Orchids

[Debp]

Does anyone here keep orchids? My neighbor gave me five plants that she was going to throw away. She wasn't interested in keeping them once done blooming.

Years ago my mom and I used to go to the orchid show in Los Angeles until they stopped having the shows. They had really beautiful settings....even little waterfalls, etc, around the orchids.

So back then I didn't know about orchids but have learned now. For instance they need a drop in the nighttime temperatures in order to rebloom. And, of course, they are air breathers so you can't drown the roots.

 

[pandaflower]

I love Orchids. I They have the smallest seeds on earth.

Unfortunately,I don't grow them.

I'm glad your neighbor let you have them. I can't imagine trashing unwanted Orchids.


Take a look at this.

www.orchidboard.com​

 

[Debp]

I'm glad your neighbor let you have them. I can't imagine trashing unwanted Orchids.

I already got one white flower on one. She said she had a yellow and a purple, too.

I take care of three discarded orchids on the building patio and I got them blooming....two are white and one is purple.

 

[Lambano]

Does anyone here keep orchids? My neighbor gave me five plants that she was going to throw away. She wasn't interested in keeping them once done blooming.

We've got three down in the bay window in the kitchen. Two phalaenopsis and one oncidium. (Not in bloom this time of year, or I'd post pictures.) I got these for the Sweet Lady in memory of her father. Her Dad had his own little orchid greenhouse down in Florida with every kind of orchid imaginable: Phalaenopsis, Dendrobiums, Cattleyas, Oncidiums, and a rare Vanda. I found him a gorgeous orange and purple Cattleya at one of the local growers; I wish I had taken a picture. For whatever reason, you can't get Cattleyas here in North Carolina.

Cattleya

Oncidium (only ours is in maroon)

Phalaeonopsis

 

[Debp]

We've got three down in the bay window in the kitchen. Two phalaenopsis and one dendrobium. (Not in bloom right now, or I'd post pictures.) I got these for the Sweet Lady in memory of her father. Her Dad had his own little orchid greenhouse down in Florida with every kind of orchid imaginable: Phalaenopsis, Dendrobiums, Cattleyas, Oncidiums, and a rare Vanda. I found him a gorgeous orange and purple Cattleya at one of the local growers; I wish I had a picture.

Cattleya (stock photo)

Mine are Phalaenopsis. The purple one on the patio might be different.

That's nice about Florida and other tropics....you can grow orchids quite well. Even attach them to a piece of bark and tie it to a tree.

I need to get a balanced orchid fertilizer. I have some left over Blossom Booster. I see on YouTube that you can make fertilizer using things like banana peel, garlic cloves, etc.

What fertilizer do you use? How often do you fertilize?

 

[Lambano]

What fertilizer do you use?

We use the standard Miracle Gro liquid fertilizer for indoor plants, available at a Lowe's or Home Depot near you. Miracle Gro does make a special fertilizer for orchids, but I didn't see any on my last trip to Lowe's.