The Orchid Hothouse - for Orchid lovers and those who appreciate them.

[Nax]

OK, there are a few of us here who grow Orchids, some of us are even obsessed.  They are becoming a common house plant nowadays but there are plenty of people who are disappointed because they can't get them to re-flower or the plant starts to die on them.  This is a place to ask questions, give tips and post pictures of your little beauties.

[cabin]

OK,  my other half loves orchids, buys them over the years and promptly die on him.

Mr. Orchid Man, here is my question.

        Should I have him change hobbies?

[Rob in Puyallup]

Great idea, Neil!

Here's one of the best of the best... a yellow form of Phragmipedium besseae. The typical Phrag. besseae is a brilliant red orange in color. It is a native of Peru and Ecuador...



It requires bright indirect light, intermediate temperatures, (55 nights, 80 days with seasonal fluctuations of a few degrees either way), and damp roots. I grow the plants in a shallow tray filled with water so the plant have a constant supply of water. Some growers water them with rain water or purified water and recommend a ready supply of natural fertilizers such as "fish emulsion".

This photo was taken using my cell phone camera under the fluorescent shop lights where the plant grows. (Explains the odd lines and all...)

Rob

[Rob in Puyallup]

OK,  my other half loves orchids, buys them over the years and promptly die on him.

Mr. Orchid Man, here is my question.

        Should I have him change hobbies?

LOL!

Heck no!

Just have him buy orchids that will fit his cultural abilities... and the conditions he has available...

[Boris]

Some lousy pictures of the stuff Petri sells:

[mcnell1120]

Oh wow, didn't know this thread existed....nice

[cabin]

OK,  my other half loves orchids, buys them over the years and promptly die on him.

Mr. Orchid Man, here is my question.

        Should I have him change hobbies?

LOL!

Heck no!

Just have him buy orchids that will fit his cultural abilities... and the conditions he has available...

Thanks for the advise.  I'll need to search the web and get a match.

[cabin]

Some lousy pictures of the stuff Petri sells:

Jari:  "Lousy" pictures of the "stuff"  . . . .  those are beautiful flowers . . .   By the way, I guess in Helsinki you are required to plaster your street number all over the place, huh?         

[fritzkep]

I've got kind of a general question. The only person I knew who raised orchids (back in New Orleans) back in high school (so, MANY years ago) was saying that, contrary to then popular opinion, the plants were themselves rather tough and hardy, but the hard part was getting the plants to put forth flowers. Would this be a fair and accurate statement, considering that we had hot summers and mild winters back there? (I have no idea the type of orchid he raised).

[phrag3]

My experience is that the orchids will decide when they want to bloom regardless of what I try.

So I've learned to enjoy the surprises as they bloom.

Dan

[Nax]

Some lousy pictures of the stuff Petri sells:

Jari:  "Lousy" pictures of the "stuff"  . . . .  those are beautiful flowers . . .   By the way, I guess in Helsinki you are required to plaster your street number all over the place, huh?         

These I think are phalanopsis and are by far the most popular orchid on sale.  The don't like water on the crown of the plant so I find standing them in a tray and watering from the bottom works.  The flowers can be very long lasting and there are a couple af tricks you can do to get them to reflower.

1. bud sacrifice, th flowers open in sequence, when the last two are still unopened bus you can cut down the flower spike to hust obave the second bract (where you see a little scale leaf on the spike.  the sap is still rising and the plant should send up a furterh spike.

2. Shock treatment, in general these plant like indirect sunlight and don't like ot too hot, to get the plant to refloer you need to put it int a cool room 130 for a month or so, watch to see if there is any sign of a spike starting, bring it back into a warmer room to encourage it to flower. 

I need to look up some of my notes on these about the temperature.  Rob you probably can add to this.

[Nax]

My experience is that the orchids will decide when they want to bloom regardless of what I try.

So I've learned to enjoy the surprises as they bloom.

Dan

I think agree with you Dan, I always work on the two chance principle of gardening - either it grows or it doesn't 

[Rob in Puyallup]

I've got kind of a general question. The only person I knew who raised orchids (back in New Orleans) back in high school (so, MANY years ago) was saying that, contrary to then popular opinion, the plants were themselves rather tough and hardy, but the hard part was getting the plants to put forth flowers. Would this be a fair and accurate statement, considering that we had hot summers and mild winters back there? (I have no idea the type of orchid he raised).

Hey Fritz!!!

I've been growing orchids for over thirty years. In my younger years I was very involved in the local orchid societies, knew many growers from "novices" having killed one plant, to "experts" with hundreds of dead plants in their compost heap.

Most orchids are very tough, very "into" living. When they die they tend to go out very slowly, (unless infected with a nasty bacterial infection!).

And yes, the hard part is to get the plant to reflower...

But if conditions are right they will grow well and flower regularly. Light must be right, no orchid will bloom, (let alone grow), if it's too dark. Temperature is important as well. Most orchids are comfortable in average home temps, but in order to set flower spikes they, generally speaking, require nights cooler than days.

Occasional light feedings are important to many orchids, and re-potting once a year or so, (depending on potting media and plant growth), helps as well.

I grow my plants in a spare bedroom. It receives afternoon sun from the west. They grow under fluorescent shoplites, four four foot tubes, two cool white tubes, two warm white alternating (cool/warm/cool/warm) over the plants. The tubes are very close to the plants, too, within several inches of the top of the plants.

Temperature in the room this time of year is rather cool. 50's at night, 60's in the day.

More later....

[Rob in Puyallup]

Hi Neil...

Phalaenopsis (Moth Orchids), are generally known as "warm" growers. Most of the year they prefer temperatures no lower than the low 60's, with daytime temperatures in the 70's to 80's.

They also like the air moderately humid, and moving... (As do all orchids, and most other houseplants.)

In order to encourage flowering they do appreciate a cool dry(er) spell in the cool months of the year. A couple weeks to a month with cooler daytime temperatures, and cool nights, (50 degrees, give or take) helps with that...

Frequent light feedings, 1/4 teaspoon fertilizer per gallon water every other watering, helps as well.

Phalaenopsis prefer that their roots not completely dry out, but at the same time never allow the plants pot to sit directly in water...

[Rob in Puyallup]

Nicky gave this plant to me as a gift last May... the flowers very fragrant in the summer warmth, filling the plant room, noticeable when the door is first opened...

Cattleya Secret Love



Since then it has grown two new growths, both are currently in bud, soon to be blooming again.