Both dens have spider mites!

The Mokara, the other Den, the mini cym, is looking very strong and healthy. The Phal has many dried up roots. Could bear with a little reporting.

While watering, I spotted miniscular white crawlies on the Vanda. Excited, I took my insecticide that hasn't been opened, thinking "At last!" and sprayed the entire plant with insecticide. Then I remembered that I could have just soaked the plant or sprayed it with a strong jet of water, like what I did with the mini den and got the red spider out.

I went to the flower nursery and spent a bundle there. I bought a fungicide, a mini Den and two bundles of flowers. A fragrant and blushing white orchid (smelling like lilies) and some scentless Gerberas and money plant for a dull but cheery arrangement for a colleague. A gf is in the floral arrangement business. I am thinking of ordering an orchid arrangement so to I copy it. I shall order a fragrant arrangement

Creations I like so far:

*Pom Pom chrys + South African Chrys in green. Backdrop of onion leaves fanned out.
*Pussy willows + Cherry Blosoms + Red / Pink China roses (long stemmed) + Red / Pink Carnations
*Gerberas standing a ball shaped patten + 2 Money plant leaves large, over lapping each other at an angle.

In a short time, the roots for Purple Den and the UFO have attached themselves strongly to the new pot. I'm surprised but pleased. I was a little worried they might not take to each other. I was right not to worry about the Den: on the bottle of fungicide I bought was a picture of sooty mould, which wasn't anything like my Den. I pulled out two more yellowed leaves and snipped the all the yellowed stems on this plant. I noticed a bit of green on one and decided to leave it. I didn't do much cutting when I repotted so I hope it will give flower.

The momentum drove me to give Mini cym and pink phal a little trimming of their own.

Got my knickers in a twist when I found yellowing leaves on Purple Den. Checked on it this morning, found the yellowing did not extend to entire leave. Google search on yellowing leaves at rec.garden.orchids on whether I should worry or not was inconclusive but I've already begun.

Possibilities :
1. Decidious - shedding leaves after blooming
2. Root Rot - on charcoal potting? Come on.
3. Black mould - inconclusive: black spots could be sunburnt spots

Pink Phals extended their lips; Mokara buds flower; Purple Den sheds one more leaf; and the Cyms droop.

Purple Den and UFO continues to hang/lose their pretty heads. Almost all flowers are gone. Pink Phals have dried up buds. I've decided to resume daily watering.

Report: With the exception of Big Purple Den, UFO and the Vanda, the other flowers are still looking fresh and healthy. The new Mokara (in Mandarin Orange) is growing a new flower stalk. I'm a little concerned about the Pink Phals: they look rather weak: the leaves have brown edges.

After walking the length of Thomson road twice, I took home a Mandarin Yellow Mokara. I put it behind the blue pot of mini cyms and found a badly yellowed leave on the UFO. Alarmed, I checked the Purple Den - it looked okay - and poked around the soil. The soil was suspiciously moist. The rain today was too light fall into the corridor. I think my father watered the plants!

My father, even after telling him numerous times that orchids suffer from root rot if overwatered, secretly waters my orchids, ignoring the plain fact that it has been pouring buckets these three days.

Some pictures to remind self the color of the flowers:
My Pretend Garden - front view
My Pretend Garden - side view
Big Purple Den
White Tipped Den
Mini Cymbidium Brown
Cherry-Blossom-Pink Phals
Fat Vanda

After the horrendous Quant Maths exam on Friday, I went to Ji Mei and blew $100+. All, shocked at the 'waste', took it upon themselves to nag at me. All, except my parents. Surprise, surprise! I think my parents, having grown up in a kampong with lots of land around them, enjoy the plants.

I bought charcoal and a plastic pot big enough to house the Big Purple Den and the Undentified Flowering Orchid together. I think the pot might be too big and I may not get flowers the next few years while the plants concentrate on root growth. I bought a yellow Fat Vanda with a serious brown spot on the flower (water, possibly?), two small cherry-blossom-pink phals and a brown mini Cymbidium.

Today I reduced my usual fertiliser amount. I must resist over mothering the orchids: the UFOs are turning red and dropping.