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8:20 pm
Improver
Tue 1-Sep-09
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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
Well, that didn't go quite as expected
8:41 pm
Councillor
Tue 22-Sep-09
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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
Supreme Being
Thu 24-Sep-09
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Oops, Kate wish I had consulted you before I killed the last two orchids I was given. 
Usually very good with house plants, but not orchids. 
Old teachers never die, they just lose their class
9:43 pm
Supreme Being
New members
Tue 22-Sep-09
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I'm no good with orchids either, but Kate's right - too much watering
10:41 pm
Improver
Tue 1-Sep-09
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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
Well, that didn't go quite as expected
7:09 pm
Supreme Being
Wed 30-Dec-09
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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.
10:36 am
Councillor
Tue 22-Sep-09
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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
Councillor
Tue 22-Sep-09
Offline
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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