Weak orchid? DO NOT DISTURB | Why I prefer NOT to intervene with weak orchids #ninjaorchids

#TetratoniaDarkPrince #OrchidCareforBeginners #Howtotakecareofweakorchids
A weak orchid can prove challenging. Is it because we have the set up wrong? Is it a weak orchid? How long before intervention won't stress the orchid further? Here is what I do!
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My environment:
Mediterranean climate, hot summers / mild winters
45% - 85% humidity, with regular airflow
Summer temperature range: 20ºC-35ºC
Winter temperature range, exterior: 5ºC-20ºC
Winter temperature range, interior: 16ºC-23ºC
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Orchid growing supplies:
Media: Siro Leca, Lava Rock 2cm-4cm, Besgrow Sphagnum Moss, Perlite,
Seramis, Akadama
General PPM: 300 Summer, or in active growth
150 Winter, RO Water and KelpMax only
General PH: 5.8 / 6.3
Hygrometer: BADLR Wireless with Exterior Sensor
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PGYTECH, DJI Osmo Pocket
Editing Software: iMovie

[andreaallum]

Good plant good roots good luck for you happy days are coming

[liverocks]

Fingers crossed Nina, it’s looking really fresh and new in it’s new pot🤞🏼👍🏼

[SnowDragonka]

And again, good Saturday! Whenever I see plants that keep getting pests, it's like a warning red light. "Careful, this plant is either a real magnet, or more probably, it's a weaker plant!" And I always try to figure out WHY they would be weaker. I agree that disturbing already weak plant is dicey, it might at times hurt it more than actually help. But not disturbing at all might exacerbate the issues. It's always a calculated risk. And with every mistake, we learn, we grow. I also find (kinda logically) that smaller orchids have a harder time to deal with unfavourable circumstances (like low humidity, or someone... I don't know who... obviously... forgets to water... cause reasons... anyway) and get weaker very fast. I noticed it ever since I moved my growing of the orchids into jars (all minis, except for the recovering vanilla), they just grow so much better for me personally (I have low humidity in the apartment) and they can deal with stressors so much better. Like my phal braceana (or taenialis according to recent reclassification) came with a few kinks in the roots, breakages. I left the roots be, thought "well if they die, it's easy to remove, cause they're exposed in the jar, so I'm not worried"... and they're still alive, still absorbing stuff, the kinks have a bit of blackened tissue (like 1mm max around the wound), but it's not spreading at all. Very curious. And I do think that stronger plants have stronger resistance to any pest/disease. I had mealybugs on them (found 2), didn't see any other ever since I killed those 2. The jars saved me, cause they couldn't spread around to other orchids (yay!) :) Anyway, hope this one recovers. The blackened rhizome worries me, that's not a good sign, some of the divisions looked like they rotted a bit. But as you said, it is a weak orchid and cell collapse is not unheard of in weak plants. Anyway, fingers crossed! Take care!

[MattbyNature]

I agree with you - sometimes it's better to let them do their thing for a while but this one was really due for a clean up. Very nice!

[bauhaus_PoetryinMotion]

Very educational...I am learning a lot about the elusive orchid!

[nicoleallen]

I keep telling my self I need to stop buying any more orchids. I have plenty to keep myself busy for a long time. I don’t have any issues at the moment, but one bout of scale could change that in a day. I didn’t see any purple at all. I may not be able to see, but I can still see the nuance of color perfectly. It almost feels like most of the symptoms for a badly growing orchid are a fungal infection, bacterial infection, rot of some sort, the big F word, and bugs….lol. It’s like rabies, you have to dissect and kill the plant to find out what’s wrong. Just be happy you don’t have the squirrel problem that I have🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️.

[mostlyorchids]

yeah, the roots that a weak orchid has are most likely adapted to whatever medium it's in, and it's probably not going to have the energy to put out new roots that are adapted to the new medium. I've had much more success with not repotting weak orchids than with repotting weak orchids.

[shirleyholt]

I didn’t see any fusarium. Looked like a go to me. Nice repot. Good to hear your giggle. I hope your having a good nights sleep 😴. 🤗🦋👍

[carolesykes]

You have such an infectious giggle, I couldn't help but smile too 😄. You've almost convinced me to try semi-hydro but I'm not sure whether it actually is more work than organic because you seem to flush very regularly. I would have to do it indoors and not with tap water so not sure how that would work 🤔

[breafisher]

I'm so glad your smile is back in your voice today. That rhizome looked clean to me. No pretty colors. Thank the orchid gods!

[stephenorchids]

Hi Nina great clean up defo looks clean to me I couldn't see any purple ring Nina so that's good news, you defo enjoyed that repot 😂 nice to see you smiling and joking again great video 👍😘

[renatecormick]

Had a good look too, seems ok to my inexperienced eyes. Just checked out google to see what the blooms will look like, oh they are gorgeous little things and the colour is so pretty. Definitely worth trying your best to save this one. Good luck!

[aBeekeepersLife]

Patience is a good thing with weak orchid indeed! Every action could induce more stress. Very informative, to many people still keep repotting and doing other things in short order with a weak orchid. Thanks Nina for this great video, have a very nice day and stay safe

[FernandaNascimentoOrchids]

🦒🍀🤞🙋!!! She, I mean, they ! are feeling a lot better now that you've cleaned them up. I don't see any bad purple, thank goodness 🤸 As for mealies, even if they are dormant they are still there, we have to be ever so vigilant 🥴 but once cleaned up like that they will have at least a major set back!!! Fingers crossed 🤞🍀 for blooms in the near future. And a happy monday to you as a great start to the week ❤️😍🤗

[deedeeblooms]

I agree with everyone…the rhizome looked good. Not much experience on my part but my opinion. 👍🏻🤜🏻 So happy you had a happier day!

[TrishsOrchidLife]

I think with the clean 🧼 up she will be able to do well. No purple from what I saw. But like you I have “old eyes” 😂

[andreaallum]

One piece had a slight purple but nothing much and the other piece had nothing

[andredumas]

Good morning Nina, this orchid is a close relative of the broughtonia which I have and which is doing superbly well spiking with buds ready to open. The leaves of my broughtonia are several times bigger than your tetratonia could that be because of its ancestry with the tetramica pollen parent ? If it was a tolumnia as you kiddingly suggested then it would be a superb tolumnia. Just kidding. Thanks Nina, I hope that all your tetratonias plantlets survive and grow.

[patriciasorchids]

I have become more strict with my orchids. I will check for fusarium, if I can. If I can't, I will treat them as if they do. If I have an orchid that is not doing well I will give them 6-12 months. If they haven't improved, out they go.

[sandiesorchids]

Hard to really see but I don't think that I saw any purple. From one set of old eyes to another I'm sure they will be fine especially now that you cleaned it up.