I bought recently a charming and semi-healthy Drac. vampira with the
intention of keeping it within my room. I have it in a dimly shaded room.
Humidity is always 65+ Never gets over 74 degrees F. I always have the fan
on. It's in a hanging basket tucked in with sphagnum.

My sister burned some of her incense and I fed it with orchid food. She
lights her room with candles and then blows them out and the smoke drifts
into my room!

Recently it's leaves have turned a pale green. It lost about four-five of
them. Some of the withering to brown dried leaf. Others just randomly
abscised for no apparent reason. I froze up and have only watered it
recently, too afraid to touch it. I feel like I'm playing a losing game of
hangman and I only have four feeble pale green leaves left.

I have my theories concerning her incense containing ethylene that's killing
off my prized orchid.


If any of you have any idea why this might be happening or any direct advice
for someone raising dracs in their own home, please shout out. I know
technically the book says it can't be done, but dammit I don't have a
greenhouse and I've never been one to go by the book.

But somehow I have to encourage newgrowth in this thing!


Anyway,
Thanks

-dxtrwrd

Nice try, but I believe the truth is closer to home ;-p

You did start with a semi-healthy plant. Orchids are notorious in taking their time to die. So if you buy a plant with signs of ill health, it may have already 'died', so to speak.

If your humidity is at 64%, and you have a constant fan on the plant, wouldn't that bring the relative humidity to below 50% around the plant?

I'm sorry I can't offer any advice on growing Draculas as I don't grow them.

Weng

On Oct 12, 5:17 am, Weng wrote:
Sinister;753836 Wrote:



I have my theories concerning her incense containing ethylene that's
killing
off my prized orchid. -dxtrwrd

Nice try, but I believe the truth is closer to home ;-p

You did start with a semi-healthy plant. Orchids are notorious in
taking their time to die. So if you buy a plant with signs of ill
health, it may have already 'died', so to speak.

If your humidity is at 64%, and you have a constant fan on the plant,
wouldn't that bring the relative humidity to below 50% around the
plant?

I'm sorry I can't offer any advice on growing Draculas as I don't grow
them.


I have exactly one Dracula. It grows OK but doesn't bloom.

My Masdevallias do much better. They grow and bloom very well.

J. Del Col

I wouldn't mind not getting a bloom; I just don't want to kill it. lol


-dxtrwrd

I keep waiting for someone who grows Draculas to answer as I don't and a
little knowledge can be dangerous.

I do recall that Dracula in general need very pure water, high humidity, and
cool temperatures. Try doing a search
on Goggle, maybe in groups. You might try the pleurothallid
mailing list. Sign up info is available at the Orchid Mall.com. Look under
the reading room. Also try scanning the list of Orchid Sources for dealers
that sell cool growing Orchids. One is listed below from that list.

Here is a link to Mountain Orchids care list
http://www.mountainorchids.com/index...racula%20simia

Good luck and don't be discouraged if it doesn't make it. We have all had
Orchids that died under our "care".

Bob


"Sinister" wrote in message
...
I wouldn't mind not getting a bloom; I just don't want to kill it. lol


-dxtrwrd

Thanks, man. Will do.
"Bob Walsh" wrote in message
news
I keep waiting for someone who grows Draculas to answer as I don't and a
little knowledge can be dangerous.

I do recall that Dracula in general need very pure water, high humidity,
and cool temperatures. Try doing a search
on Goggle, maybe in groups. You might try the pleurothallid
mailing list. Sign up info is available at the Orchid Mall.com. Look under
the reading room. Also try scanning the list of Orchid Sources for dealers
that sell cool growing Orchids. One is listed below from that list.

Here is a link to Mountain Orchids care list
http://www.mountainorchids.com/index...racula%20simia

Good luck and don't be discouraged if it doesn't make it. We have all had
Orchids that died under our "care".

Bob


"Sinister" wrote in message
...
I wouldn't mind not getting a bloom; I just don't want to kill it. lol


-dxtrwrd

On Oct 12, 1:29 am, "Sinister" wrote:
I bought recently a charming and semi-healthy Drac. vampira with the
intention of keeping it within my room. I have it in a dimly shaded room.
Humidity is always 65+ Never gets over 74 degrees F. I always have the fan
on. It's in a hanging basket tucked in with sphagnum.

My sister burned some of her incense and I fed it with orchid food. She
lights her room with candles and then blows them out and the smoke drifts
into my room!

Recently it's leaves have turned a pale green. It lost about four-five of
them. Some of the withering to brown dried leaf. Others just randomly
abscised for no apparent reason. I froze up and have only watered it
recently, too afraid to touch it. I feel like I'm playing a losing game of
hangman and I only have four feeble pale green leaves left.

I have my theories concerning her incense containing ethylene that's killing
off my prized orchid.

If any of you have any idea why this might be happening or any direct advice
for someone raising dracs in their own home, please shout out. I know
technically the book says it can't be done, but dammit I don't have a
greenhouse and I've never been one to go by the book.

But somehow I have to encourage newgrowth in this thing!

Anyway,
Thanks

-dxtrwrd

Hi,

I have a Drac vespertilo (sp?) in spike (2) right now. It's in a
humidity tank made out of a 5 gal aquarium with a plexiglas lid, and
computer fan inside. It's in sphag, in a little basket. I lost the 1st
2 spikes due to my own stupidity (moved it to poor air circulation for
1, and bumped the tip off the other). I've had this plant since Feb.
Point is, I have a very happy, healthy drac growing in my house near
NYC.

What is dimly shaded? I think you need more light. I have a 26W CFL
less than a foot from the plant, shining directly on the plant. Now
the light is going through the plexiglas, but it is anything but
'dim'. It's rarely less than 75-80% humidity, the temps of NYC. I
don't think that ethylene is your problem. Do you grow other orchids?
'Dark' or 'shady' to you may be midnight for the plant. Light! Light!
Now, not brilliant noontime equatorial light, but LIGHT! It (the tank)
is in a NNE window, too. Also what kind of air circulation are you
giving it?

Carolyn

Hi,

I have a Drac vespertilo (sp?) in spike (2) right now. It's in a
humidity tank made out of a 5 gal aquarium with a plexiglas lid, and
computer fan inside. It's in sphag, in a little basket. I lost the 1st
2 spikes due to my own stupidity (moved it to poor air circulation for
1, and bumped the tip off the other). I've had this plant since Feb.
Point is, I have a very happy, healthy drac growing in my house near
NYC.

What is dimly shaded? I think you need more light. I have a 26W CFL
less than a foot from the plant, shining directly on the plant. Now
the light is going through the plexiglas, but it is anything but
'dim'. It's rarely less than 75-80% humidity, the temps of NYC. I
don't think that ethylene is your problem. Do you grow other orchids?
'Dark' or 'shady' to you may be midnight for the plant. Light! Light!
Now, not brilliant noontime equatorial light, but LIGHT! It (the tank)
is in a NNE window, too. Also what kind of air circulation are you
giving it?

Carolyn


Dimly shaded would be a north-facing window that is shaded by a large
magnolia, blinds and pulled curtains. It is in a hanging basket made of
wire and osmundum fibre, filled with sphagnum and directly in front of a fan
that is constantly blowing on low. The sphagnum is constantly wet/damp. I
have a humidifier that blows directly beneath the plant and the readings of
65% humidity are from a very unreliable device.

I do have a Dendrobium gonzalesii in another room. Oncidium 'Sherry Baby'.
Paphs, Phals, Cats. I have a few here or there. Some have done well,
others have died. Namely, the Paphiopedilum.

The problem is that leaves keep falling off. But the leaves that fall off
recently look perfectly healthy save for the fact that the ends of the stems
are black. They're not a dark green color indicating that they don't have
enough light.


Thanks,
-dxtrwrd

On Oct 15, 5:47 am, "Sinister" wrote:
Hi,

I have a Drac vespertilo (sp?) in spike (2) right now. It's in a
humidity tank made out of a 5 gal aquarium with a plexiglas lid, and
computer fan inside. It's in sphag, in a little basket. I lost the 1st
2 spikes due to my own stupidity (moved it to poor air circulation for
1, and bumped the tip off the other). I've had this plant since Feb.
Point is, I have a very happy, healthy drac growing in my house near
NYC.

What is dimly shaded? I think you need more light. I have a 26W CFL
less than a foot from the plant, shining directly on the plant. Now
the light is going through the plexiglas, but it is anything but
'dim'. It's rarely less than 75-80% humidity, the temps of NYC. I
don't think that ethylene is your problem. Do you grow other orchids?
'Dark' or 'shady' to you may be midnight for the plant. Light! Light!
Now, not brilliant noontime equatorial light, but LIGHT! It (the tank)
is in a NNE window, too. Also what kind of air circulation are you
giving it?

Carolyn

Dimly shaded would be a north-facing window that is shaded by a large
magnolia, blinds and pulled curtains. It is in a hanging basket made of
wire and osmundum fibre, filled with sphagnum and directly in front of a fan
that is constantly blowing on low. The sphagnum is constantly wet/damp. I
have a humidifier that blows directly beneath the plant and the readings of
65% humidity are from a very unreliable device.

I do have a Dendrobium gonzalesii in another room. Oncidium 'Sherry Baby'.
Paphs, Phals, Cats. I have a few here or there. Some have done well,
others have died. Namely, the Paphiopedilum.

The problem is that leaves keep falling off. But the leaves that fall off
recently look perfectly healthy save for the fact that the ends of the stems
are black. They're not a dark green color indicating that they don't have
enough light.

Thanks,
-dxtrwrd

I think (well, I'm convinced) that it needs more light. You can see
mine here
http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/...091232087.html
I just posted the picture. Although (as the thread describes) it has
not been growing all the time in that container, it has been growing
just about that distance from that light (26W CFL). Fairly bright,
especially compared to your conditions.

I think that your seemingly 'perfectly healthy' leaves are rotting off
due to too much water combined with too little light. It's probably
enough water for what the plant wants, and even with your air
circulation, I can't insist enough, GIVE IT MORE LIGHT. That's an
unobstructed NNE window behind everything. I know that they say dracs
prefer shade, and mine never sees bright direct sun, but you can see
it is not shade! And the lights are on 16 hrs. There are 2 spikes,
with what I am sure is another on the way.

If I have learned nothing about orchids, I have learned that most are
underlit in the home.

OK, so sit back and tell me about your paph. Or is that one 'lost'?

Good luck!
Carolyn

Thanks Carolyn, you've given me and my Drac new hope. As for my Phaph, it's
already lost. Went to Florida for spring break(even made it to the AOS in
Delray Beach) When I got back I found that the person I had charged with
tending my orchid had done nothing to it in nearly nine days. I tried to
save it, but being at best a novice grower, it was too much of a challenge
or too far gone, one of those atleast...It died.

But on all other orchids, I've met with modest success, except this dracula.
I shall do as you say and arrange it for more light. BTW, you Drac looks
amazing. Do you keep it in that container and showercap for moisture. If
so, I might consider something similar but I should think it would have an
air circulation problem...

It was just watered recently and I'm afraid another leaf will die. I can
see a small new growth that is poking up and that looks a little promising
or ominous... But I will open the windows, kick on the fan and see what
happens.

Thanks again.


-dxtrwrd

On Oct 17, 3:25 am, "Sinister" wrote:
Thanks Carolyn, you've given me and my Drac new hope. As for my Phaph, it's
already lost. Went to Florida for spring break(even made it to the AOS in
Delray Beach) When I got back I found that the person I had charged with
tending my orchid had done nothing to it in nearly nine days. I tried to
save it, but being at best a novice grower, it was too much of a challenge
or too far gone, one of those atleast...It died.

But on all other orchids, I've met with modest success, except this dracula.
I shall do as you say and arrange it for more light. BTW, you Drac looks
amazing. Do you keep it in that container and showercap for moisture. If
so, I might consider something similar but I should think it would have an
air circulation problem...

It was just watered recently and I'm afraid another leaf will die. I can
see a small new growth that is poking up and that looks a little promising
or ominous... But I will open the windows, kick on the fan and see what
happens.

Thanks again.

-dxtrwrd

Hi dxtrwrd,

You're welcome Please let us know how your drac does. Too bad for
the paph, but that happens.

For the full story of my drac and where it has been living since
March, take a look here
http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/...053213952.html

The aquarium was about $10 from a pet store, computer fan $5 from
Radio shack, and voltage regulator $12 from HD. It was very easy to
strip the ends of the fan wires and splice them into the end of the
voltage regulator. If you have/want to spend that money, it's a nice
easy environment for higher humidity plants.

I'm certainly no expert, but I'm happy to share what seems to work for
me

Carolyn