Ok, it's one of my orchid fairy gifts from a year and a half ago (i.e., Mike). It's a small seedling of schlimii and has been struggling from day one. I've tried a chc mix, and now have tried aussie gold, but it hates everything. Just keeps losing leaves. We're down to 2 leaves or so left. What do I plant this thing in to keep it happy? I'm in DC, so like to put the plants outside in the summer, but can keep itinside, whatever. Just what do I do with this thing?

Ok, it's one of my orchid fairy gifts from a year and a half ago (i.e., Mike). It's a small seedling of schlimii and has been struggling from day one. I've tried a chc mix, and now have tried aussie gold, but it hates everything. Just keeps losing leaves. We're down to 2 leaves or so left. What do I plant this thing in to keep it happy? I'm in DC, so like to put the plants outside in the summer, but can keep itinside, whatever. Just what do I do with this thing?

Put it in a diatomite or prime-agra mix. Semi-hydro, in other words. Seems like you are running out of options. Anyway, that is what I would try.

Some plants never thrive. That isn't necessarily your fault, or the fault of the mix. It is just simple genetics. If you assume a relatively normal distribution of vigor ( a bell shaped curve), a very few plants will be at the good end (very vigorous), a very few plants will be at the bad end, and most of the plants will be somewhere near the middle. Doesn't matter how good your culture is, the plants at the bad end aren't ever going to do well.

I grow mine in regular bark mix and it is happy as a clam! I grow mine indoors under HPS and outdoors or in the sunroom in the summer for about 2 months here in Maine. You may have a weak plant and may not live very long since you said it was not doing well since day one a year and a half ago. At this point, you would be better off buying a healthier schlimii plant and enjoy the blooms much sooner than nursing the weakling back to health. Good luck!

Thanks guys. And you're right Peter. I've been hanging on to this one because it was one of the ones Mike saved - i.e., for sentimental reasons. But at this point, this is ridiculous. The thing looks worse than when I got it. I think it's about to be flushed, metaphorically. I hadn't thought about the genetics, that's a great point. Of course, the phrag noid seedling that Mike gave me that was doing well and apparently had okay genetics, well, I tugged a dead leaf off and the entire top of the plant came with it. Doubt we can count decapitation as bad genetics, but I'll try :-)

If it's not totally dead yet and you're willing to try some last ditch heroics, take a look at the thread in the Paph forum addressing "rootless." I hate to see anything die, even noids.

I'd pot it up in straight sphagnum and find a cool, breezy, and very humid spot for it. I agree with Ernie about reading the "rootless" thread in the paph section.

Very educational.

I'd pot it up in straight sphagnum and find a cool, breezy, and very humid spot for it. I agree with Ernie about reading the "rootless" thread in the paph section.

Very educational.

Yeah - me too, and now...

I got roots! :D

John - seriously - you are new here and I'm sure you haven't caught up and read all posts, but that would be a good one for you to read. I'd do sphag over diatomite, in this instance. Those besseaes and their relatives seem to like it rather cool.

Also, it isn't about Mike, it is about saving a cool species. Save it! Keep trying. I know how frustrating it can be...

As I told Heather "Throw it out!!!!!" :poke: I will try sphag in a clay pot and keep it moist and humid.

As I told Heather "Throw it out!!!!!" :poke: I will try sphag in a clay pot and keep it moist and humid.

Yeeessss, and I didn't take his advice, and mine is still living and growing roots! :roll:

This one can be hard to get growing but once going really doesn't look back . When I loose roots on Phrags instead of Spag now I wrap the crown of the plant in coconut fibre and placed it in the middle of small pot of bark . and I've got roots to regrow
Remember one thing -it isnt always the media the plant is in but what you give the plant - water fert and how wet the plant stays
growing somtimes needs constant looking at - root loss is often too much water so the coir keeps the crown dryer - this is what Ive found . Billie