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Orchids

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8:20 pm
Mon 11-Jul-11

Tim

Salisbury, Wiltshire

Improver

posts 84

This one isn't about food for which I apologise but the present Mrs Tim has an orchid on the kitchen window sill (east facing) which has done very well but the once green leaves are now turning yellow. It gets watered each day but she can't stop the leaves turning.

Any ideas??

Tim

8:41 pm
Mon 11-Jul-11

KateUK

Councillor

posts 1735

Post edited 8:42 pm – Mon 11-Jul-11 by KateUK

1) Don't water it every day.Let it dry out before watering again.Mist it occasionally with a fine spray and rainwater.

2) Only use RAIN water or boiled water,they don't like straight tap water.If the water can be warm, even better.

3) Keep above 12 C if you can.

4) They prefer to be away from a window and not in direct sunlight- East is ok, but on a shelf near the window/behind a net curtain will be even better

Tim, I suspect your orchid is being killed with kindness. Stop watering it, let it dry out a bit, then mist it occasionally…it will need to recover. They do loose their lower leaves as they grow and they go yellow before drying out and then you can remove them, but it sounds like it may be protesting at being too wet if watering is happening daily! Also important to use rainwater or pre-boiled water for watering and misting.

Oh- and an occasional ( very occasional) drop of orchid food in the water.

Hope that helps!

Kateuk makes things at http://www.etsy.com/shop/finkstuff and sometimes she does this too http://www54paintings.blogspot.com/ and also this http://finkstuff.weebly.com/

9:32 pm
Mon 11-Jul-11

danast

Argyll, Scotland

Supreme Being

posts 5735

wave Oops, Kate wish I had consulted you before I killed the last two orchids I was given. eeek Usually very good with house plants, but not orchids. cry

Old teachers never die, they just lose their class

9:43 pm
Mon 11-Jul-11

Terrier

York

Councillor

posts 2357

I'm no good with orchids either, but Kate's right – too much watering

10:41 pm
Mon 11-Jul-11

Tim

Salisbury, Wiltshire

Improver

posts 84

That's fantastic advice. Interestingly it thrived in our old house and only got into trouble since moving, it was "the forgotten flower" before so it ended up not getting watered. Since moving it has had pride of place and has had lots of fresh tap water every day which coincides with its decline. I'll restrain the trouble and in the hope it will recover, I have faith as it is flowering beautifully. We have no rainwater at present but when I finish the kitchen I'm fitting water butts. no rush at the present!

Thank you for your help guys.

Tim

7:09 pm
Mon 18-Jul-11

brightspark

Wilts

Supreme Being

posts 5054

I too have trouble with yellowing leaves, but on a Clivia – is this the same problem?

See this google image. This is almost identical to mine.

The value of a friend cannot be measured

- only treasured

10:36 am
Tue 19-Jul-11

KateUK

Councillor

posts 1735

Where are you keeping your clivia?They absolutely HATE sunlight,it can yellow their leaves in days.

They also loose their lower leaves-especially this time of year, as they grow. Leave them on until they are ready to drop off, the good stuff will go back into the plants bulbous root system.The bottom set of leaves will go yellow and drop off as your clivia gets larger, but this can be exacerbated by lack of water or food- they like to be potbound and crowded but do like food and occasional really good drinks. In the real world they live in big masses of plants under trees ,so fairly dry and very shady.

Kateuk makes things at http://www.etsy.com/shop/finkstuff and sometimes she does this too http://www54paintings.blogspot.com/ and also this http://finkstuff.weebly.com/

12:24 pm
Wed 20-Jul-11

KateUK

Councillor

posts 1735

How's the orchid doing Tim?

Kateuk makes things at http://www.etsy.com/shop/finkstuff and sometimes she does this too http://www54paintings.blogspot.com/ and also this http://finkstuff.weebly.com/

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