Dtps. Jungo City
My Dtps. Jungo City has me worried. While the lowest of the buds is shiny and green and growing well, the next three buds on the spike look like they will blast. As you can see in the picture below, the buds are wrinkly on the outside, and a very different color from the lowest bud. The yellowing of the stem on the second lowest bud isn't promising, either.
Blasting flower buds
At least the lowest bud seems to be growing ok, but it would be a shame if I only get one flower out of this blooming. I'm not sure what caused this problem. Perhaps it was either the recent cold coming in through the open windows, or the subsequent drop in humidity when we finally did close the windows and turn the heat on. All the other spiking phals seem to be ok for now.
Edit (2/8/13): The lower bud is now blasting as well.
Unfortunately buds do look like they are going to drop. Most of my named phals drop the buds when humidity lowers to 45%, so all my phals with spikes were in the humidity trays with domes before I got orchid tank.
ReplyDeleteWas this phal inside your exo terra?
Well that confirms it. Darn. :-( It was in the tank the whole time. The one other thing is that I got a bit forgetful about watering last week (skipped a day a few times)and this orchid got drier than usual. But the leaves didn't even droop, so I don't know what to blame.
DeleteWhat is the humidity level in your tank? Even though it seems like a closed space, but open top + heat from the lamps could be drying the environment inside of tank more than outside. My tank had just metal mesh screen on top so I had to go and buy the see-through acrylic sheet and cover the top to preserve humidity in there.
DeleteThat's a really good point. I don't have the tools for making a humidity measurement, but it probably did go down after I added the fan a couple weeks ago. I stopped bothering with the humidifier when I got the terrarium, but maybe this is a sign to start that up again--at least when the windows are closed.
DeleteHome depot has cheap($8.47 in Canada) thermometer that combines temps and humidity readings, I have it in my tank and it helps to control the environment better.
DeleteI returned my "whole house" humidifier back to store after many complaints of my family that it is too noisy. I don't have humidifier in the tank but it keeps 75% and up by itself. If you cover the top of your tank - it should hold the moisture in too.
This hapened to me, few times. But, all of my phals are at same place, and on some of them, buds grow and open normaly, but on few plants, buds shriveled, just like yours. Hopefully, some of them open successfully.
DeleteThe only thing that those phals are diferent from 'normal opened' ones is that the newest leaf isn't grown fully. I hope you understand me ;) So, the youngest leaf, is or just started, or partialy grown, but you still can't see full leaf, and, during flower stem is growing, that leaf stoped developing.
Good to know that the lowest of the buds is shiny and green and growing well, the next three buds on the spike look like they will blast...
ReplyDeleteSadly, it now looks like the lower one is blasting as well...
DeleteIf you break off a stem with buds on it how can I save the broken part
ReplyDelete