JUST ADD ICE ORCHIDS WITH DROOPY SPLIT LEAVES

[xxkarliexx]

so my boss got these just add ice orchids and put them in front of a window, its only been two weeks and the leaves are droopy and split down the middle or discoloured. i had a white phal in the same window and it did great, bloomed twice the two years i had it there, the roots rotted and i repotted it. but this one is doing aweful, what does this look like the symptoms of?

[calypsoB]

Well, for starters the general consensus on this board is that adding ice to tropical growing plants is not a good idea. It looks as though it is suffering from dehydration. This could be from root rot, not enough water, or not enough humidity or all of the above
I recommend seeing what is happening at the root level to get a better idea
Also split leaves could be just a mechanical injury or the result of not enough nutrients. Generally nothing too serious.

[lepetitmartien]

About the ice: wait till it melts and get back to room temperature…

On the split leaves, as CalypsoB said, the usual "mechanical injury" is the phal dropping on the floor. I've got a big one rescued form a garden center, 2 of the leaves were like this. It's thriving a year later, making spikes…

[Wynn Dee13]

How many ice cubes does it say to give the plant and how often? You should not water orchids with ice. It is way too cold and is not good for the roots. Also, the last Just Add Ice orchid I saw said to only give the plant two ice cubes a week. That is not enough water. Think of what two melted ice cubes is, like two tablespoons of water. No wonder it is dehydrated.
I hate those companies that advertise those orchids like that. It is just a gimmick to sell orchids. Then the orchid ends up dead or on its way there and the owner doesn't know why because they thought they were taking good care of it just like the instructions said. It isn't fair to the people who buy those orchids! It is also not fair to the orchid!
Anyway sorry about my little rant! I would check the roots. A lot of orchids that come from grocery stores need to be repotted and have root issues. I agree with the previous post that it is dehydrated either by root rot or not enough water or both. Also if it is in an office I would think the humidity would be low. Especially if the airconditioning is on. Check the roots and let us know what you find and we can help you from there.
Oh and Welcome to the Board! You are at the right place for orchids! If you want to learn more about Phalaenopsis orchids and their care read this thread http://www.orchidboard.com/community...ends-here.html It is long but it has a lot of good information so it is worth reading. Good luck!

[NYCorchidman]

Your plant looks severely dehydrated. those wrinkly leaves. When that happens, leaves naturally droop down and in the process, the center of the leaves sometimes split. While unsightly, it's nothing to be alarmed like a member mentioned earlier.

I recommend putting the whole plant in a bag to keep high humidity if roots are in bad condition. If it has some roots and you can manage, then I would recommend potting it in a clean moss and mist the top surface of the medium and back of the leaves often on a daily basis. It will soon shed a few lower leaves and then start growing new leaves and roots again.

Good luck!

Oh, and I'd like to add my opinion on using ice, NEVER put ice cubes on the pot. Even if it melts, it is just too cold for the roots of any plants.

[xxkarliexx]

thats totally what i thought about that company. adding ice to orchids just didnt seem logical to me. i just started learning about orchids about 2 years ago but i was just sort of winging it and it went well, i was under the impression though that orchids didnt like much water, but then again there are so many different kinds. does it also depend on the medium?

[lepetitmartien]

I think customers of Add Ice Orchids should read proper directions about growing orchids and phals first things first.

AOS Culture Sheets
Orchid Culture - Genus

Along the thread against phal abuse quoted.

It's the second time I read about AIO, they are not selling in Europe fortunately…

[Bud]

Originally, Phalaenopsis grow attached on trees in warm tropical areas ...the morning dew and rains lets it drink and feed it with washed out bird droppings and decayed plant debris...I dont think they ever experienced snow or frost...I dont understand why it would survive on ice melting on its aerial roots...no fertilizer...no instructions on how the room should relate to light and humidity...just add ice and it will survive??!! I dont think so...

[xxkarliexx]

i'll check the roots out and go from there, THANKS FOR ALL YOUR HELP! =) the phal i repotted had real bad root rot, all that was left was little nubs of new roots. but when i got all the old moss off, it was two plants? so i put each in its own pot with this barky medium, any tips on how to manage them?

[Wynn Dee13]

Orchids actually need quite a bit of water. Phalaenopsis do because they don't have psuedobulbs to store water and nutrients. What is the plant potted in? You want to thoroughly wet the meadium and then let it drain well. You want the plant in a well draining pot. Many plants bought at grocery stores are planted in a plastic pot and then set in a decorative pot with no drainage. When you water take the pot out of the decorative pot to water and after it drains well you can put it back in the outer pot. But if the outer pot is too tight around the inside pot it will restrict air flow to the roots. I don't like to keep my orchids in decorative pots that don't allow an air space in between the two pots. Water the plant when it is completely dry or almost dry. This might be once a week or many times a week. It depends on your growing conditions and the weather or time of year. The pot will dry out faster in the summer than the winter. Many people use a bamboo skewer to help them know when to water. You can keep one in the middle of the pot and check it to see when to water. If the skewer is dry, then it is time to water. If it is wet, it's not time to water. Have you been able to check the roots?