# P. niveum problem



## Nautilus (Mar 15, 2007)

Can anyone tell me what is wrong with my plant? :sob: 







It seems several of niveum are the only one that are like this. Other plants are ok. The color of the photo is correct. 

Thank you!


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## NYEric (Mar 15, 2007)

chlorophyl is not working.


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## Nautilus (Mar 15, 2007)

Thanks Eric. How do I fix this problem?
TIA


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## NYEric (Mar 15, 2007)

Are you growing those in full sunlight? Put them behind some other plants.


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## NYEric (Mar 15, 2007)

Also, check to see if the roots are alive.


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## Nautilus (Mar 15, 2007)

No, my balcony face south. Only get direct sunlight in summer morning till 10am. The roots are growing quite good actually. So, am a bit confuse with this. I have 3 plants like this one.


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## NYEric (Mar 15, 2007)

SOmeone else is welcome to chime in but the reddening of the leaves usually is an indicator of too much sun. If the roots are good and the leaf size is increasing...?


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## Nautilus (Mar 15, 2007)

NYEric said:


> SOmeone else is welcome to chime in but the reddening of the leaves usually is an indicator of too much sun. If the roots are good and the leaf size is increasing...?



No, the leaf size is not increasing. No growth at all, but roots are good. Certainly not too much sun.

Thanks for trying Eric.


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## likespaphs (Mar 15, 2007)

do you fertilize?


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## Nautilus (Mar 15, 2007)

likespaphs said:


> do you fertilize?



once per week. very mild (1/4). I use filtered water that I use for drinking. Other paph seems ok with it.


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## gonewild (Mar 15, 2007)

Check your soil pH


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## Bob Wellenstein (Mar 15, 2007)

What are you fertilizing with, the NPK and Ca and Mg levels?


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## littlefrog (Mar 15, 2007)

I second that, looks like a possible nutrient deficiency. In garden plants, that usually isn't caused by a lack of nutrient, rather the wrong pH for the plant to absorb the nutrient. Do you check your pH after adding fertilizer?

If you are using a fertilizer that is designed for garden plants, you may not have all the micro (and macro) nutrients that you need (soil is usually well supplied with things that we don't have in orchid mix). Often it is calcium and magnesium that are limiting, so supplementing with those is a good first step. But lack of boron, manganese, iron, and a dozen or so other elements can also present problems. So, if you aren't already, you want to use a hydroponic fertilizer which has all trace elements in it already.


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## Kyle (Mar 15, 2007)

littlefrog said:


> I second that, looks like a possible nutrient deficiency. In garden plants, that usually isn't caused by a lack of nutrient, rather the wrong pH for the plant to absorb the nutrient. Do you check your pH after adding fertilizer?



However, if your soil/medium pH is off the chart in either direction, the nutrients won't be available to the plants. In this case, the media looks like LECA and sphag. Shouldn't cause the pH to do anything strange.


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## Bob Wellenstein (Mar 15, 2007)

I don't think zebras should be the answer until horses are ruled out. If the plant is getting some fertilizer as stated and not being irrigated with ultrapure water the chance of a micronutrient deficiency is a zebra. The same with pH, if it is way out of whack, yes, but the most common cause of something like this is a calcium or magnesium deficiency. How many people listened last week and gave their plants a magnesium irrigation, as I said I'll bet a lot of you would be suprised at the result.


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## Rick Barry (Mar 15, 2007)

That looks like a pretty big pot considering the size of the plant. Definitely worth a look at the roots. If they are rotted consider potting down. They don't like being constantly wet.

Rick


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## Heather (Mar 15, 2007)

Bob Wellenstein said:


> How many people listened last week and gave their plants a magnesium irrigation, as I said I'll bet a lot of you would be suprised at the result.



On my list of things to do this weekend! As soon as I move the epsom salts.


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## Eric Muehlbauer (Mar 15, 2007)

Looks to me like Mg deficiency......possibly bad roots...Eric


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## NYEric (Mar 16, 2007)

Nautilus said:


> No, the leaf size is not increasing. No growth at all, but roots are good. Certainly not too much sun.
> Thanks for trying Eric.


Are the roots alive? I come across many hand-me-downs w/ lot of [dead] roots. 
"Magnesium irrigation"  
Simple instructions please.


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## Nautilus (Mar 19, 2007)

I use hydroton as medium. the moss on top is insignificant. I use orchid fertilizer supplement with micronutrients use by respectable orchid growers here. In between each ferterlizing, the plant gets watered 3-4 times, so the medium is unlikely to have any salt built-up. 

The medium gets dry out at the end of the day, and like most brachy growers here, we water the plant almost everyday. I have 48 brachy and nivieum are suppose to be the strongest. As mentioned, 3 of them are showing this symtom. 

I think some of you are right about the roots. It's the only possible cause. Could be bad water as my filter were broke for a while and I used tap water. One of the 3 affect plants are already showing sign of improvment. If its the root that is the problem, then all I can do is make sure it get good water and hope it will recover.

Thank you all for chipping in!


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