Ethylene gas is produced from incomplete combustion of petroleum products (coal, natural gas, gasoline, oil etc.) as well as being produced naturally by some fruits such as apples. A basket of apples can generate enough ethylene gas to cause your flowers to wilt and turn black. For example, I had a lady call and tell me all of her beautiful Cattleya blooms had just died for no apparent reason. When I went to her home I found a basket of apples that she was going to can. Once the orchids was removed from the room the blooms that were left did not die. Ethylene gas is also a component of smog. If you live in a very smoggy area, you may want to keep your windows closed on the days of high air pollution.
If your blooms suddenly wilt and turn brown, check the quality of the air in the area where they are growing. And make sure you don't have a basket of apples sitting around. :)
You should never smoke around your orchids. If you do smoke, be sure you wash your hands before handling your orchids to prevent spreading a deadly virus called Tobacco Mosaic Virus to your beautiful orchids. The symptoms are leaves that exhibit light and dark mottling with the dark areas being raised and crinkled. Plants will appear stunted with some yellow leaf mottling.
Sometimes pollution is blamed for killing blooms when in fact it did not. If your orchid blooms suddenly wilt, it may not be due to bad air. If the bloom suddenly fades and the petals fold together and turn papery, an insect may have pollinated the blooms. Look to see if there is pollinia on the stigma.
Now go turn on that fan and enjoy the breeze with your orchids!
Visit the Orchid Garden next month and learn all about "Light" and
how it effects your orchids. I will be discussing growing orchids in
