Help Me With My Orchid? (flower, grown, fertilizer, trees)
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I have no idea what type it is. I adopted it from my son's girlfriend.....it was looking quite limp, with a long stalk (flowers long gone) attached. I cut the stalk off, watered it. It seems to me that it might be too tight in the pot it's in.
Should I trim off the wilted looking bottom leaves or just leave them? I'd like to put it into a hanging basket, but don't know if it's the kind of orchid that does well that way. It doesn't seem to be in soil, it feels like all moss.
Its a phalaenopsis orchid, very common one purchased from nurseries and grocery stores. Get some orchid mix and orchid bark from your nursery and repot in a terra cotta pot that breathes. water once a week in the sink by filling the sink and setting the pot in to soak, then drain. If you drink coffee, a little diluted coffee water makes for a good fertilizer for orchids. Put in a bright window till it starts a new flower stalk and once blooming can be moved to a shadier location, but do not cut off the old stalk, I had one rebloom from the same stalk for five years.
Its a phalaenopsis orchid, very common one purchased from nurseries and grocery stores. Get some orchid mix and orchid bark from your nursery and repot in a terra cotta pot that breathes. water once a week in the sink by filling the sink and setting the pot in to soak, then drain. If you drink coffee, a little diluted coffee water makes for a good fertilizer for orchids. Put in a bright window till it starts a new flower stalk and once blooming can be moved to a shadier location, but do not cut off the old stalk, I had one rebloom from the same stalk for five years.
Well, crap. I already cut it, I never read that before, that they could re-bloom from the same stalk.
Thanks for the reply.....I assumed it was a pretty common one, she had several and this was the smallest, saddest looking one, which is why she let me take it. Heh.
So, I shouldn't put it in a basket? And what about those bottom leaves?
Appears to have improper soil, orchid bark is need. I grow 90% of my orchids in baskets in my yard, what you have as soil is what I use in the bottom of the basket...orchids require good drainage and light, not direct sun. Have some pics posted on my profile page.
Well, crap. I already cut it, I never read that before, that they could re-bloom from the same stalk.
Thanks for the reply.....I assumed it was a pretty common one, she had several and this was the smallest, saddest looking one, which is why she let me take it. Heh.
So, I shouldn't put it in a basket? And what about those bottom leaves?
A basket is fine, just as long as it is not plastic or glazed, they like moisture, but also to dry out between waterings. Let the wilted leaves dry out before removing them, as long as they are still green, they are producing energy for the plant. My oldest phalaenopsis is from 2001 and just finished a second flush on one stalk and started blooming on its second stalk. Its the most common pink one.
I just had a brief lesson by someone in an orchid society, and also a friend who has good success at keeping them happy.
They should only be watered thoroughly once a week. Some like the 3 ice cube method. They are not grown in soil, but in a very open barky mulch type medium, so the water drains straight through. They like a lot of filtered sunlight and a bit of fertilizer every month or so.
One of my friend's orchids has the same limp leaf thing happening, and she is leaving it alone until it either dies or recovers.
Just be patient and try not to kill it with kindness.
I was thinking an open weave wire basket lined with orchid medium.
I have had it for about 2 weeks now, I've watered it twice. I soaked it thoroghly, let it drain. It's still in that awful plastic planter, I plan to re-do that this week.
I have it in my most east-facing window, out of direct sun light.
I will also let those bottom leaves die off before touching.
I can only add that both my friend and my aunt with orchids have theirs in a west window, filtered by trees, etc. I really don't know if it matters. At my house the morning sun is just as strong as the west, but I don't know what plants think.
Good advice here, except......after years of raising phalaenopsis, dendrobiums and catleyas, I've never, never used ice cubes to regulate water dispersement. It shocks the plant and orchids don't like cold. I don't even use cool tap water, but water at room temp. Or, more correctly, the air temp. of where the plants are located on my lanai.
The new digs. It was very tightly packed in the original planter, and the planting medium was quite damp. I put him very loosely in an orchid potting mix, lined the basket with coconut liner stuff. I misted him a little.
Won't water til next weekend now.
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