Does anyone in the group grow orchids? I had a phal once but killed
in in about a year. I
would like to try again, but maybe with the Lady Slipper orchid. Do
you grow them in the
house? Do they need special treatment?
Arianne
*I grow orchids. I have had one which has never stopped blooming in
the 10 years that I've had it, winter, summer, doesn't matter, it's
always blooming.
*The easiest orchids are the phaleanopsis or moth orchids. They do
not need much care, though I guess I have very top quality
fertilizer specifically for orchids. I guess that's the
only "special" thing that I do. It has chelated minerals and the N
is not from urea as phals don't like urea.
*Otherwise, their blooms can last months, and they can bloom more
than once per year. They like a good amount of light, but NEVER
direct light. You have to think about how they lived when they were
wild, and that was in a rainforest, so they got a lot of shaded
light. But even in Minnesota a good South window in winter, and a
shaded south or direct north window in winter works great, even when
the days are short in winter.
*Watering is super simple. Sometimes I use Brita filtered water (not
tap water because it can leave metal residue over the years), but
most of the time I add special orchid fertilizer with the water. I
can get you the brand if you would like.
*For phaleanopsis, I just soak the roots for 10 minutes, then don't
water again until the root area is *dry* again. The most common way
to kill an orchid is to overwater it. Again, think of them growing
on the side of a tree in the rainforest. They would get rained on,
but then, before the next rain, they would dry out. They don't sit
in water or swamps in the wild.
*Having a little water sprayed on them, helps in the winter, too as
it's rather dry, at least in Minnesota. There are also orchid trays,
but I've never been big into those. I think misting is better. Use
Brita or otherwise filtered water, not tap, to mist.
*Make sure when you soak the roots to time it, and don't let it go
over 15 minutes or you can actually drown the plant.
*Um, what else . . . . . phaleanopsis like to be root bound, with
roots coming out of the pot. I have mine professionally repotted
when they need it, in plain orchid bark. But they only need
repotting, maybe once every 3 years?
*Look for a plant that has more than beautiful blooms. Make sure the
leaves are green and healthy, otherwise it might not bloom again.
Don't get one with soggy, yellow leaves, no matter how beautiful the
blooms are, if you are interested in re-blooming them. I personally
prefer ones potted in bark and not sphagnum moss (soft mushy stuff).
*I'm planning to join the orchid club here, my mini phaleanopsis
(which is the one that's bloomed for 10 years with no end in sight)
occasionally gives off babies, called kiekies. So, I planted a
kiekie and now I've got TWO plants that never stop blooming - mommy
and baby! There is a way to use hormones to get the adult plant to
make kiekies. As long as I do it only for my own use, I don't think
it violates the "copyright" of the original company.
*Oh, I'm just babbling! Phaleanopsis orchids are getting cheaper all
the time. I just bought a super healthy looking one, with three
beautiful spikes for $50.
*Catteleya are probably the second easiest to keep. Those are
the "corsage" orchids. I've successfully bloomed them for around 3
years before they poop out. They need to have good sun, and need
extra lighting if you live in a northern state like Minnesota where
the days get 8 hours long. They like more 10 or 12 hours light.
*And I've had ONE luck with one of my favorite orchids, Dendrobium
kingianum. Dendrobium, I think are the hardest to rebloom. Normally,
I don't even bother, but I love kingianum so much!
*Let me know if you want any more information.
Best,
Arianna
