Orchids?

[cynicalbrat79]

Hi all, I recently got an Orchid for my birthday. A friend saw my vegitable and wildflower garden and thought an orchid would be a good gift. It's nice but I am nervous and know nothing about orchids since I killed the last one I had 5 years ago any help or resources that anyone is aware of would be great, Thanks!

[hendi_alex]

What kind?

[cynicalbrat79]

phalaenopsis(?)

[hendi_alex]

Phalaenopsis will bloom in relatively low light, about the same as is required for African violets. It is best to fetilize with very dilute water soluble fertilizer included during normal watering. Perhaps no more than about 1/4 tsp per gallon of water. Make sure that the planting medium stays fresh. When it starts to break down, the medium holds water too long and will cause root rot. Phalaenopsis inside should be watered no more than once or twice per week as overwatering is probably the biggest killer of orchids. An underwatered phalaenopsis' leaf will start to wrinkle. IMO the best way to water the plants is to dip the pot in a bucket and let it set for a couple of minutes, to allow the roots to plump. Then plant should be ready for at least another week, or even perhaps two weeks. A phalaenopsis really enjoys being placed outside in a semi shade area, perhaps hung from a low tree limb during mild weather. Be sure to bring the plant in when nightime lows start dipping under about 45 degrees. Only allow indirect light either outside or inside as direct sunlight will cause leaf scald. When placed by a direct sun window, some kind of sheer or light filtering material must be used.

[bonsaiboy]

I have found this orchid grows well in a north light, although an east or west light is best. As for the medium, I use pure pumice fertilized with about 1 osmocote pellet per square centimeter of the mediums surface area during the summer growing season.

[cynicalbrat79]

Thanks! most helpful!

[mjd]

... A phalaenopsis really enjoys being placed outside in a semi shade area, perhaps hung from a low tree limb during mild weather. ...

A few years back, I filled my rented SF townhouse bursting at the seams with orchids (phalaenopsis, dendrobium, miltonia, lady's slipper etc.)--literally. The world's largest flower market is located mere blocks from where I worked so lunch was usually a trip to the market for sale priced plants. This one year, Rod McClellan store held orchid sales for weeks on end--months it seemed. Incredible low prices--irrisistible prices. filled the house and the office with them--white, purple, multicolor phals and more--and lost every single one.

Yesterday, I moved my lone white phalaenopsis orchid acquired from Costco a few weeks back from a window location in my bedroom to ---

outside in a semi shade area, perhaps hung from a low tree limb during mild weather. Not hung from the tree limb as I'd placed a rescued Boston fern up there, but on a stand right beneath.

Long journey from a cold SF townhouse which was a slaughterhouse for orchids to a backyard patio in Sacramento filled with morning and dappled afternoon sun.

I think it will live well and prosper. It's in good company with a trelissed hybrid tea rose, a staked bougainvillea, gardenia, and a couple of burro's tail. Each in their own special place to soak up light, water, air and nutrients.

[cynthia_h]

mjd, my orchid story started similarly to yours. But on a smaller scale, I'm sure.

I killed several cattleyas, two dendrobiums, and several phalaenopsis in the early to mid-'80s.

Turned out that, not only did the cattleyas require a warmer area than I could give them on my east-facing back yard in Berkeley, but gas heat in the house killed them dead dead dead. Tried the dendrobiums in the back yard, too, under the avocado tree as well as in the house. No go. The phalaenopsis just sort of looked at me and dropped their blooms, never to bloom again.

However, regular and dwarf cymbidiums thrived under the avocado tree, on the concrete patio/slab in Berkeley. I finally divided the mother cymbidium in 1993 and gave plants to NINE co-workers at my then-workplace. That mother cymbidium is still here, and has been divided so many times that I'm certain I've generated two dozen additional cymbidiums from the original plant.

Cymbidiums are much hardier than the other varieties I tried when I started. In fact, they require so little care that I agreed to rescue over a dozen of them October last year from my neighbor across the street. Most of hers were at death's door, but they were free for the hauling across the street, so...

I'm pleased to relate that only three of them were *really dead.* The others have all grown new leaves and I hope to have an orchid plant sale in February or March 2010 from the rescued orchids.

They all live outdoors here in El Cerrito. When we had the hard freeze last December, I moved them under the carport. I just had to make sure they didn't dry out completely, because they were entirely sheltered from any possible rain, cold or otherwise.

I'm just now losing the blooms from the last spike (this year) on the mother plant. I've had cymbidium blooms since maybe February or March.

So give 'em a try. (Heck: come on down early next year and I'll GIVE you one!)

Cynthia H.
Sunset Zone 17, USDA Zone 9

[cynicalbrat79]

Thanks for all the info, living near Chicago doesn't afford me to leave the orchid outside being I am somewhat forgetful and our weather can be unpredictable, but when it cools I think I will give it a whirl.

[oldschoolvdub]

OK, so what are you supposed to do when all the blooms have fallen off? Do you still keep up the same watering habits? And do you cut off the stem or leave it?

[cw]

I was also wondering about that, cutting off the old stem,the stems on my 3 orchids are shriveled up and look quite useless. My first time growing these.

[cynthia_h]

When the last bloom has dropped from the spike, I cut the spike off completely. I water on the same schedule during the dry season: once a week or so, depending on the water conservation guidelines around here. I know the plants would be happier with more frequent water, but sometimes it's just not the right thing to do...

I just realized that I haven't fertilized them at all since early spring, so I guess I'll do that the next time I water them:

half-strength! Ideally, for orchids, "Water weakly, weekly." But each time I *do* fertilize them, I make a half-strength solution so as not to burn them.

Cynthia

[oldschoolvdub]

how often do they bloom and do they shoot another stem out soon after the last one was cut? Also what will happen if I just leave it?