Orchid resilience put to the test (aka, can I expect my plants to survive)
Login
User Name
Password   


Registration is FREE. Click to become a member of OrchidBoard community
(You're NOT logged in)

menu menu

Sponsor
Donate Now
and become
Forum Supporter.

Orchid resilience put to the test (aka, can I expect my plants to survive)
Many perks!
<...more...>


Sponsor
 

Google


Fauna Top Sites
LOG IN/REGISTER TO CLOSE THIS ADVERTISEMENT
Go Back   Orchid Board - Most Complete Orchid Forum on the web ! > >
Reply
 
Thread Tools Rate Thread Display Modes
  #1  
Old 08-09-2020, 06:00 AM
camille1585's Avatar
camille1585 camille1585 is offline
Administrator
 

Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: middle of the Netherlands
Posts: 13,683
Default Orchid resilience put to the test (aka, can I expect my plants to survive)

I'm on vacation for 3 weeks visiting family in France (will be home in a week), and the worst case scenario I was fearing for my orchids is playing out. This year I don't have a plant sitter, so left the plants to fend for themselves, expecting them to be very dry but mostly OK when I got back.

Europe is now in the middle of what is expected to be one of the longest heatwave in history (and certainly a record breaker for the Netherlands). My apartment faces south, and from experience I know that it is probably around 33C/90F indoors right now. I had watered the plants well before leaving (soaked them the day before and day of departure), drew the curtains and left a bit of water in the saucers.

By now the plants will all be very dry, and they now have to deal with the heatwave. I think most of my Phals will pull through (limp and sad, but I can revive them) but I'm very concerned about my Paphs, Phrags and Catasetum since they all need tons of water at this time of year. Can I expect any of these to survive?

Once I get back home next Saturday, what I can I do to help them recover, other than soak them?

My only consolation at the moment is that I brought 20 plants with me on vacation (my Neofinetia and all my minis) so at least I'll still have those...
__________________
Camille

Completely orchid obsessed and loving every minute of it....

My Orchid Photos
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 08-09-2020, 07:42 AM
Ray's Avatar
Ray Ray is offline
Senior Member
 

Join Date: May 2005
Member of:AOS
Location: Oak Island NC
Posts: 14,790
Orchid resilience put to the test (aka, can I expect my plants to survive) Male
Default

Soak them and be done. They'll probably be fine.

I have had bare-root phals shipped to me from Malaysia - 3 weeks in transit - and while they were very desiccated, they survived.
__________________
Ray Barkalow, Orchid Iconoclast
FIRSTRAYS.COM
Try Kelpak - you won't be sorry!
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 08-09-2020, 07:54 AM
camille1585's Avatar
camille1585 camille1585 is offline
Administrator
 

Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: middle of the Netherlands
Posts: 13,683
Default

Thanks Ray, but the Phals are the ones I'm least worried about, I know they can bounce back from all but the worst abuse . It's the others I'm worried about, I don't have any experience with them in prolonged heat and dryness.
__________________
Camille

Completely orchid obsessed and loving every minute of it....

My Orchid Photos
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 08-09-2020, 11:05 AM
estación seca's Avatar
estación seca estación seca is offline
Senior Member
 

Join Date: Jun 2015
Zone: 9b
Location: Phoenix AZ - Lower Sonoran Desert
Posts: 17,755
Orchid resilience put to the test (aka, can I expect my plants to survive) Male
Default

Some Paphs are surprisingly drought tolerant. I had one fall behind a shelf without me noticing it. I don't know how long it didn't get water, but it looked awful, and recovered.
__________________
May the bridges I've burned light my way.

Weather forecast for my neighborhood
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 08-09-2020, 11:53 AM
DirtyCoconuts's Avatar
DirtyCoconuts DirtyCoconuts is offline
Senior Member
 

Join Date: Sep 2019
Zone: 10b
Location: South Florida, East Coast
Posts: 5,838
Orchid resilience put to the test (aka, can I expect my plants to survive)
Default

Catasetum will also be fine...worst case you won’t get flowers this year but they are also very tolerant

I think that you will be fine and I am pulling for you!

---------- Post added at 11:53 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:52 AM ----------

The phrags I am less knowledgeable about and I don’t have advice other than to do a few shorter soaks of 4-6 hours with a little air time as opposed to one long soak.
__________________
All the ways I grow are dictated by the choices I have made and the environment in which I live. Please listen and act accordingly
--------------------------------------------------------------
Rooted in South Florida....

Zone 10b, Baby! Hot and wet

#MoreFlowers Insta
#MoreFlowers Flickr
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 08-16-2020, 10:12 AM
camille1585's Avatar
camille1585 camille1585 is offline
Administrator
 

Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: middle of the Netherlands
Posts: 13,683
Default

I thought it could be useful for others to report back on how my orchids fared. Surprisingly well actually. The Phals look very good, other than some shriveled looking roots and one somewhat wrinkly Phal.

The Paphs and one Phrag are droopy but ok. My other Phrag is looking very good and even started 3 new growths. I'll put it down to the fact that it's a very recent puchase that needs to be repotted (the bark is rather broken down and soggy, so stays wet a long time). My catasetum is also surprisingly happy looking, with the developing bulb noticeably fatter, and not even wrinkled!

The only casualties were 2 small plants, Haraella odorata and Den Rainbow Dance, which I stupidly forgot to take with me...

All the orchids are now happily soaking, and I added some Kelpmax to give them a boost.
__________________
Camille

Completely orchid obsessed and loving every minute of it....

My Orchid Photos

Last edited by camille1585; 08-16-2020 at 03:48 PM..
Reply With Quote
Post Thanks / Like - 3 Likes
Likes WaterWitchin, DirtyCoconuts, fishmom liked this post
  #7  
Old 08-16-2020, 11:00 AM
WaterWitchin's Avatar
WaterWitchin WaterWitchin is offline
Administrator
 

Join Date: Feb 2011
Zone: 6a
Location: Kansas
Posts: 5,033
Default

Much more resilient than we sometimes give credit for! So glad it turned out well.
Reply With Quote
Post Thanks / Like - 1 Likes
Likes camille1585 liked this post
  #8  
Old 08-16-2020, 12:06 PM
estación seca's Avatar
estación seca estación seca is offline
Senior Member
 

Join Date: Jun 2015
Zone: 9b
Location: Phoenix AZ - Lower Sonoran Desert
Posts: 17,755
Orchid resilience put to the test (aka, can I expect my plants to survive) Male
Default

Sorry about the two small ones.
__________________
May the bridges I've burned light my way.

Weather forecast for my neighborhood
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 08-16-2020, 03:15 PM
DirtyCoconuts's Avatar
DirtyCoconuts DirtyCoconuts is offline
Senior Member
 

Join Date: Sep 2019
Zone: 10b
Location: South Florida, East Coast
Posts: 5,838
Orchid resilience put to the test (aka, can I expect my plants to survive)
Default

i am delighted to hear of the disaster averted!
__________________
All the ways I grow are dictated by the choices I have made and the environment in which I live. Please listen and act accordingly
--------------------------------------------------------------
Rooted in South Florida....

Zone 10b, Baby! Hot and wet

#MoreFlowers Insta
#MoreFlowers Flickr
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 08-16-2020, 11:58 PM
Leafmite's Avatar
Leafmite Leafmite is offline
Senior Member
 

Join Date: Sep 2010
Zone: 5b
Location: Ohio
Posts: 10,847
Orchid resilience put to the test (aka, can I expect my plants to survive)
Default

I bet you were quite relieved. The Haraella odorata can probably be easily replaced.
__________________
I decorate in green!
Reply With Quote
Reply

Bookmarks

Tags
day, dry, heatwave, left, plants


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools
Display Modes Rate This Thread
Rate This Thread:

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Ansellia africana propagation success? smweaver Propagation 23 05-22-2020 12:46 PM
2020 Boca Raton Valentines Orchid show DirtyCoconuts Orchids in Bloom 8 02-11-2020 11:19 AM
Paphiopedilums by Brandon Tam, Huntington - DVOS 2017 09 21 estación seca Cypripedium Alliance - Paphiopedilum 5 09-30-2017 12:17 AM
New Judging category at my orchid show Lordoftheswarms Orchid Lounge 1 11-09-2013 08:33 PM

All times are GMT -4. The time now is 03:10 AM.

© 2007 OrchidBoard.com
Search Engine Optimisation provided by DragonByte SEO v2.0.37 (Lite) - vBulletin Mods & Addons Copyright © 2024 DragonByte Technologies Ltd.
Feedback Buttons provided by Advanced Post Thanks / Like (Lite) - vBulletin Mods & Addons Copyright © 2024 DragonByte Technologies Ltd.

Clubs vBulletin Plugins by Drive Thru Online, Inc.