Pls help save this Rhynchorides

[Fairorchids]

Rhynchostylis species are semi-succulents (with thick leaves), so they should be allowed to dry out between waterings. Thus, treat them like Cattleyas (temperature, light & watering.

Aerides species have thinner leaves. I do not allow them to dry out, except for late Dec/early Jan, and then only barely so.

You have a hybrid between the two. I have several plants like that, and I treat them the same as Aerides species.

I am not a fan of straight Leca. I use a spagnum/bark mix for all of my Vandaceous, to make sure that they do not dry out.

Overall, your plant looks fine. That a bottom leaf is turning yellow is normal, especially when the plant has gone through the trauma of shipping & repotting.

[shadytrake]

All have given good advice, but remember that these cannot take temps much lower than you stated for any length of time. The redness that you see could be attributed to Mg deficiency, which is why Motes recommends Epsom salts. The redness comes out when the temps drop to reveal the deficiency so it is best to supplement.

I am rehabbing the MBG vandas right now and they were mostly potted in baskets with medium. Upon removal, all of the internal roots were rotted. They are now throwing out new roots happily hanging. Of course we get a lot more heat and light here so I do get a bit of shrivel, but that can be expected when the plants are recovering from shock.

[estación seca]

I just got Mote's book Florida Vanda Growing Month by Month. WOW! I'm learning a lot. It's not just for Floridistas. For example, I didn't realize how much water these things need.

[Jackie26085]

Originally Posted by shadytrake

All have given good advice, but remember that these cannot take temps much lower than you stated for any length of time. The redness that you see could be attributed to Mg deficiency, which is why Motes recommends Epsom salts. The redness comes out when the temps drop to reveal the deficiency so it is best to supplement.

I am rehabbing the MBG vandas right now and they were mostly potted in baskets with medium. Upon removal, all of the internal roots were rotted. They are now throwing out new roots happily hanging. Of course we get a lot more heat and light here so I do get a bit of shrivel, but that can be expected when the plants are recovering from shock.

How can you tell whether the redness is from high light or Mg deficiency?

I love your setup. I hope one day I have a green house where I can hang my vandas bare roots.

[shadytrake]

As Martin says, "the redness is the signal." You should supplement with Mg especially for any Vanda that came from Thailand. They don't see the redness there because their temps don't drop like here.

I'm no expert but I have been supplementing with the Mg a lot based on our high heat and high light. The redness that I saw in the beginning is starting to fade to more green.

[Jackie26085]

Originally Posted by shadytrake

As Martin says, "the redness is the signal." You should supplement with Mg especially for any Vanda that came from Thailand. They don't see the redness there because their temps don't drop like here.



I'm no expert but I have been supplementing with the Mg a lot based on our high heat and high light. The redness that I saw in the beginning is starting to fade to more green.

I bought this from Seagrove Orchid so I assume it's been in the U.S. for a while. Does that change anything? Also do you use Epsom salt? How much do you use?


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[estación seca]

Your 55 degree nights are too cold for this plant to endure on a regular basis. It's a very tropical plant. Bring the plant into your house at night.

Others here have commented that cold nights plus magnesium deficiency cause the red markings. In his book on Florida Vanda culture, Motes recommends fertilizing with extra magnesium as nights begin to cool and days shorten. He recommends watering with 1 tablespoon of Epsom salts per gallon of water. He says it can take a long time to replenish magnesium deficiency.

Motes also says Vandas shut down completely with just a few 50 degree nights, and will not grow again until it gets quite warm. I can speak from the experience of me plus others that it is hard to get a Vanda through the winter unless it's kept much warmer at night than most other plants. Even my tropical Brazilian cacti and succulents tolerate temperatures down near freezing if they're dry. Vandas don't.

The book is only $15 on the Motes Orchids Web site. It's important to buy - and read - good plant books. Their price is far less than the cost of plants we kill through lacking information in books written by people smarter than us.

[shadytrake]

Originally Posted by estación seca

Your 55 degree nights are too cold for this plant to endure on a regular basis. It's a very tropical plant. Bring the plant into your house at night.

Others here have commented that cold nights plus magnesium deficiency cause the red markings. In his book on Florida Vanda culture, Motes recommends fertilizing with extra magnesium as nights begin to cool and days shorten. He recommends watering with 1 tablespoon of Epsom salts per gallon of water. He says it can take a long time to replenish magnesium deficiency.

Motes also says Vandas shut down completely with just a few 50 degree nights, and will not grow again until it gets quite warm. I can speak from the experience of me plus others that it is hard to get a Vanda through the winter unless it's kept much warmer at night than most other plants. Even my tropical Brazilian cacti and succulents tolerate temperatures down near freezing if they're dry. Vandas don't.

The book is only $15 on the Motes Orchids Web site. It's important to buy - and read - good plant books. Their price is far less than the cost of plants we kill through lacking information in books written by people smarter than us.

Well said. In this day and age it is easy for us to depend on the internet for all of the answers. I was foolish to do this and lost many plants. If I had bothered to read some of the books out there, I might have saved myself a lot of plants, time, and money.

Now when I think about adding a new plant, I also think about adding a new (old) orchid book to my library. It is amazing some of the tips written that you don't see on the internet.

I'll give you another tip from the book, and then I really suggest that you pick up a copy. Mg supplement should be added separately or with liquid seaweed (low Phosphorus (1) or zero Phosphorus) and not with your regular fertilizer. P numbers inhibit Mg from being taken up by the plant. The same is true for chemicals and fungicides.

I didn't know this and had been combining fertilizer with chemicals for a long time. Now I know why I lost a bunch of plants.

[RJSquirrel]

but why the Mg helps the plants. ?

(hes making a come back)

Role of magnesium in plants

Magnesium is an indispensable mineral for plant growth, for it plays a major role in the production of chlorophyll, on which photosynthesis depends. Without a ready source of magnesium the plant cannot grow. Magnesium plays a part in many processes, to wit:

· Chlorophyll formation
o Light-absorbing green pigment
o Capture's the energy of sunlight and turns it into chemical energy
o Allows synthesis of organic compounds that are
useful for plant growth and functioning
(carbohydrates, lipids, proteins)
· Synthesis of amino acids and cell proteins
· Uptake and migration of phosphorus in plants
· Vitamin A and C concentrations
· Resistance to unfavourable factors

so now you know why magnesium turns the plant green

Deficiency Symptoms

The classic deficiency symptom is inter-veinal chlorosis of the lower/older leaves. However, the first symptom is generally a more pale green color that may be more pronounced in the lower/older leaves. In some plants, the leaf margins will curve upward or turn a red-brown to purple in color. Other symptoms include leaf drop and weakened stalks.

[Jackie26085]

Okie I bought some Epsom salt and watered my high light orchids yesterday. Hopefully it should bring back the chlorophyll on my vandas. Just curious, if mg cannot be used together with phosphorous then is it harmful to use the MSU fertilizer?


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