Browning and blackening of leaves

[Zoren]

South Park, I will back off from buying fungicide for the moment. I didn't recognize quincan gravel or scoria rock, I looked it up saw it is Lava rock (that I know). Do you plant your Orchids out doors, do you have a house? I plant my plants in a 90 square foot Florida room (an inclosed indoor terrace). I live on the fourth floor of a Condominium, my Florida room faces 225 degress SW, I get the most Sun and Heat (the room has had temperatures of 110 degrees F) in the afternoon. I have put in a 14M-BTU Portable A/C, I run the A/C at night from 9pm to around 7am, so that my plants have a change in temperature. During the day I have to keep a eye on the temperature in the room (it's a little better in the winter, but, it's still Florida. I also put in a humidifier to keep the humidity up at night and low humidity days. I seem to be able to grow some of the more difficult types of Orchids (I only grow Orchids). I have Phrags, Maxilliarias, Species Paphs, Species Phals, Encyclias (some species), Bulbifilums, Psychopsis (Mariposa Peloric), a few in the Cattleya Alliance, Dendrochilum (species), Oncda, Oncidiums, Zygos (having problems), Bllra, Miltonia,Gongora, Myrmec,Dendrobiums and Ryncholaelia. I have one Hybrid Phal and no Vandas (I tried they won't grow in-doors). It is very strange that I haven't been able to grow Regular Phals and my species Phals grow like crazy (most are sequential) I have allot of sequential plants. I have a number of Cattleya's but, I had trouble with them blooming (I think I might have some Clones-If they don't bloom soon I will get rid of them and start all over again)((such is the life of an Orchid enthusiast)). I have tried growing Semi Hydroponically with little success (I do have a few left- I used to have about 90 or 100 plants I've lost allot). I grow now in Orchiata, Sphagnum moss, Hydroton and Charcoal (or a combination of all three). Enough about me, let me know what you are planting, what type of Orchids. Hope I didn't go over board with my Orchid Farm (ha!ha!). Looking foward to your next text. Zoren............

---------- Post added at 08:10 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:49 PM ----------

Ray, that is what is so confusing to me, Iv'e been doing the Kelp Max, K-lite and Garden Solution for about a year. Once a month, I think Iv'e only been out of routine a couple of times. I've never had a problem with fungus. The last time we communicated the discussion had to do with Algae in my SH plants, I found you are correct, the algae has helped in the growth of a few of my plants. The algae may look ugly but it is helping. You were also correct that not all Orchids will grow in a SH environment. Thanks again for all your help in the past, the present and hopefully the future. Zoren....

[SouthPark]

Originally Posted by Zoren

Do you plant your Orchids out doors, do you have a house?

Thanks for describing your growing conditions Zoren.

I grow my most of my orchids outdoors ..... well, it's semi-outdoors as can be seen in the photo taken an hour ago. The sunlight shines on the orchids directly for many hours of the day. I put some plants that can't handle the most intense light further in. Air movement is really quite good. Naturally breezy most of the time.

Most of the orchids are growing in the lava rock (scoria rock) - we call it locally as 'quincan gravel' (pronounced kwing-kun gravel).

My fredclarkeara/catasetum plants have lava rock surrounding their spaghnum balls around the roots. And my paphiopedilums are growing in quincan too -- like a paph. saint swithin 'jill' (in foreground), and two small paph. wossner black wings.

The fredclarkeara (fdk.) plants are currently undecided about whether to go into dormancy or not during the 'winter' here, which doesn't really get much below 15 degree C ..... occasionally could get down to 11 or 12 C ...but that's quite rare. So the fdk have most of the leaves fallen off ..... but having 1 or 2 green leaves that just remain like that --- while 1 plant is even sprouting new growth.

All my cattleya type plants, and vanda, and oncidium are growing in quincan too. One oncidium -- a twinkle, is almost about to flower - flower buds almost opening. A couple of catts are having buds developing in their sheaths at this time.

This photo is not showing my full collection. I have other orchids in other areas around the house.

There's my water sprayer with that watering stick in the foreground. I just use tap water for watering --- occasionally fertilising -- around 1 time per month, and using cal-mag 1 time per month. I'm sure that I could fertilise more ----- like 2 times per month. But once a month has been just fine here.

The catts can be watered every day here --- but I usually back off on the frequency to avoid algae build-up around the roots...... so this is probably where the 'allow to dry a bit' recommendation can be beneficial --- just to avoid some issues of algae growing on roots, then algae decaying or algae suffocating roots, then rotting, then leading to possible issues.

You're definitely a keen orchid grower too! And it sounds like you've generally had no issues for a long time until recently. How long roughly had you been using communal watering or shared water? Had you been doing that for many years?

About the catts blooming. A lot of them need enough light apparently ----- to get their leaves to be a lightish green colour. Lightish green is usually a good thing. If there's not enough light, the leaves often be dark green ----- which is often a kind of visual indicator that there's not enough light, and reduced chances of blooming.

[Zoren]

South Park, I will be sending you some pictures or a video of my Orchid Room. You have very nice plants. I used to grow Catasetum, Cynoches and Clowesa orchids. I was given bad instructions on how to care for them, so I lost all of them. Besides they are all Deciduous growing and I like to see leaves on my plants all year round. But, I will probably try them again they are very fragrant. I've been seeking out Fragrant, Species and Sequential growing orchids lately. I like to see orchids blooming more than once per year.

South Park, if you don't mind me asking do you work or are you retired. I've been retired for about 13 years (actually 16 years if we count tome on disability). I used to work in the Bindery industry which is part of the Printing industry in New York City. The bindery industry doesn't really exit any longer, it was absorbed by the Printing industry. I moved to Florida with my wife about 27 years ago.

I've given you a little of background, if you feel comfortable we can progress from here. I will try to take the pictures or video tomorrow. Zoren....

[Ray]

Originally Posted by Zoren

Ray, that is what is so confusing to me, Iv'e been doing the Kelp Max, K-lite and Garden Solution for about a year. Once a month, I think Iv'e only been out of routine a couple of times. I've never had a problem with fungus. The last time we communicated the discussion had to do with Algae in my SH plants, I found you are correct, the algae has helped in the growth of a few of my plants. The algae may look ugly but it is helping. You were also correct that not all Orchids will grow in a SH environment. Thanks again for all your help in the past, the present and hopefully the future. Zoren....

Whoa, Nellie! I have NEVER said that algae helps. Unless it gets so bad that it clogs up air flow, it doesn't really hurt anything, but it is usually a sign that you are overfeeding.

I have also stated - opposite of what you wrote - that any plant CAN be grown in S/H culture, but that does not mean that anyone can grow any plant that way, because of differences in other aspects of your cultural conditions.

[Zoren]

Ray, I have to apologize (old age is taking over-ha!ha!) I don't remember the discussion. Maybe my conditions and lack of experience is why I've had trouble growing S/H, I will continue trying with plants that seem to grow S/H for me. Zoren...