That's terrible Carol, I knew it was dry there but I didn't realize you'd only gotten 1.97" since July. I guess we are in a bit better shape than you are at least I still have green grass in my yard. I was tempted to cut it the other day when it was warm but I figured since it's winter grass it will die off when it freezes. I've got some of the large tubs with rope handles that I picked up at Walmart. I use one for my bleach/water pot cleaning tub. I have several more I'll try setting them out the next time it's supposed to rain and see what happens. Only problem is that until they get so full they may blow away.

I think it has rained here ( Tampa, Fl) 3 times since I moved in September...and 2 of those times were just showers. I was going to put in gutters and rain barrels ...but seems kind of pointless now!. Glad you were spared the really bad weather Chris...sad for the folks around Dallas.

Just mist the leaves, Chris. You want to let the bark dry out along with the roots.

Don't let enough water run down into the middles of the plants to pool there, either. That's an invitation to crown rot. For future reference, when you're re-potting, place the plants with the crowns on a slant so that any excess water runs out of the cup of leaves. These plants grow naturally with the leaves out sideways, not facing upwards.

They like some of their roots to stick up out of the planting medium, too. If you leave them in a pot long enough they'll start doing that of their own accord. Here are some of mine, all sideways, roots akimbo, and growing happily. They're a little darker green than they should be, because of the sun being too far south, (they aren't getting enough light) but another couple of weeks they will brighten up again.

Sorry it's taken me so long to get all the replies, had to go back to the oral surgeon early this morning to get some bone spurs cut out of my gums Elaine, Carol, the pH of our water here in town according to the Water Superintendent is 7.8 - 8.3. I mixed up a batch of Epson Salt water in a spray bottle this afternoon and gave them all a light spray. While doing this I looked at the potting medium really good since it's been almost a week since I watered them last. Most of the pots the medium is dry at least on the top. There are 3 though that are still wet so I'll have to grab some pots at Lowe's tomorrow while I'm down there and drill some holes in the sides and bottom for drainage.

Thanks Jim for the information, these are all Phals so other than the one I've already re-potted to take the photos I'll do these other three which suspect the bark has broken down also. In the rest the bark looks good. I'm going to take my wooden skewers that I used to use and put them back into the pots to keep an eye on the wetness of the mix. Hopefully that will give me an idea of when to water this winter.

I 'think' I've replied to all if not please let me know. I sure appreciate all the knowledge all of you are willing to impart on us 'newbies'.

Chris, I just got home from our bowl game in Charlotte. I agree with everything that has been stated in the last few days.

Your pH is really alkaline. I have never been faced with that problem. Ours is 6.5-7.0. If you can't collect rain water in enough quantities and regularly, you have somewhat limited options. If I had this dilemma, I would either purchase bottled "drinking water" or distilled water. Some grocery stores now have drinking water stations where you can take your empty bottles and fill them. I think that is probably the most economical way to go. Also, bottled water will have some minerals and micro-elements in it but distilled water will not.

What you can do is alternate using your city-water and bottled water. The bottled water would tend to flush out those minerals from the potting media, thus preventing their build-up. If it were me, I would use the bottled water to mist/spray the leaves.

Thanks Ken, I figured it was pretty bad with that high a number. I can get distilled water at the store for less than a dollar a gallon. So use the distilled water along with the Epson Salts to mist/spray the leaves and since I've cut down on the watering schedule for the winter use my house water for the feeding whenever it appears they need it. If I've got something wrong please let me know.

chris1948 said:Although my orchids are putting out new leaves and each one has at least one flower spike the mature leaves look terrible. I feed them once a week with water soluble orchid food and have been misting them twice a day. I also manage to keep the humidity high with the trays I made. What am I doing wrong? My 'Orchids for Dummies' book doesn't mention yellow leaves.

Maybe a little too much water or too much or not enough sun. Phals are NOT the easy orchid that marketers say they are. I have been growing (and losing some) for several years and I have just started having success in the past 2 years. I don't fertilize every week, just when I think of it and also the saying "water weekly weakly" is a good one. Always water wth half the recommended amount and with a lower # fertilizer. I bought a Miracle Grow for orchids that was 11-35-17 or some such nonsense and my new best friend (a wholesale orchid grower with real greenhouses) said "throw that stuff away unless you want to kill your orchids". The middle # should never be that high. I have 7 Phals now and 3 are spiking, a vanda that has new leaves and a lady slipper that is in full bloom. I'm a happy camper right now. I just reread your post and it is normal for older leaves to turn yellow and die. They need to be trimmed with a sterile knife or scissors. As long as you are getting new leaves, cut the old ones off. Hope this helps. Also the advice about putting cinnamon on cut leaves or spikes is good. It's an antibacterial.

WTG. I rescue orchids as well and it's a great feeling. Just about as good as rescuing animals! You have a beauty. Keep it up.

Hi SuziQ, right now I'm sure it's not enough sun, haven't seen a lot in a couple of weeks. Probably too much water as during the hot time of the year I'd been watering/feeding once a week and misting daily. I'd water just enough for it to start to come out the holes I'd drilled into the plastic pots but since reading all the great posts on this thread I've discovered that I probably wasn't doing them much good. I'm in the process now of letting them dry out and have my wooden skewers stuck down in them so I can tell just how wet they are. I've been using this - http://www.lowes.com/pd_91370-... which is 20-14-13. I have another bloom on the same plant that looks like it will open fairly soon. Can't believe this bloom still looks as good as it did on the 26th.

Another question, is there a way to lower the pH in my tap water since it's so high or would going the route of the distilled water be the better way to go?

Yes, Chris you can lower the pH of your tap water by adding something like white vinegar, but you'd need to buy a water test kit to test it so you don't add too much or too little. I have a little test kit for aquariums, since I have a fish pond/water garden in my yard. I tried using vinegar on my well water for a little while, and established how much vinegar I needed to add to a gallon of water to lower the pH to around 7 (neutral) using the test kit.

But . . I'm thinking for your small number of orchids, you can buy many gallons of distilled water for the price of a test kit. Btw, I would also use the distilled water to mix with your fertilizer, as the high pH tap water may contain phosphorus and other minerals that could block the uptake of nutrients in the fertilizer. I mix all my fert with rain water.

Susie, welcome and can you tell us where you are? Are all your orchids living indoors? Btw, the sage advice "weakly, weekly" applies to fertilizer, not watering.

I think at $.97/gal for distilled water is going to be the best way to go for me. I'll just pick up several gallons at the store tomorrow and start using it for misting and watering/feeding. Also will cut back on my feeding and watering routine and use less of the fertilizer for now. Thanks Elaine, appreciate it.

I want to clarify everything in my mind about feeding/misting so I'll make a few statements and if I'm wrong someone please correct me so I don't kill these orchids.

1. I mixed 1/2tsp with 32oz of distilled water in a spray bottle and use that daily to mist my Phals
2. I mixed 1/2 the amount of fertilizer in a gallon of distilled water. I watered them over a week ago and have inserted skewers into each plant to check to see if the mix is dry or not. When they're dry to the touch again I'll water/feed with the mix but not quite as much as I'd been doing which was to water until it came out the holes I'd drilled on the sides of the pots towards the bottom.

If any of this is incorrect please let me know so I can adjust my schedule(s).

What's the analysis of the fert you're using, Chris? (the 3 numbers on the label) I'd suggest, for the cold weather just fertilize "weekly weakly" i.e. only put fertilizer in the watering water, not in the sprayer. Mist with plain water or add the Epsom Salts to the spray water. I put that in my sprayer so they get it more often. 1/2 tsp. per quart.

OR do it the other way around, only put fert in the mist sprayer, then water once a week (or less) with plain water with Epsom Salts added.

When you water, (after you're sure things have dried out well), you can certainly water until it drips out the bottom. Think of it as the orchids getting a really drenching rain shower, as they would in nature.

Any improvement in the color of your leaves yet? Another picture would tell the tale, if you can take it in similar light situation to the previous one for a good comparison. Remember "Killing with Kindness" is the most common cause of orchid failure - overwatering and over fertilizing being the two "kind" things people do too much of.

Good afternoon Elaine, the numbers on the label are 20-14-13. So, it would be ok to use my city water with the 1/2 strength fertilizer for watering/feeding and keep the distilled water with Epson Salts for misting that way I won't use as much distilled water. Glad you told me that then I can continue to water them as needed and let the water flow out the holes.

I'll have to take a look at the time I took the last photos and take some more at approximately the same time and post. I 'think' they're looking better. I still need to get out and remove all the old, yellowed leaves. I should be able to do that this week since I have no VA appointments or anything to interrupt my day. I do have three plants though that the leaves are a very dark green. They don't look leathery or anything they're just a very dark green.

Dark green is much better than yellow, Chris. My Phals make extra chlorophyll in the winter when the light isn't so strong. Mine even get some morning sun (very low) in the summer and are a gorgeous color then, but right now I have deep green ones too.

If you can move them gradually to somewhere they'll get more light, the color will go from deep green to more of a healthy apple green.

I would think your city water should be fine for a thorough watering c/w fert every week or 10 days. 1/4 strength on the fert might be enough for the next couple of months.

Thanks Elaine, I'll take the photos tomorrow and post to see what you think.

Here are the photos I took this morning Elaine. I'm going out this afternoon with my little scissors, alcohol and cinnamon and remove all the yellow leaves.

I don't know if it's my imagination, but the picture you just posted looks much better
to me than the first one...It looks like a better color of green. Cutting off the yellow leaves
will improve the plants self esteem and may even give you more new and hopefully green
leaves.

with Lindsey. I think I'm seeing a lot more green and maybe less yellow. Btw, don't remove any leaf that still has green on it. Those plants need all the chlorophyll they've got right now.

You're winning, Chris! Just remember - the worst thing to do especially in cooler weather is to over water. Those plants need some time to recover so be very sure they are nearly dry before you water them again. Also mist lightly.

You won't kill them with too little water or fert. Think about what a meager diet they get when they live in trees out in the wild . . yet they survive.

Lindsey and Elaine, I think you're both right about less yellow. I cut off any leaf that was completely yellow, if it had some green left on it stayed. I then dusted with cinnamon where I'd made the cut. Since I fed/watered today with a good soaking and 1/2 the recommended amount of fert (1/2tsp vs 1tsp) I'll go until my skewers are dry. I noticed that a few of the orchids have multiple flower spikes developing, some as many as four. Next time I feed I'll use only a 1/4tsp.