Dear Orchid Doc:

Whenever it rains heavily my sun orchids get a powdery-looking stuff below the first set of leaves (just above the stones) and within a few days I lose them. I recently started growing orchids and I am not sure what I am not doing right. Can you enlighten me please?

— Joanna

Dear Joanna:

What you have described is the beginning of a fungus. If left untreated it will cause death in just a few days. Orchids must be treated with a fungicide at least once every two weeks. Once you have seen the “white stuff ” on the orchid , it is already far gone but can still be saved. Wipe the fungus from the orchid with peroxide,

then mix a paste with a fungicide and apply to the area. Shelter the orchid from too much water or rain.

Dear Orchid Doc:

I have lots of hanging orchids

under my almond tree, but they just won’t bloom again, though they were blooming when I bought them.

I have given them everything under the sun, but they just won’t bloom.

— Dotsie

Dear Dotsie:

You mentioned that they are under an almond tree, and that you have given them everything under the sun. Maybe what they need is more of the sun.

You see, an almond tree usually has too much shade. You might need to thin out that almond tree a bit, making sure you examine it from underneath looking up, before you start cutting.

Betty Stephenson Ashley

Betty’s Landscaping,

Farm Garden Supplies

161 Constant Spring Road,

Kingston 8, Jamaica .

Telephone:

1 876 322-4585, 870-0191

876-931-8804, 876-755-2204

Fax: 1 876-931-8805

E-mail: betty-may2@hotmail.com