Anybody grow orchids?

[Carri]

I'm wondering, too, if I don't have the correct amount of lighting. My mom has this huge plant stand that my dad built and it has some sort of special lighting. Sounds like too much work for me! She's even got it on a timer.
We keep our house closed up during the hotter months because the amount of money it takes to keep the house cool is atrocious! Sounds like I should just buy some fake ones at Bed Bath and Beyond.

And Pat- My horses would die in that weather.

 

[beefy]

ive got a few orchids.

I got my grandmother one that i inherited. its a white phaelenopsis and its in my bedroom now and putting out a lot of new growth.

my sister gave me one last year that bloomed about a month ago--scads of yellow blooms but they didnt last long (i dont think i should have watered it). that one i believe to be a Laelia

and then my mom bought me a dendrobium for my birthday that was beautiful and it promptly aborted all its flowers and some leaves. whoopsie.

i'm forever rescueing plants from the clearance cart.

 

[patandchickens]

I dunno, I had good luck with my cheesy $15 Lowe's Phalaenopsis. I had to re-pot it in proper growing medium, but after that it was fine.

Well that is the thing - they often seem to be sold very inappropriately potted up, in unsuitable heavy stuff and/or without orchid-sufficient drainage. But innocent purchasers are unlikely to know the plant needs repotting, hence, exotic compost pile fodder

The secret to my success with this one was:
-Getting a kitty who hated Grey Kitty but loved that particular window and wouldn't share it with her,

LOL - good houseplant-growing tip. I really really like that

-Drowning the heck out of them when they were watered, but letting them dry out a little between waterings. I make it sound like I did it on purpose, but really it was one of those, "Oh, rats, I forgot to water the plants this week--uhhhhh, watering twice as much is just as good as twice as often, right?"

Ah yes, that reminds me, another good way to kill orchids is to water (esp. with hard or softened water) and let stuff from the water accumulate in the fiber or roots - watering from the bottom, or letting the plant stand with wet feet for more than a very very short while.


Pat

 

[patandchickens]

I'm wondering, too, if I don't have the correct amount of lighting. My mom has this huge plant stand that my dad built and it has some sort of special lighting. Sounds like too much work for me! She's even got it on a timer.
We keep our house closed up during the hotter months because the amount of money it takes to keep the house cool is atrocious! Sounds like I should just buy some fake ones at Bed Bath and Beyond.

Gee, put your orchid outside during the summer! (well, go get another one, THEN put it outside ) As long as it stays above 45-50ish F (you could look up more exactly for Phals) it will be fine, and MUCH happier than in a house.

It wants bright shade or dappled sunlight like under a tree (NOT direct sun), and do not forget to water it regularly. If your air there is dry during the summer, that is easy enough to remedy outdoors, but unless you are in desert it really should not be an issue.

You should not need special lights for a Phalaenopsis indoors - that is one reason they are a good first orchid. Just a bright window in a bright room.

And Pat- My horses would die in that weather.

Piffle. They would become furry, and learn to stay out of the wind, and eat LOTS of hay *MY* horses would *MELT* where you are, pfffththttt (tho if you have no mosquitoes there in summer, the horses are hopping on a plane, lemme tell you)


Pat

 

[Buff Shallots]

Hey, that dendrobium I mentioned (of the two that I have) has actually put out three flower buds that have not shriveled up and fallen off in the past 4 weeks! I've got my fingers crossed. It must like my office, although I don't share the sentiment. I certainly don't bloom there!

 

[Carri]

LOL Pat... my rope horse is from Arkansas and my little mare is from New Mexico so they can fuzz up in the winter, but they are fair weather dwellers now! They wouldn't mind the extra hot feed, though!

Maybe I will try putting them outside. We don't freeze here and it stays pretty warm in the summer. There is a farmer's market every other Friday. A guy there sells orchids from $5 (I'll start with one of those). He does some bigger, expensive ones but I'd rather kill a cheap one.

 

[Carri]

It must like my office, although I don't share the sentiment. I certainly don't bloom there!

Ain't that the truth. My office at my last job was upstairs and had a huge window. My little cheap-o house plant in a horse head shaped container loved it there. Can't say I agreed!

 

[Buff Shallots]

Hey guys, remember that office dendrobium I mentioned that had buds? IT'S BLOOMING!!! Whoopee. Let me go over and read the tag - it's a (oops) "Epi. Rene Marques "Tyler". (Dopey me, an Epi. is NOT a Den.)

I have pics in the camera, but have to download them onto my home computer than burn a CD and bring it into the office and download them to Flickr, then post them here. It may take a few days - for those of you who are thinking of demanding pictures!!

 

[Dawn419]

Skip and I have been raising orchids together for about 10 years. He had his own collection before we ever met and had to give it away when he moved. We met, he found out that I loved plants and started collecting them again.

We grow Phals, Dendros, Oncids, Vandas, Catts...you name it, well try it!

I'll post some pix tomorrow!

Dawn

 

[Dawn419]

Here's some of our O'kids, as we fondly call them...

Degarmoara 'Winter Wonderland'...

Laelio Cattleya...

Maxillaria tenufolia (blooms smell like coconut)...

Miltonia...

Phalaenopsis...

Vanda...

We grow ours under fluorescent lights in the winter and move them out to the front/back porches as soon as it's warm enough in the spring.

The Green Room (orchids on 3 out of 4 walls, large brooder in the way of taking pic of 3rd wall)

Last, but definately not least...our wild orchid in the front yard (Spiranthes aka Nodding Lady's Tresses)...

More orchid pix...Our Orchids

Dawn