Phalaenopsis Orchids Make Memorable Valentine’s Day Gift

Valentine’s Day will be here faster than Cupid can zing a love-tipped arrow into your valentine’s heart. Stores and malls are filled with special Valentine’s Day displays tempting shoppers with all manner of special treats and Valentine’s Day merchandise. If you can package it in a heart-shaped box, mold it into a heart shape or stamp a heart on it, you’ll find it in someone’s Valentine’s Day display.

With so many gift choices, how do you choose the perfect gift for your valentine?

The perfect Valentine’s Day gift for someone you love isn’t necessarily one that’s covered with hearts or filled with chocolate. The old standbys are passé. Today, a great Valentine’s Day gift should reflect how you feel about your valentine. With their vibrant color, beautiful curving petals and delicately curving stem, Just Add Ice Orchids make a Valentine’s Day statement that is sure to please every valentine. Whether you’re selecting a gift for your sweetheart or your mom or your daughter, Just Add Ice Orchids send the perfect message: I think you’re beautiful, elegant and absolutely delightful!

If you haven’t entered our Just Add Nice FREE Orchid Contest yet, it’s time to stop procrastinating. On Valentine’s Day, we’ll be choosing two grand prize winners to receive a year’s supply of Just Add Ice Orchids – one for every season. Each grand prize winner will also receive a second orchid to give to someone “nice.” You’ll find complete contest details on the Just Add Ice Orchids website. Time is running out! Enter today and you could be one of the lucky winners to receive this very special Valentine’s Day gift from Just Add Ice Orchids.

What is Something Nice You Would Do if Money Wasn't an Object?

If money were no object and you had the opportunity to do something nice for anyone -- what would it be and why?

First, make sure you're registered for this contest! Then tell us something nice you would do for someone if money were no object as a blog comment below. Each week we're giving away FOUR ORCHIDS! TWO orchids to a random registrant and TWO orchids to a random weekly participant. Each winner will have one to keep and one to give away to someone "Nice"!

Hint: Follow Just Add Ice ORCHIDS on Facebook and Twitter for up-to-date information about this contest including announcements of winners!

Orchids Inspire Seattle Glass Artist

Giant Phalaenopsis orchids cling to a stalk of sturdy bamboo. Exotic Pink Lady Slippers emerge from the hollow in a moss-encrusted rock. Delicate Dendrobium orchids curl around a leafy branch. You’re not in the steamy Philippine jungle and, despite the fact that they look like you could pluck them from the jungle floor, these aren’t living orchids. The amazing orchid creations that surround you when you step into Collectanea Botanica - Orchidaceae at the Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens in Columbus, Ohio are made of glass!

The work of acclaimed Seattle glass artist Debora Moore, these exquisite glass orchids exhibit the same dazzling colors and sensuously curving shapes as the natural flowers after which they are patterned. Moore’s glass orchids are a featured exhibit in the conservatory’s Orchids! Vibrant Victoriana which runs through April 8, 2012.

More than 1,400 live orchids bloom in the Conservatory’s Dorothy M. Davis Showhouse, transforming the indoor space into an elegant outdoor Victorian garden. Sea captains returning from the South Seas and South America introduced orchids to Europe and America in the mid-1800s, sparking a fascination with these unusual flowers that continues today. The popularity of orchid growing and collecting during the Victorian Era created a market for these exotic plants that sent orchid hunters to the far corners of the world in search of new species.

More than 20,000 orchid species have been identified around the world, providing artist Moore with plenty of inspiration for her unique glass creations. With the exception of the frozen plains of Antarctica and the world’s great deserts, orchid exists in nearly every place on the Earth. But you don’t have to travel the world to enjoy the amazing variety of orchids that grace our planet. For the next two months, you can immerse yourself in the orchid world at the Franklin Park Conservatory.

To see pictures of Debora Moore's glass orchids, click here!

photo credit: happy via

Remember to Water Orchids during Dormancy

It’s easy to remember to water Just Add Ice Orchids when they’re in full bloom. At peak bloom, the curving stem of a Phalaenopsis orchid is lined with huge, colorful blossoms. As soon as you walk into a room, Just Add Ice Orchids draw the eye and bring a smile to your face. Such constant attention makes it hard to forget that your orchid needs a little tender loving care – and 3 ice cubes -- once a week. But when the flowers on your orchid fade and drop off and your plant enters dormancy, all you have left is a pot of droopy green leaves. Without its eye-catching blooms to capture your attention, it can be easy to overlook your Just Add Ice Orchid and forget that it still needs to be watered with 3 ice cubes once a week. If you relocate your orchid to a less conspicuous display space during dormancy, it can be even harder to remember that your orchid still needs a little care even when it’s not in bloom.

Just Add Ice Orchids’ free orchid watering reminders can keep you on track and make sure that your orchid stays healthy all year round. Just Add Ice Orchids offers two helpful orchid watering reminder aids:

1. Orchid owners can subscribe to our free email reminders from our website. Just choose the day you want to water your Just Add Ice Orchid and we’ll send you an email reminder once a week.
2. Visit our website each month and download our free desktop calendar wallpaper. Choose your watering day before downloading and that day will be highlighted on the calendar.

Many Just Add Ice Orchid lovers do both, downloading our monthly wallpaper simply to enjoy the exquisite photos of Just Add Ice Orchids.

Name a Song with the Word "NICE" in the Title or Lyrics

Name a song that you like with the word "NICE" in the title or lyrics.

First, make sure you're registered for this contest! Then tell us a song that you like with the word "NICE" in the title or lyrics as a blog comment below. Each week we're giving away FOUR ORCHIDS! TWO orchids to a random registrant and TWO orchids to a random weekly participant. Each winner will have one to keep and one to give away to someone "Nice"!

Hint: Follow Just Add Ice ORCHIDS on Facebook and Twitter for up-to-date information about this contest including announcements of winners!

Phalaenopsis Orchids Add Elegance to Candlestick Centerpiece

We’ve been sharing floral design tips from Cleveland, Ohio wedding and event planner Stephen Tokar. Today, we show you how to create a candlestick centerpiece that is as stunning as it is quick and easy to put together. Just Add Ice Orchids are the key to the centerpiece’s beauty and simple construction. Tokar’s floral table decorations were featured on Cleveland’s WKYC-TV. Click here to watch the video; then follow the instructions below to create your own fabulous floral centerpieces for parties, events or weddings.

Orchid Candlestick Centerpiece

To decorate for a wedding or event, place a single candlestick in the center of each round table or display in groups of 3 on longer tables and buffet or serving tables.

You will need:

• 1 clear glass pillar-style candlestick per table
• 1 potted Just Add Ice Orchid for each candlestick
• Floral moss
• Clear plastic tape, 1/4 to 1/2 inch wide

Directions:

• Select clear, glass candlesticks made to hold 3-inch diameter pillar candles. Candlesticks that have a cup-like holder for the candle are preferred as they provide a secure and adequately-supported place to put the orchid. Candlesticks with a tall stem make a particularly attractive display. If grouping several orchids together, consider selecting candlesticks of varying heights. If sturdy enough to take the weight of the orchid without falling over, decorative stemware can be substituted.
• Remove the orchid from its clear grower pot. Gently grasp the plant under the leaves and pull gently from the pot. If the orchid sticks, run a blunt knife carefully around the inside edge of the grower pot to loosen the roots, being careful not to cut into the roots. Save the grower and decorative pots so you can replant the orchids after the event.
• Gently brush excess potting mix from the roots.
• Place the orchid in the candle receptacle.
• Add moss to the receptacle to cover the roots.
• Secure the orchid and moss to the candle receptacle with at least two strips of clear plastic tape. Place the tape under the orchid’s leaves, crossing it over the roots and moss in an “X” to hold the orchid securely in place. Use additional strips of tape if necessary.

How to Make Stunning Centerpieces Using Phalaenopsis Orchids

In our previous post, we shared floral design tips from well-known Cleveland, Ohio wedding and event planner Stephen Tokar. As featured on Cleveland’s WKYC-TV, Tokar shared tips for creating stunning floral centerpieces using Just Add Ice Orchids and items purchased at a hardware store. Click here to watch the video; then follow the instructions below to create your own fabulous floral centerpieces for parties, events or weddings. While Tokar used several types of flowers, we have adapted his ideas for use with Just Add Ice Orchids.

Dish of Floating Orchids and Candles

You will need:

• 1 stem of Just Add Ice Orchids
• 3 round floating candles, 3 inches in diameter
• 1 large, shallow clear glass dish, approximately 12 inches in diameter by 3 inches deep
• 1 can spray paint, any color
• 1 roll bleed-proof painters’ tape, 1 inch wide
• 1 small tree branch about 15 inches long
• Newspaper

Directions:

1. Apply painters’ tape around the inside top edge of the glass dish.
2. Lay the dish on several sheets of newspaper and spray paint the inside of the dish. When the paint is dry, remove the tape. You’ll have a painted dish with a clear top edge.
3. Choose a tree branch with a V shade and interesting protruding twigs.
4. Place candles and tree branch on newspaper. Spray paint each object, applying paint in several light coats to prevent paint drips. When dry, flip and paint other side and allow to dry thoroughly.
5. Cut 1 stem from your Just Add Ice Orchid plant. Look for a stem with at least 3 large blooms or 5 smaller blooms. Use a second stem if necessary.
6. To assemble the arrangement: Fill the dish with water to the top of the painted area. Lay the orchid stem on top of the water so that the flowers curve along the left side of the dish. You may have to trim the stem to create the desired curve. Trim off any excess stem.
7. Balance the tree branch on top of the dish with the V over the water.
8. Float the candles in the middle of the dish in the V of the branch.

Event Planner Chooses Just Add Ice Orchids as Party Centerpiece

Noted Cleveland, Ohio wedding and event planner Stephen Tokar recommended using Just Add Ice Orchids when you need to quickly pull together decorations for an elegant event. Showcased on a WKYC Cleveland television segment featuring last-minute decorating tips for New Year’s Eve parties, Tokar noted that Just Add Ice Orchids are his first choice for “instant” event décor. The stunning beauty and wide color range of Just Add Ice Orchids allows them to be brought home and immediately placed on the table without additional adornment, creating an instant centerpiece that will win you rave reviews from your guests.

Tokar said he uses floral centerpieces at events to draw attention to the table and the food. When planning weddings, Tokar often uses flowers and a single, strong color to create a cohesive theme. Glossy black vases are used to create a rich, handsome anchor for the thematic color with a touch of gold or silver adding a bit of sparkle to the finished creation. To ensure perfect color matching, Tokar uses spray paint to color candles, decorative branches, floral containers and glass bowls.

To emphasize how easy it is to create event centerpieces that are quick, easy, affordable and elegant, Tokar combined a little creativity with a few found objects and items purchased during a single trip to a local hardware store, including the Just Add Ice Orchids featured in his floral creations. He said it took him about an hour to create the three stunning floral centerpieces demonstrated during the program, any of which could easily be used to dress up a wedding or special event. Click here to watch the video clip.

Stay tuned! We’ll provide you with how-to instructions next time.

Describe a N-I-C-E Person in Your Life!

Using the letters from the word “N-I-C-E” as an acronym, describe a nice person in your life in four words! (example: N-nurturing, I-innovative, C-creative, E-enthusiatic)

First, make sure you're registered for this contest! Then tell us how you would describe a nice person in your life in four words as a blog comment below. Each week we're giving away FOUR ORCHIDS! TWO orchids to a random registrant and TWO orchids to a random weekly participant. Each winner will have one to keep and one to give away to someone "Nice"!

Hint: Follow Just Add Ice ORCHIDS on Facebook and Twitter for up-to-date information about this contest including announcements of winners!

How to Trigger Reblooming of Your Phalaenopsis Orchid

When your Just Add Ice Orchid stops blooming and enters dormancy, it is not dead. You can encourage your orchid to bloom again with just a little TLC. Phalaenopsis orchids rebloom on old spikes with a new stalk emerging from a triangular node along the stalk. To trigger the growth of a new stalk and reblooming, your Just Add Ice Orchid will need a little more attention than these easy-care orchids usually require. The thrill when your Just Add Ice Orchid blooms for a second time, however, makes the small investment in time and effort required to trigger orchid reblooming well worth the effort.

Phalaenopsis orchids expend a lot of energy to create the large, beautiful flowers for which they are prized. Under normal circumstances, your Just Add Ice Orchid will enter a resting period called dormancy once it has finished blooming. Dormancy allows the plant time to rest and replace the nutrients expended during blooming. Nutrients and water are stored in the plant’s leaves until they are needed for growth and blooming. Dormancy typically lasts from 6 to 9 months and your orchid may rebloom on its own as orchids do in nature. However, most display orchids need a little help activating the natural rhythm that leads to blooming.

To trigger orchid reblooming, follow these steps:

1. When your orchid stops blooming, begin fertilizing it every other week with a balanced houseplant fertilizer (20-20-20) mixed at half strength. Do not water your Just Add Ice Orchid with 3 ice cubes on the weeks you fertilize your plant.
2. Move your orchid to a cooler environment where nighttime temperatures are between 55 and 65 degree F. until a new flower spike emerges.
3. Return your plant to its usual location and continue watering with 3 ice cubes once a week.

Check our website and orchid care videos for more detailed instructions on orchid reblooming.

Photo credit: violet monde