heidiiiii Posted February 13, 2009 Share Posted February 13, 2009 Fred brought me an orchid today. It is just beautiful. I am afraid I am going to kill it. Are any of you Orchid gurus? Can you point me to some relevant information on how to care for it. I have never had one before and I heard they can be difficult. Any help will be appreciated. I will take a pic of it later and post. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pastalinda Posted February 13, 2009 Share Posted February 13, 2009 Sorry, don't know nothing about orchids. At first I thought you were talking about a dollhouse. What if you googled orchid and see what you get. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elicia Posted February 14, 2009 Share Posted February 14, 2009 I've never had one but have had several black thumbed friends who have had them and they flourished.....saw some today....they were lovely..... Elicia my orchid is sitting in the closet screaming that is only has half a roof on..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolfie Posted February 14, 2009 Share Posted February 14, 2009 First of all Heidi, what kind of orchid is it. Does it have a marvelous scent? Does it have upstanding leaves or sort of flatish leaves that arch down around the plant? I grow two kinds.....cattalyas which have a marvelous scent, and phaelaneopsis and a dendrobium phaelaneopsis. Look at the tag and tell me what it say..... Wolfie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corwin Posted February 14, 2009 Share Posted February 14, 2009 spackle? :wub: I don't know but they are pretty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesterfieldzoo Posted February 14, 2009 Share Posted February 14, 2009 Sorry, I killed all 3 of mine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heidiiiii Posted February 14, 2009 Author Share Posted February 14, 2009 Gina, it is a phaelaneopsis. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hallowell Posted February 14, 2009 Share Posted February 14, 2009 Try to keep the humididy around them up. A tray of pebbels filled with water ander the palnt can help. I have a small one in my bathroom and it's very happy because of the humidity there.:wub: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolfie Posted February 14, 2009 Share Posted February 14, 2009 Cool. Very easy to care for - probably the easiest one if you follow it's rules..... NO direct sunshine should ever touch those leaves. It requires a bit more water than other orchids. I water mine about every three days. Don't let it sit in the water.....just water it and let it drain then put it back in the spot you put it in. It does not require high humidity. It likes a bright north window with NO sunshine. It likes to be warmer than other orchids. Most people have the misconception that orchids require lots of heat and humidity. That is a farce. If you grow them in a "box" which early orchid collectors tried to do, they curl up and die. They like normal humidity. They grow in the wild in the tree tops because they attach themselves to a tree and suck up the tree's nutrients. They grow in high altitudes where the temperture drops at night about 20 degrees from the daytime temperatures. Normal households are perfect for them. Don't let them freeze though. When it gets below 30 outside, I bring my orchids back from the window a foot or so. At night I'm taking them off their windowsills and putting them about a foot and a half on a table. In the mrning they go back to their individual windows. I have some orchids - cattlyas and the dendrobium/phaelopnsis mix, that adore all the sunshine they can get. But phaelos grow in the more dence shade of the trees under the tree canopy. They do love to be spritzed once or twice a day as in the tree canopy where they grow it does rain a couple of times a day. But you cannot leave them soaking in the water. They get quick rain showers in the wild, then dry out quickly as well. They love to be fertalized, so get yourself a good orchid fertalizer. Miracle Grow does not work well on orchids. Mine get fertalized once a week. In the summer when it is hot you can put them outside in a protected area - phaelo in the shade and the others can take a bit more sun. My phaelo is resting right now from blooming, and people sometimes get tired of looking at the green leaves, but don't change your regime and the plant will reward you with more spikes of lovely flowers later on. When your plant stops blooming, you may get what is called a kiki growing on the old stalk. These are actually NEW orchids, so when the roots are about an inch long, cut it off just under the stalk andplant it. You will increase your collection that way. We call the cattlya's "cats" and the phaleos "moths" as they are known as the moth orchid due to the flowers that they grow looking a bit like moths. If you need more information Heidi, do send me a PM. All of my orchids come from Carter and Holmes down south and I just love growing them! So easy to do! You won't have a black thumb if you go by the orchid's rules........ Trust me on this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeffrey Posted February 14, 2009 Share Posted February 14, 2009 my orchid has been moved to the garage temporarily :wub: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goodteach0 Posted February 14, 2009 Share Posted February 14, 2009 Heidiii,I have about 20 phals myself. Wolfie has given you some good information. Also if you go to the Carter and Holmes website there is info about phal care. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avidcrazyquilter Posted February 14, 2009 Share Posted February 14, 2009 At first I thought you were talking about a dollhouse. Me too! I wondered why you needed to know how to take care of it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heidiiiii Posted February 14, 2009 Author Share Posted February 14, 2009 Thank you for the information. I will have questions but I just spent 3 hours at the hairdresser with Chelsea and I need a bit time to recoup my butt and brain..LOL Just replying so you know that I have seen what you have said. Still need to take a picture. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shannonc60 Posted February 14, 2009 Share Posted February 14, 2009 I am a plant killer and I have an orchid and it is still alive after about 8 months, so I can assure you they are hardy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heidiiiii Posted February 15, 2009 Author Share Posted February 15, 2009 Here is a picture of the Orchid. I should have realized that I should have been more specific in my headline of the post. And believe me, I have killed an Orchid before. It blew off the front porch into a pile of splinters. So I do not want that to happen to this one! LOL The only plant I have never had any luck with is african violets. My mom had many of them that lasted many years. I would get one and it would be lucky to survive the night. This is so pretty and I want it to survive. The only room that I can think of that does not get DIRECT sunlight is the livingroom. We have a front porch and those windows only get a bit of sun in the morning but otherwise that is about it. It is in the diningroom right now. This time of year the sun does not come in here much so it will be safe...I hope. Thanks for the information. I will do some reading and if I have any questions, I will nag you to death Gina. LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolfie Posted February 15, 2009 Share Posted February 15, 2009 Heidi, and other orchid lovers...... All of my orchids are on humidity trays. We bought special ones, however, you can just put a plate or low dish under your plant that has some aquarium gravel and keep water in it. All plants love humidity. I have 20 African Violets that are also on humidity trays. It really helps! Especially orchids. I also spray them once a day with tepid water. In the wild they are rained on, and bugs crawl on them providing them with extra moisture without soaking the roots several times a day. The bugs crawl on them and actually provide some fertalizer. I have many books on raising the various types of orchids. Some orchids I do not personally like, but all of them are different and quite varied. There are many orchid farms on Google for you to visit where you can find all sorts of tips and hints for keeping your orchid plants alive and thriving! Books from the library also add their advice. Sunset Magazine put out a few good orchid books back in the 80's and 90's which are still full of valuable advice as well. My big hints are if you see a plant and fall in love with it, write down it's name and go home and look it up and see if you have all of the conditions necessary to keep the plant alive and healthy. Unfortunately all of my plants are alive and healthy, and I have no empty windows....sigh....but in the winter when all is still and white outside, the "gardens" that I have put in the windows provide relief and pleasure to the eye to see green growing and flowering things! PLUS the humidity theyprovide to you personally is worth every dollar. A plant filled house is basically a healthy house. Plants take in carbon monoxide and give back oxygen and the more important - humidity. But you have to provide the humidity for the plants to be healthy and yourself! Humidity trays are the way to go. Charley's Greenhouse is online, and has great humidity trays of all kinds. You don't need to go expensive, check out the gridded trays in there - they are worth their weight in gold believe me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heidiiiii Posted February 15, 2009 Author Share Posted February 15, 2009 I will have to take a picture of the pot they put it in. I think I will need to re-pot it soon. Thanks for all the tips. I did not know about spraying it. Isnt it lovely? I want to keep it that way. Thanks for also letting me know not to let it outside in the summer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolfie Posted February 15, 2009 Share Posted February 15, 2009 Heidi, you don't need to repot it until after the flowers fade and die. Orchids don't need a pot much bigger than their root system! If you repot now it will kill all your flowers tryng to fill the pot with roots. Be patient. Love the plant, "shower" it with care and ignore it a lot. They love that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justmesue Posted February 17, 2009 Share Posted February 17, 2009 I don't have a green thumb! I've even killed cactus! So I will have to stick with dollhouse that have cute flower names! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolfie Posted February 17, 2009 Share Posted February 17, 2009 Heidi, go to Yahoo and there are several really great orchid forums you can join. they are very friendly folk, and will give you wonderful advice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heidiiiii Posted March 1, 2009 Author Share Posted March 1, 2009 I am happy to say that the Orchid is still alive and kicking. A few of the lower flowers had dried up and fallen off but the majority of them are still on the plant. I check it every few days (i forget so it is good neglect) and if it is drying out I water it. I also spray water on it when I remember to. I never moved it from it`s spot next to the fish tank. I guess there is enough light but not direct on it where it resides that it likes where it is. Thanks and I will be bugging you when all the flowers fall off and it is time to cut and repot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolfie Posted March 1, 2009 Share Posted March 1, 2009 Heidi, your plant is acting normally. The flowers will be gin to fade and fall off. Do not cut the bare stem off. You might find that it will grow a plant right on the stem. When that happens - when there are roots about an inch long, then cut the stem about an inch below the roots and pot it up and you will have another orchid plant. Treat the baby as you do the mature plant. The baby is called a Kiki. You evidently have a nice mature plant and it is sure to produce. Congratulations on not killing it! Phals are so fussy about light. Keep up your watering regime. I soak my pots rather than just pouring water on it. Also I take them to the sink and really spray them down well. They love it and reward me with big firm leaves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heidiiiii Posted March 1, 2009 Author Share Posted March 1, 2009 So completely spray the entire plant..flowers leaves and all? With the sprayer on the sink? Thanks for the tip. I will do that later. I think he picked a good one also. Very hardy and strong looking. This Orchid is not a wimp. LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justmesue Posted March 2, 2009 Share Posted March 2, 2009 Glad to hear the Orchid is alive and well. That plant is so lucky to have been given to you, and not me! I can kill anything green, even when I follow direstions to the letter!-Except for veggies of course, I could always get a great garden when I lived on the farm. Indoor plants however, hate me and rebel! LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted March 2, 2009 Share Posted March 2, 2009 Me, too, Suzanne. My DGM was a plant goddess, she could touch a dry stick & it would burst into bloom. All I had to do was look at it and *presto*! Dry stick! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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