Orchids

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Comment by Patty C on November 18, 2009 at 9:46am

Just joined. Picture is of my pomeranian Captain Jack Sparrow. Have been growing orchids for a couple of years so consider myself a novice at it, but not completely idiotic. Only get a little crazy as we all do when I feel the need to buy more and more.

Comment by christi harris on November 18, 2009 at 5:10am

Thanks for all the good information. I'm sorry I haven't writen before now. My husband has been ill. I've just now brought my orchard in and its looking good. Hopefully with your great information I'll be able to enjoy it through the winter.

Comment by Nancy Worrell on October 23, 2009 at 8:04am

Hi Bill --
The new plantlets have roots about 2" long -- so how big should I let them get before putting them in their own pot?
Thanks

Comment by Bill Maynard on October 23, 2009 at 6:17am

Hi Nancy
You may want to leave them alone for a bit and let them grow a little. Then you can remove them and pot up sperately.

Comment by Nancy Worrell on October 20, 2009 at 7:28pm

After the orchid quit blooming my daughter gave it to me. She knows I'm a sucker for plants. So now, I've had it about a year -- green leaves no blooms. However, it now has new little plants growing at the top of the stems. What do I do with them? Take them off and put in their own pot or leave well enough alone? Thanks

Comment by Terri Penman on October 14, 2009 at 4:58pm

I live in so. ca and have cymbidium orchids some old and some from last year bght at Home Depot. I keep them potted, in a protected, open air, area all year, and just moved them to a sunnier spot in the yard where they receive about 8 hrs of sunlight, not sun, a day, and a new shoot has just sprouted. Now we have had some rain, finally, but wondering if it will damage the tender shoot. I'll let you know what happens and post a picture.

Comment by Ann Tarpy on July 24, 2009 at 9:02am

My orchids are starting to come back to life. I've been faithful in keeping their humidity up and feeding them. One was just a stick and even it has growth on it. I'm just wondering when I bring them inside should I keep up feeding them as often as I have to bring them back to life. Once a week is my schedule now. I've never feed them that often but it was a dire situation due to neglect/illness.

Comment by Carol Everhart Roper, Z6b, PA on July 5, 2009 at 11:55am

Haha, well, I don't know any secrets, just what has worked for me. When I got my first orchid, I bought several books and read a lot online, too, so I could get a general understanding of what to do. Don't buy something really exotic and difficult at first, stick with things like Phalanopsis. You can get cheap orchids at Trader Joes, too... much cheaper than at nurserys, and then if you lose one it's not so painful!

Biggest tip is be patient. Just stick them in a good place, give them appropriate care and forget about them, and they'll reward you with a bloom when they're ready. (See my earlier comments on when to fertilize in this thread.)

c.

Comment by christi harris on July 5, 2009 at 11:47am

You look like you know how to keep the orchids happy so they'll bloom. I keep telling myself if some else can do it so can I. My be you can tell me some secrets of the orchids. Thanks

Comment by Carol Everhart Roper, Z6b, PA on July 5, 2009 at 11:33am

Hi Christi,

First, when you bring them in, do you keep them in really nice, bright light? They need a LOT of light. I wouldn't stop watering them like that. They need the moisture or they'll shrivel up and die. I would recommend, in general, keeping them fairly pot bound (though repotting in the fall is a good time to do it if necessary). Keep the soil loose, orchid mix is chunks of bark and such. Keep an eye on their roots, which should be plump, but not sitting IN water. I water mine every day or two, but just enough to wet the roots and the medium they're planted in. AND I keep the pots inside a larger container which has gravel/rocks and water, for humidity.

I can't keep mine outside, because the squirrels EAT the flowers. So mine stay inside all year, and get the same treatment all the time. Fertilize them once or twice a month, too, but give them a little water every day or two (depending on how dry your house is.) Misting them is great if you can do that daily.

Lastly, don't fuss with them - they like to be left alone. If one isn't doing well, move it to another spot, no drafts, humid as possible and as bright light as you can get. Windows (esp double hung) really knock back the light.

Good luck, I hope that helps!

c.

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