Posted on 03/26/2012 12:42:04 PM PDT by melissa_in_ga
I'm sorry for the vanity. A month ago I purchased a Phalaenopsis orchid for my new breakfast nook table. It was an impulse purchase, and I've since impulsively purchased another orchid. Now I'm wondering how to keep them healthy, because they're so beautiful. I'd also like to purchase more, but I'm afraid I'll kill them.
Are there any orchid growers in the house?
Thank you! I’ve bookmarked the site. BTW, I’ve always loved your photos!
Wife has several that are always blooming. She never lets me water them, she just mists them daily. I guess that is one of the tricks.
Only water when a finger stuck down in the mulch finds it totally dry.I left three of mine for a month without watering and they survived.Overwatering is the big problem.Also, be sure to fertilize;orchid fertilizer,diluted in water. And they are beautiful!
No direct sun. Bright light is okay. Mist the heck out of them. I put mine outside in a shady area in the summer and they love it. They really suffer from low humidity in the Winter so I keep them on a tray with pebbles on it and keep a little water in the bottom. Feed during the growing season. Moth orchids are pretty easy once you figure out a “happy place” for them. Good luck!
That is gorgeous!!!
You get a bingo with me. Orchids are a specialty. Have had at the most 35 at one time. Phaleonopsis are amongst the easiest to grow. I currently have 3 in secondary bloom and am nursing a friends’ one back to health and it now has 2 flower spikes. Biggest thing I have noticed is most phals sold today are in cheap plastic liners nested inside ceramic pots with no drain hole. If you have one ditch the ceramic pot. The roots have to breathe. Water thoroughly twice a week at the sink, let the water run through. If the water is brown the roots have started rotting, don’t worry it will recover. try not to water the center of the plant at the core, phals can rot that way. Put the pot in a larger plastic drain dish. If you want to put a layer of gravel in it first all the better. If it is in bloom just enjoy and water. They like bright light but not direct sun. I keep mine near a south patio door. Once the blooms fade and fall off you can cut the flower spike down about halfway, just above one of the little nubbins. Most of the time the spike will regenerate. I hardly ever feed. Phals like to shoot their roots out of the pot they will hang out, they like it like that. You can repot eventually but I usually don’t repot unless the potting medium (just buy orchid mix)gets old and starts to break down. My oldest orchid lasted over 25 years. They are very hardy and the blooms last a long time. Good luck.
Do NOT overwater. Do NOT expose to direct sunlight.
Swampsniper, you’re having us on.
I don’t think that’s a picture of an orchid.
raised orchids for over 30 years. the moth orchid is easy to grow and bloom. Do not place where you have fruits as their gas will hinder the plant from blooming. they can be placed in the bathroom due to the humidity. When you water the leech them about once a month to remove all the salt. Use Miracle Grow and a pinch of Epson salts with plenty of water. Only use Epson salts once a year an the other fertilizer a couple of times a yea. Over fertilizing can stop your plant from blooming. Welcome to the world of orchids.
It’s a generic flower shot! I know more about birds.
I have had one for over a year. It is in a tall acrylic cylinder that I keep in the kitchen window, where it is bright, with only a little direct sun.
I water it with two or three ice cubes as needed. While away on vacation last year it dried out and the blooms fell off. After resuming watering on return, it soon developed large buds that quickly bloomed. It seemed to use a lot of water while budding, but I had to cut back after blossoming.
I have not used any fertilizer since acquiring, just ice cubes.
My wife and father-in-law have raised orchids for years. Beautiful plants and, like others have said, are easy to care for, so don’t feel intimidated.
We’ve found the secrets to success are:
1. Plastic or clay pots - 1 only, per plant. Use a size large enough to give the roots room to breathe and grow - to tightly packed and they’ll rot.
2. Use orchid mix or pine-bark as the planting medium - no dirt ever. If this starts to break down, replace it.
3. Water once weekly - my wife likes to fill the sink with about 4 inches of water and just soaks for about 30 minutes - enough to saturate the bark so it holds the moisture ‘til the next week. Also, you can dilute Peter’s plant food to 1/4 strength in the water used for soaking to feed it gently.
4. We live in the south (NC), so after there’s no danger of temps below 40, she moves them outside onto our covered porch until the fall.
5. She used to mist them, but doesn’t do that - even in the winter. Personal preference I guess.
6. Never-ever let water stand in the “throat” - dab it out with a paper towel if it should happen.
Good luck!
Thank you all for your tips! I’m going to follow them and jump into the world of orchids. They are soooo beautiful!
I gave one to my sister and she was like you, afraid..... but she loved it.
That was years ago and today she is a master gardener.
It is not all that hard. I raise bromeliads which are a close family to orchids. They are surprisingly tough and do not need constant daily attention.
There is lots of info on the internet. There will be fanatics insisting on their way but there is likely someone else with a middle course not so finicky.
I would advise buy one more........ do some reading and enjoy
Everyone can be an expert with a little study.
Don’t know if you were still growing any orchids, but I may know a thing or two about them. I did a search on ‘orchid’ here at freerepublic just on a whim to see what would come up.
Respond if you still need any tips.
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