The Orchid Garden

Help with a laelia tenebrosa problem..

Question:

I am trying to find out what’s wrong with my laelia tenebrosa orchid. There have been a couple new growths since I purchased it.. One was in the incorrect conditions, which was what I thought the problem was at the time.  So I have made a terrarium for it and some other orchids and plants of mine so that it and the other plants can have some humidity and perhaps more warmth.  The problem that occurred was that a new shoot grew fine, and then the tip (the part supposed to be growing!) turns brown.  I cut the first one off, since there was already a leaf grown out before the brown new growth grew.  Now the newest shoot(which occured after the terrarium was put up) is brown without even a leaf starting!  There are lots of really healthy looking roots coming from this same shoot.. Do you know what this might be? Thanks!  Susan

Response:

Ok, and that email address is incorrect.  This post should have the right email address.  sorry!! – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I am trying to find out what’s wrong with my laelia tenebrosa orchid. There have been a couple new growths since I purchased it.. One was in the incorrect conditions, which was what I thought the problem was at the time.  So I have made a terrarium for it and some other orchids and plants of mine so that it and the other plants can have some humidity and perhaps more warmth.  The problem that occurred was that a new shoot grew fine, and then the tip (the part supposed to be growing!) turns brown.  I cut the first one off, since there was already a leaf grown out before the brown new growth grew.  Now the newest shoot(which occured after the terrarium was put up) is brown without even a leaf starting!  There are lots of really healthy looking roots coming from this same shoot.. Do you know what this might be? Thanks!  Susan

Response:

All I know is that mine do the same thing. I don’t have an answer either. K Barrett – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Ok, and that email address is incorrect.  This post should have the right email address.  sorry!! I am trying to find out what’s wrong with my laelia tenebrosa orchid. There have been a couple new growths since I purchased it.. One was in the incorrect conditions, which was what I thought the problem was at the time.  So I have made a terrarium for it and some other orchids and plants of mine so that it and the other plants can have some humidity and perhaps more warmth.  The problem that occurred was that a new shoot grew fine, and then the tip (the part supposed to be growing!) turns brown.  I cut the first one off, since there was already a leaf grown out before the brown new growth grew.  Now the newest shoot(which occured after the terrarium was put up) is brown without even a leaf starting!  There are lots of really healthy looking roots coming from this same shoot.. Do you know what this might be? Thanks!  Susan

Response:

[snip] I am trying to find out what’s wrong with my laelia tenebrosa orchid. There have been a couple new growths since I purchased it.. One was in the incorrect conditions, which was what I thought the problem was at the time.  So I have made a terrarium for it and some other orchids and plants of mine so that it and the other plants can have some humidity and perhaps more warmth.

Hmmm, not a good place (a terrarium) for a L. tenebrosa.   Should have plenty of fresh, moving air, various RH.   These type of epiphytes ought not be put in a place where rot will grow so easily.  Moving air is a way to get good orchids. [snip] -dan

Response:

Hi Susan, I got this tip from a fellow in Australia: *** In rec.gardens.orchids you write: Some growers here in Qld, Australia (different conditions!!) had this problem with all their cattleya alliance recently. Calcium deficiency! Other ions in the water supply were affecting the natural uptake (usually sufficient Ca in the water). Try fertilizing with pure Calcium Nitrate occasionally, or Calcium chelates. Also, it is said to be touchy – needs plenty of sun and to dry out between waterings in my clones (Brisbane, Australia: different conditions!!). Please forward this mail to Susan Zeigler – I can’t Cc: from within the nn program of Unix. Phil Diamond *** K Barrett – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I am trying to find out what’s wrong with my laelia tenebrosa orchid. There have been a couple new growths since I purchased it.. One was in the incorrect conditions, which was what I thought the problem was at the time.  So I have made a terrarium for it and some other orchids and plants of mine so that it and the other plants can have some humidity and perhaps more warmth.  The problem that occurred was that a new shoot grew fine, and then the tip (the part supposed to be growing!) turns brown.  I cut the first one off, since there was already a leaf grown out before the brown new growth grew.  Now the newest shoot(which occured after the terrarium was put up) is brown without even a leaf starting!  There are lots of really healthy looking roots coming from this same shoot.. Do you know what this might be? Thanks!  Susan

Response:

Hi Susan, I found this page with some good reading. http://www.orchidhobbyist.com/lae/lae_tenebrosa.html Cheers Wendy

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I am trying to find out what’s wrong with my laelia tenebrosa orchid. There have been a couple new growths since I purchased it.. One was in the incorrect conditions, which was what I thought the problem was at the time.  So I have made a terrarium for it and some other orchids and plants of mine so that it and the other plants can have some humidity and perhaps more warmth.  The problem that occurred was that a new shoot grew fine, and then the tip (the part supposed to be growing!) turns brown.  I cut the first one off, since there was already a leaf grown out before the brown new growth grew.  Now the newest shoot(which occured after the terrarium was put up) is brown without even a leaf starting!  There are lots of really healthy looking roots coming from this same shoot.. Do you know what this might be? Thanks!  Susan

Response:

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