Miltoniopsis Renee Komoda with yellowing and brown leaves, some falling off

[Fran20]

Help! Purchased this miltoniopsis online in June. It was in spike and bloomed once. A second spike bloomed last week. We have had temperatures in the 90s all last week. this week, I noticed several of the leaves yellowing and turning brown at the tips. Some have fallen off. A new growth on the side appears to be turning brown at the pseudobulb. Can anyone tell me what is happening with my plant?

[jcec1]

Miltoniopsis are cool growers - so temps in the 90s are not going to be to it's liking, also new plants often sulk a bit and leaves can fall off etc as they adapt to new conditions.

If you have a space that gets into the 70s max that will make the plant much happier.

[WaterWitchin]

If it's outside in that heat, big part of the problem is too warm. 80F is about tops for it. Your humidity? Likes lots of humidity. Your watering technique and the medium it's in? Likes moisture, but not soggy.

Start with getting it into the AC.

[Fran20]

Thank you for your prompt reply! My orchid lives indoors. Ambient humidity levels have been above 60% for the last month. When she starts to feel almost dry, I water by drenching for 1 to 2 minutes with New York City tap water. Soil is a mix of sphagnum moss and fir bark.

[DeaC]

Plz,do the research before a purchase. These are not easy to grow without knowing culture requirements.

[claypot]

I agree. What a rich man I would be if I was paid to answer "I have just bought this orchid what should I do with it?". I just do not understand why anybody would buy any plant , not just orchids, without knowing what care will allow it to thrive. Mps certainly don't like heat.

[Fran20]

Originally Posted by claypot

I agree. What a rich man I would be if I was paid to answer "I have just bought this orchid what should I do with it?". I just do not understand why anybody would buy any plant , not just orchids, without knowing what care will allow it to thrive. Mps certainly don't like heat.

I was led to believe that this is a non-judgmental site for beginners.

[neophyte]

hi fran,

a warm welcome to orchidboard. i can assure you that we're very friendly here.

regarding your miltoniopsis, i think it's going to be fine. i have an odontoglossum hybrid that similarly prefers cool temps - it's struggling a little (the leaves drop faster), but it's still doing quite well. i would recommend repotting your mtps in a clay pot, as clay breathes: the evaporation happening from all sides lowers the temperatures, creating an environment cooler than the surroundings (this works better in a less humid environment, as evaporation slows down in high humidity). i think it's currently growing season for mtps (at least for me), so a repotting won't hurt.

[Fran20]

Thank you all for your encouragement and constructive suggestions. I feel that I will learn a great deal from this Board!

[WaterWitchin]

Well, knowing it's in A/C is a great start...I presume temperature somewhere in the seventies? Your humidity level is fine... wish I could achieve that when mine are inside. Miltoniopsis is one of those orchids that is very picky about its water quality. The browning tips could indicate that (note I say "could"). You might try switching to R/O water or a bottled water and see if over time that helps. Make sure you're flushing water through it to wash away any excess mineral buildup.

Somewhere along the line you will want to repot. These guys usually need repotting once a year. That will give you a good idea of how you've been doing on your watering regime. Meanwhile, if it does start to go more downhill, post more pictures and ask for more input. Don't wait until it's in sorry shape.

I also assure you, there's a lot of folks here who will try to help and give advice. Welcome.