All I can say is if these like their conditions they usually respond pretty quickly once the offending element is taken care of. Is this a hybrid or a species plant? In any case, 70-72 F room temp is not too warm IMO. Are you sure you need to do the ice pack thing? Masdies can take temps into the 80's F or higher as long as the night temps drop off 15 or more degrees. Maybe it's not cool enough at night?

Kevin

*I don't grow masdies, never have, never will*

How long had you had it before it started to decline? It'd help to know if it was doing well in your care beforehand and life got in the way, or if it was a new purchase that started declining.

For these plants I'm reasonably sure that a mist bottle and a tray of pebbles just isn't going to cut it. I'd suggest if you want to jumpstart it, some sort of enclosure that will hold the humidity up would be best for it (a clear plastic container with the bottom lined with mosit sphag would work well). Masdevallias-and most things in the Pleurothallid alliance-are just simply NOT windowsill plants and *usually* won't do well without some sort of enclosure to hold humidity. I tread lightly with that statement since my grandma, being the dark magic practitioner that she must be, is keeping a Masd. triangularis on her windowsill in NH as we speak and its doing very well. But for 99% of these things, on a shelf in someones house will usually be insufficient to allow them to thrive, let alone resurrect from ailment.

I'd have to say the ice pack thing is over doing it a bit. I might have been just a bit to far along to respond to it's improved care quickly. TERPGUY - masdies are bit more hardy than you give them credit for. An enclosed humidity evironment is certainly NOT needed.

What kind of Masdie is it? Some come from cold cloud forests and some come from warm toasty lower altitudes. I grow several in my GH which are perfectly happy in the mid-80s and could take even higher temps without problem. I can't think of even the coldest growing Masdie which would start to sweat below 80F.

I have some masdies pushing all kinds of new growth and some are just sitting there.

As long as the leaves are staying put, you water just before it dries out, I would just watch it.

Brooke

I agree. Mine grow cool (60's) with very low humidity. It is dry as heck indoors during winter. I find they like their roots to drain quickly. Mine are hybrids which can take warmer temps. but night temps need to drop. I also give them good light.

Why don't you try growing it on a windowsill where the night temps will drop and you'll get more natural light.

Otherwise, hold on until Spring.

Jane

No one has mentioned this and it wasn't in your original post, but these guys like really pure water, as in RO or rain water. Your plants look dry to me, like they're not taking in enough water. Salt overdose might be doing you in.

A quick aside - swmboxer is right in saying many of these guys are hardier than we give them credit for, but ask most award-winning growers and they'll tell you that Masdevallias do need great humidity, air circulation and pure water to REALLY thrive. There are exceptions to every rule, of course.

Julie

I strongly disagree with that "certainly NOT needed" statement, smwboxer. Experience for the most part would suggest otherwise. Theres a reason 99.99% of successful pleurothallid alliance growers grow in some sort of greenhouse, terrarium, or enclosed bakers rack or elaborate area outside of their native habitat; its certainly not because growers WANT to make their lives more difficult. Most cases, its required for success!

I deliberately didn't say she won't succeed without one, and gave an example of them being grown outside a terrarium, but those examples are few and far between. In those rare cases, it might not be necessary, but in most other cases it probably will be necessary (notice, no absolutes!) We really need to know the plants history, if shes had it in its current location for a long time doing well, or if its a new plant gone haywire with bad culture.

As an aside, the addition of humidity in virtually all rehab cases is absolutely beneficial! I'm sure you know this. And given their humidity requirements, even more so for Masdevallias and their ilk than most others we grow. Its not like Susan's rehabing a cattleya or phal where an enclosure really is usually not necessary, proven many many times over. This is not proven with this alliance and it seems misguided to me to dismiss out of hand as "certainly not needed" an enclosure for-of all plants-an ailing masdevallia we know nothing about.

Looking back at my post, I apologize if I came off angry or defensive. I'm definitely neither. But "certainly not needed", especially in this case, really stuck in my craw for some reason. It struck me as very wrong headed advice, and I tried to explain why I so strongly disagree with that. Very much disagree with you in this case, smwboxer, but not trying to pick a fight with you!

Thanks for all the responses, I will try to address all teh questions.

The temp does drop at night. I actually keep the vent closed in that room at night, so it usually goes into the 60s. During the day it is 60s-70s, this time of year with the heat. Higher in the summer, unless the ac is on. The ice pack idea only happens a couple times a week (more in the summer). Someone told me a while ago masdes like cool temps. Maybe that is incorrect.

I'm guessing the masde is a hybrid, b/c I bought it from Smith and Hawken. It didn't have a tag with the hybrid type, so all I know is it is a masdevallia. When it is in bloom, the flowers are yellow. I've had it for probably a little less than a year. It was healthy when I bought it, until I forgot to water it once. Oops.

I tried repotting it once with more sphag, but that just caused more harm. I have been attempting to increase the humidity more, which you cannot see below in the photo. I have a humidifer below the greenhouse. The problem is, I often move the humidifer around the house, b/c I need it for myself too.

Julie, the plant is dry there. But that is because I took the photo just before I watered it. I haven't tried rain water yet. It is difficult for me to collect it some this time of the year, b/c it sometimes freezes. I do use filtered water, but maybe I should try distilled.

Jane, unfortunately I don't have a windowsill that gets enough light. The plant is in a greenhouse (with the doors open currently), about half a foot away from my southeast facing window.

Sarah

Terpguy, no offense taken. I just wanted to say that there are no hard and fast rules when it comes to orchids. I have 4 Masdies that I grow on a stand in front of a southeast facing window. I do run a humidifier and the hunmidity in my apartment stays around 40% and I run a small fan that benifits all my orchids.

Hi Sarah,

I wasn't talking about the medium being dry, but rather the growths themselves, more than just pre-watering dry. The growths are also kind of folded, which says not enough moisture to me. I don't know what the salt content of filtered water is, but I imagine it's probably not low enough. For $4, I buy a big 10L jug of RO water from my pharmacy. It might be easier than collecting rain water.

Humidity might also be a factor. I grow mine in these rectangular plastic trays with three or four trays with lots of vents to let the water drain sitting in that one un-holed tray. There's water in the un-holed tray, but those vented trays keep the plants high enough above that I don't have rot issues. I then add a clear dome made to fit over the trays. I buy them from a local hydroponics store; all told, it cost me a large $5.00. Made a huge difference. Gardening stores and HD or Lowes might also carry them, but usually at a higher price tag. No humidifier needed.

Hope this helps and good luck.

Julie

The growths could look dry and folded because the roots are in trouble. If there aren't healthy roots, the foliage is going to look bad since roots transport water to the foliage. In my experience with these little beasts, root problems are common if they don't like their conditions. The first sign of a "back to good health Masdie" is new root growth. If you don't have that, you're screwed.

Kevin

Thanks Julie and Kevin. I have been trying to increase the humidity, and I will have to check into some of those trays and water. Kevin, I think there may be some new root growth the last time I repotted it (probably 6 weeks ago). I did dip it twice now in rooting powder, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

Sarah