Why do orchids get sick? An analysis of common causes
Wild-collected Chunlan 'Kouhe' 2017.2.20 collected in Suizhou, fish-belly-leaf lotus-petal grass. 2 scapes of flowers, 2 seedlings of grass (1 scape 1 flower, the other scape double flowers), every flower identical, petals round (1:1), long-lasting bloom without changing shape! Liu Hai tongue round, tongue blotch large U! Faint fragrance when temperature is high! No fragrance when flowers are small!
Once summer arrives. The two rots become more numerous.Summed up, it comes down to no more than the following causes:
One stuffy, two wet, three dry, four infected,Five thin, six fat, seven dirty, eight spoiled.
One stuffy: either the potting medium inside the pot is not airy, or the environment outside the pot is blocked and stagnant.
Two wet, overly wet. Wetness is the source of a hundred poisons. Although potting media have greatly improved nowadays, and there is a saying of watering three times a day, I personally still advocate not keeping them constantly wet.
Slightly dry leaves room for recovery; wet leaves no way back.
Three dry. Overly dry easily triggers stem rot. Dry heat is even worse. The roots are perfectly fine, yet the base suddenly turns yellow. The yellowing comes from the pseudobulb; by the time you see it, it is only the surface sign, and cutting is already too late.
Four infected. Small buds bitten by insects, small buds rotting, wounds from dividing seedlings not handled properly, diseased potting medium, and so on. The probability is relatively low.
Five thin. The seedling is rather weak, with poor nutrition; when new seedlings grow, old seedlings collapse, the central leaves collapse, slowly yellowing, slowly withering. Once the new shoots have rooted and can supply themselves, they recover on their own, so there is no need to panic.You may grow them in slightly shadier conditions. There is no other way.
Six fat. Just potted up, with a layer of Haokangduo and sheep manure pellets spread on top, the pot surface turns black, and springtails swarm. The roots are burned by fertilizer, harming the very foundation. A common problem for beginners.
Seven dirty. Unfermented material, fine powder, garbage that looks nutritious; when the potting medium is tipped out, it is sticky and stinking. Centipedes come too.
Eight spoiled. Fond of repotting, fond of moving things around. When it is hot, move them outdoors; when it is cool, move them indoors. The mind wavers both ways, with no steadiness. Prying at shoots when there are no shoots, digging into the soil when there are shoots, raising orchids like playing with a little kitten.
The above are my humble personal views, for orchid friends' reference only.
When trouble comes, do not panic; everything has a cause. Look more for your own subjective or objective reasons. Toward orchids and toward friends, guard against arrogance and impatience, do not curse and do not lose your temper; only then can you raise orchids with ease and skill.