiums: free draining moisture retentive media, heavy watering and feeding while in active growth and a drop in temps from day to night. Sort of curious as to why you felt the need to repot the plant so soon..? Zygos bloom on the new growth; the spikes elongate in sync with the new growth, then exceed it, bloom, and the foliage/new bulb is made up. The new growth will start to throw roots after blooming, when it is about half way grown.
You are in Florida I am assuming? I would have probably potted in a 1:1:1 mix of medium sized coconut(coir) chips, coarse perlite & dynarock (or failing that aliflor); the mix will be very free draining, but retain a good deal of moisture.
If possible, post us a picture of your plant so we can see what's going on...and we can give more advice from there.
Adam

[watsgw1155]

I have killed one , plant 2 is probably on it's way out , and plant 3 is on the way. Third time is the charm (or I'll give up).

My Zygos get black spots on the leaves and spikes and slowly die bulb by bulb. I have asked a few people here CO and no one seems to know why.

I suspect a virus.

I pot them in 1/3 bark, 1/3 hort charcoal and 1/3 sponge rock.

Anyone know about these black spots?

[Florida_guy_26]

well thank you Adam, I do live in florida and after receiving most of the orchids i have now i repotted almost immediately because of 2 reasons. The 1st reason for repotting right after I get an orchid is to see the condition of the roots, and no 2 is to inspect the top and bottom for any infestations because 1 plant can spread disease to all others in a collection. After spraying the plant with physan20 i let it dry for a day or 2 and then repot in a medium i think is more suited to the plant or back in the medium it was in- just sterilized for precautionary measures. As far as I have got with the plant it is in soil because I read the zygos come from australia and grow as terrestrials so I figured soil is best. I will do my best to explain the plant when I got it- it had 2 growths and the first was a smaller bulb, the second was bigger but it was not mature at the time. Now because the plant is in such piss poor condition because of me, it used the second non-mature bulb to produce a sympodial growth which sent off new roots but they are not growing- it seems like the plant is in stasis right now with no change except the middle bulb now dying. So now to be sure of what im saying, I have the plant in a 3.5 in pot and it has the one mature bulb that was too small to bloom and then the second bulb which is rotting, and now has the small new growth towards the front. I can see the roots from the top of the soil because I put in soil fairly superficial and can see the new growth's roots and so far none of them are really white and lively like they were when I got the plant. - do not buy from home depot- it was a 2 bulb division and not worth the 12-15 $ I paid for it.

[masda]

Repotting a orchid at any time places the plant under stress, and potting in soil as you have done in not a good idea, use a open mix of bark or spaghnum and never repot outside the growing season, spring is the best time. Buying orchids at a non orchid plant store is only a last resort as generally the staff havn't a clue about them and will spray and water them with all the other plants with whatever they have in hand at the time, which may not be good for orchids. The black spots sound like a fungal disorder and the root problem could be as a result of over watering the soil. Try spraying with a fungicide, only water in the morning and twice a week in summer with a misting during the day in hot weather.In the cooler months water lightly once a week, never water at night in winter.

[stonedragonfarms]

Originally Posted by watsgw1155

I have killed one , plant 2 is probably on it's way out , and plant 3 is on the way. Third time is the charm (or I'll give up).

My Zygos get black spots on the leaves and spikes and slowly die bulb by bulb. I have asked a few people here CO and no one seems to know why.

I suspect a virus.

I pot them in 1/3 bark, 1/3 hort charcoal and 1/3 sponge rock.

Anyone know about these black spots?

Zygos often get black spots on their foliage when water is left on it overnight; alternatively, you may also get spotting if the daytime temps are too high without sufficient air movement (similar things happen with masdevallias & other pleuros)

Most of the time the spotting is cosmetic...though I should ask about the size of the spots as well... Spots from water or heat will be about the size of a pin head and randomly interspersed across the leaf surface. If you are seeing larger black spots or rings on the leaves I would suspect either insect damage or something viral.

One other thought; in the mix that you are currently using, how often are you watering your plants? The mixture does not seem particulary water retentive (though it should be very free draining ) but Zygos love water and should never truly dry out...

[watsgw1155]

The plants are indoors and I repot every year so suspect I need to water from the bottom and increase the air movement.

Thanks so much!

[stonedragonfarms]

Originally Posted by Florida_guy_26

well thank you Adam, I do live in florida and after receiving most of the orchids i have now i repotted almost immediately because of 2 reasons. The 1st reason for repotting right after I get an orchid is to see the condition of the roots, and no 2 is to inspect the top and bottom for any infestations because 1 plant can spread disease to all others in a collection. After spraying the plant with physan20 i let it dry for a day or 2 and then repot in a medium i think is more suited to the plant or back in the medium it was in- just sterilized for precautionary measures. As far as I have got with the plant it is in soil because I read the zygos come from australia and grow as terrestrials so I figured soil is best. I will do my best to explain the plant when I got it- it had 2 growths and the first was a smaller bulb, the second was bigger but it was not mature at the time. Now because the plant is in such piss poor condition because of me, it used the second non-mature bulb to produce a sympodial growth which sent off new roots but they are not growing- it seems like the plant is in stasis right now with no change except the middle bulb now dying. So now to be sure of what im saying, I have the plant in a 3.5 in pot and it has the one mature bulb that was too small to bloom and then the second bulb which is rotting, and now has the small new growth towards the front. I can see the roots from the top of the soil because I put in soil fairly superficial and can see the new growth's roots and so far none of them are really white and lively like they were when I got the plant. - do not buy from home depot- it was a 2 bulb division and not worth the 12-15 $ I paid for it.

Ok... Let's get our hands a bit dirty with this one:
-Terrestrials Please remember that where it grows as a terrestrial (I'm not meaning country or origin here, but physical location: paphs grow terrestrially over much of their range, but almost always in leaf litter over rocks, likewise many phrags grow terrestrially, but often in beds of moss near running or seeping water, etc) is key to what it should be grown in. Zygos are from South America originally...where they usually grow as epiphytes. They can be grown as terrestrials, usually treated to the same type of mix that you would be growing cymbidiums in.
-Soil With the possible exception of our native orchids never use soil (unless you are planting in the ground); soil-less mix (referred to as "mud" in phalaenopsis growing circles) is acceptable, though you may find that it breaks down quickly for you in Florida.
-One mature bulb that was too small to bloom and then the second bulb which is rotting, and now has the small new growth towards the front Remember that Zygos bloom on new growth; old pseudobulbs do not produce spikes, they send up new vegatative growth which blooms concurrently while making up new leaves and the pseudobulb. I will take a picture of my zygos when I am out at the GH this afternoon and you can compare growth to what you are seeing on yours...

All that aside, for the moment I would unpot your plant to look at the remaining roots. Any which are dead/rotten I would remove. (and then dust the wounds with cinnamon or a mild anti-bacterial) I would let the plant air dry for 48hrs or so, and then repot into clean media. If there are dry brown leaf sheaths remaining at the base of your pseudobulbs, remove them before repotting--this will allow developing roots easier access to the media. Pot the plant in the smallest container that will accomodate its roots. Lightly water the plant in, and set it in a humid shady area for the moment; ideal temps at this stage would be high 60's to mid 70's, with light air movement... You should see new root growth over the course of the next 4-6 weeks. If I were to choose the media, I would use straight long fibre sphagnum moss (soak it overnight and wring it out before potting up); if you use this as a media, make sure not to pack the pot too tight...
Let us know what you decide to do,
Adam
BTW--The quality of plants varies widely at Home Depots, if I am considering buying a plant from them, I often knock it out of the pot in the store before I commit to buying it. Most of the time the plants are so dry that they come right out and you can see the roots then and there. Though you may need to ask before doing this at a nursery...and be prepared for what you might find in the pot along with the roots (slugs, frogs and snakes have all been disturbed by my prying fingers and eyes...)

[Florida_guy_26]

Ok just to let everyone know, I am not intentionally trying to kill this plant. I read and figured that a mix of orchid barks and mushroom compost would be a good idea to keep the roots from drying out. The plant originally came in sphagnum moss but that NEVER works for me because it either stays too moist or too dry and i dont overwater my plants either- i try to keep the moss lightly watered but it dries too fast and if i water just even a bit heavier than misting, it gets soaked and the roots start rotting right away. On top of that i never did like sphagnum moss because I could not find a balance with it but also because it seems to dry too fast even after it has been well watered. I will try to put the plant back in sphagnum moss and see if it works- im just sick of the thing and about to cut my losses. I dont know how to attach photos but i have many - email is jerseykidd81@hotmail.com

[stonedragonfarms]

Here are a couple of photos illustrating growth & spike development on the zygos that I have. Hope these shed a bit of light on your plant.

Cheer up Florida guy.... I have killed my fair share of orchids over the years, but just like getting thrown from the horse, eventually you figure out how the stirrups work...
Adam