Posted by Just Add Ice Orchids... It's Just That Simple. on Mon, Jul 12, 2010
Looking at a few online glossaries of orchid terminology, we realized that the explanations given for the words that begin with the letter “A” alone require looking up a number of other words just to understand the definitions. So here’s our reinterpretation of orchid terms from the American Orchid Society that begin with “A”.
Adventitious Bud - meristem originating from a single cell or group of cells not part of preexisting meristem.
- Meristem - the actively growing area of the plant from which mature tissues such as leaf, stems, flowers and roots originate.
- Translation into simple English: a bud that develops in an unusual, unexpected place on the plant.
- For more, go to Wikipedia’s page on Adventitiousness
Adventitious Propagation - the use of tissue culture to produce whole plants from adventitious buds. Can lead to high levels of somaclonal variation, unlike micropropagation.
- Tissue Culture - the technique of culturing cells on a sterile synthetic media. There are two general methods use to propagate plants -- micropropagation and adventitious propagation.
- Somaclonal Variation - genetic variants arising from tissue culture.
- Micropropagation - the use of tissue culture to grow inactive axillary buds into whole plants with very little somaclonal variation, unlike adventitious propagation.
- Axillary Bud - preexisting meristem within the axil of a leaf that is normally inactive in growth.
- Axil - the angle between the upper side of a leaf or stem and the supporting stem or branch.
- Wikipedia explains, “Adventitious roots and buds are very important when people propagate plants. Propagation via root cuttings requires adventitious bud formation. Adventitious roots and buds must develop in tissue culture propagation of plants.”
Aerial Root - any root produced above the growing medium.
Aerial Stem - a stem with an erect or vertical growth above the ground.
Anther - the part of the stamen containing the pollen; the end of the column.
Axillary Bud - preexisting meristem within the axil of a leaf that is normally inactive in growth.
Posted by Just Add Ice Orchids... It's Just That Simple. on Mon, Jun 28, 2010
It happens. You drop something on your orchid plant, or perhaps the whole pot gets knocked over or dropped. Maybe it gets damaged on the way home from the nursery, or a pet or child gets a little to inquisitive. Whatever the case, orchids survived and thrived in the wild for a long, long time, so they can’t possibly be as fragile as they seem. Here’s how to deal with broken leaves or stems with proper orchid care.
A broken leaf shouldn’t cause any harm to your Phalaenopsis orchid plant. But if you want to cut it off for display purposes, you should do it carefully. Use a sterile knife or scissor to prevent infection, and cut it a half-inch from the central stem.
If one of the flowering stems has broken, you might be tempted to wrap some tape around it and pretend it didn’t happen, but it’s not likely to stay unnoticed for long. Besides, leaving it like that invites infection, which could do a lot more damage.
Instead, cut the orchid flower spike above where it has broken, and put it in a vase with water, like you would with any cut flower. Then, remove the remaining broken flower spike down to the base of the orchid. This will encourage new flower spikes to grow.
Many orchid lovers recommend putting some cinnamon on the broken end for it’s antimicrobial properties. New blossoms may take up to a year to appear, but as long as the leaves and roots of your orchid are healthy, you will get new flowers eventually!
If you have any questions about your Just Add Ice Orchid, feel free to post it to our Orchid Care Forums!
Posted by Just Add Ice Orchids... It's Just That Simple. on Wed, May 19, 2010
In searching for tips to share on repotting your orchids, we came across a book called “Repotting: 10 Steps for Redesigning Your Life” which applies the principles for healthy orchids to having a fabulous life. It makes sense, since we could all use a change of pace and scenery every now and then, and orchids thrive when they’re repotted every year or so.
So we thought we’d take info from our own repotting orchids page and include tips on applying the concepts to improve your own life as well as your orchid’s well-being.
1. Check to see if your orchid has outgrown in its container, or if the media it’s has started to smell unpleasant.
Meanwhile…think about if you’ve been doing the same thing too long, and perhaps have lost your zest for life.
2. Before making any changes, prepare the plant and the new media. Wait until the orchid is has finished blooming, or remove any flower spikes, and then soak the new media for 24 hours so it will be ready to absorb moisture.
Meanwhile…take a bath, or just let new ideas soak in your head as you consider what changes you’d like to make and what steps will be necessary.
3. Remove your orchid from the old container and wash off the roots. Trim off any dead or dying roots, (these roots will be brown and soft, as opposed to live roots which are firm and white or green).
Meanwhile…think about letting go of any old ideas or feelings that no longer serve a purpose or help you grow. Get rid of junk and situations that take up space and sap your energy.
4. Select a new pot that the newly trimmed root mass will fit into comfortably.
Meanwhile…Maybe it’s time for a vacation to a new place that doesn’t require much from you but allows you to feel new and free.
Posted by Just Add Ice Orchids... It's Just That Simple. on Wed, May 12, 2010
The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew in London, is one of the world's leading botanic gardens. For the past year, they were in preparation for a month-long festival to showcase thousands of exotic orchids and tropical plants.
Called “Dripping With Colour” it ran from February 6th through March 7th. The main display filled the steamy interior of the Princess of Wales Conservatory and featured a sculptural island covered with hundreds of varieties of exotic orchids including beautiful slipper orchids (Paphiopedilum), and tiered with bromeliads and anthuriums. There were arches adorned with Oncidium orchids and bromeliads including Guzmania and Vriesea, and a Vanda tunnel where you could surround yourself with color.
Their website tantalizes the orchid lover further:
“Enter the heat of the Waterlily House at Kew Gardens and be prepared to be bowled over by a riot of colour. The hottest glasshouse at Kew will be transformed, highlighting some of the world’s most exciting biodiversity hotspots. The usual waterlilies have been replaced with a stunning pond display of Cymbidium orchids which have been kindly supplied by McBeans’s Orchids – the country’s leading specialist orchid cultivator.
“The word 'biodiversity' describes the huge variety of life on Earth. Wild plants have amazing colours and patterns, and deliberately breeding them creates showy cultivated varieties like the orchids in the pond display.
“Learn how Kew’s earliest plant collectors had to risk disease, robbery, hurricanes and even being taken prisoner. If plants eventually reached the ships, they still had to survive months of sea-salt, extreme weather, rats, cats and dogs.” Proper orchid care was not a easy feat.
And finally, in Kew’s Victory Plaza, visitors could purchase beautiful phalaenopsis orchids or other varieties to take home,as well as picking up expert advice on buying and growing their own orchids.
Posted by Just Add Ice Orchids... It's Just That Simple. on Mon, May 10, 2010
Steeped in history, rich with tradition, the United States Botanic Garden (USBG) is one of the oldest botanic gardens in North America. It informs visitors about the importance, and often irreplaceable value, of plants to the well-being of humankind and to earth’s fragile ecosystems. The Garden highlights the diversity of plants worldwide, as well as their aesthetic, cultural, economic, therapeutic, and ecological significance.
From jungle to desert to primeval paradise, the indoor gardens and galleries of their Conservatory offer the perfect foil to a winter day or harried schedule. The resplendent diversity of form, color, fruit, and fragrance reminds us that plants make our lives possible and enjoyable.
For the 21st century, the USBG has committed itself to sustainability, educating the public about ways to live by supporting the interconnected web of life that is the environment, and in particular, by nurturing the plants that support the life on our planet and caring for orchids.
Starting in February through April 11, they took visitors on a journey through the U.S. Botanic Garden to explore the ways orchids have permeated the lives of people around the world. Discovering orchids in arts, literature, exploration, jewelry, trade, and business, they helped people to travel the world within their Conservatory and discover how influential and magnificent orchids have been in our lives! As in previous years, the exhibit was a collaborative effort involving the collections of the U.S. Botanic Garden and the Smithsonian Institution Horticultural Services Division.
The Washington City Paper.com said that “Orchids: A Cultural Odyssey” traced how the flower has entered various aspects of the culture, including how its pollen traces can be found in art, in pottery movements (pottery movements!), and in a banknote from Sri Lanka that shows an orchid on one side and a dragon on the other.
Posted by Just Add Ice Orchids... It's Just That Simple. on Fri, May 07, 2010
"I lost a tremendous amount of plants with the bad winter we had, because some heaters quit," said Jim Adamson, who has a green-house sporting 20,000 orchids in West Cocoa.
"It did affect everybody in the orchid business to some degree," he told Florida Today.
But there still will be stunning displays of orchids at the Platinum Coast Orchid Society show at Cocoa Expo.
For novice orchid growers, or folks who just want to buy Mother's Day Gift, there will be plenty of resources at the show. "Most orchid people that are in the orchid business, they'll give you their time," said Adamson, who will sell orchids, including some new hybrids, at the show. "They want to see you be successful."
The show also will offer a potting booth to help visitors with repotting orchids, both new or old, for a nominal fee. Adamson recommends repotting orchids once a year, and he says definitely repot if it comes in a clear plastic pot, or else algae growth may lead to root damage.
"If you buy it at the show, and it's a fresh bloom, you don't want to repot it," he said. "Do not repot it when it's still in bloom."
The variety of plants can be overwhelming for newcomers, for their beauty and for their different growing requirements. But if you want to start easy, try a phalaenopsis orchid.
"The phalaenopsis orchid has to be the easiest orchid in the world to grow," Adamson said. It doesn't need much light, for one thing.
"If you pot them in sphagnum moss, they'll grow in spite of you, and you can put them in many different other potting mediums," he said. "The flower's very long-lasting, like a couple of months, which is satisfying to folks."
Adamson recently marked 30 years of growing orchids. "I've gotten into it more every year," he said. "That's the way it is. It's very addictive."
Posted by Just Add Ice Orchids... It's Just That Simple. on Tue, Jan 26, 2010
Now that the lights and bulbs are coming down, some of your rooms may feel bare. Here is an affordable way to turn up the color volume for your décor throughout the home.
A recent article in AY, Arkansas Premier Lifestyle Magazine recommends adding medium to smaller sized houseplants to soften the mood of a room to “fill in bare areas and add a colorful accent.”
Phalaenopsis orchids can add a vibrant color to any room in your home, and although “once considered exotic and hard to grow, varieties such as Just Add Ice moth orchids take the guesswork out of caring for these beautiful plants.” Orchid care has never been easier!
Remember, for best practices on arranging the look of your room; follow AY’s advice, “when grouping several plants together, select those with contrasting foliage and textures, such as broad and waxy leaves next to fine and feathery foliage to create interesting compositions.”
To make sure that your multicolored inspiration matches well with your current décor, have a friend or neighbor participate in the project with you. Share ideas and buy your orchids together, once you are done, do not forget to take pictures for our customer photo gallery.
Posted by Just Add Ice Orchids... It's Just That Simple. on Wed, Jan 13, 2010
We’ve spoken about the similarities and differences between orchids and onions, but according to one website, just as onions can flower, orchids are edible too.
Aside from providing us with vanilla, which is fairly well-known, orchid farmers in Singapore have recently began to conduct cooking classes using orchids. Introducing stir-fried orchids and orchid sauces, they say that orchids are a source of fiber and vitamin C. So what do they taste like? Opinions vary; some say it is somewhat sweet, others say it tastes like tannin or raw chives. Perhaps it depends on the orchid used.
People in Hawaii have used orchids in salad dishes, or sautéed with scallops. They’ve even made sugar coated orchid candies since the 1960’s.
In the southern African region of Tanzania, Zambia and Malawi, orchid tubers have long been used as a source of food. Traded locally between the three countries, they are used in the preparation of a meatless sauce. Unfortunately, the harvesting has been done in an unsustainable manner, and now threatens the future of the species and their associated biological diversity in the natural habitats.
In Turkey, the ground-up bulbs of local terrestrial orchids are used to make a mucilaginous compound known as salep. This material is often used to make a particularly sweet and distinctive ice cream in Turkey and throughout the Middle East. The unsustainable nature of their harvest techniques has driven the species to extinction in many Middle Eastern countries.
Locals use another South American orchid as a curdling agent to make cheese. What is it called? Why, the cheese orchid, of course.
Actually, since no orchid is poisonous, all orchids are edible. But before you take a bite of the nearest bloom, you’ll want to wait at least a month for all the pesticides to be cleansed from the plant. It might be better to find a plant specifically grown for food.
Posted by Just Add Ice Orchids... It's Just That Simple. on Tue, Jan 05, 2010
As discussed in the previous post, orchids need a balance of light, air, water and food to grow and flower well. These additional orchid tips, also from the article Orchids 101, can help keep your orchid in bloom for further enjoyment.
Light
When caring for orchids, they need a lot of light to flower. If you have lush, green plants that produce no flowers, it may be due to lack of light. Many people try to re-create their mental image of orchids thriving beneath the dark, cool jungle canopy, but in reality, it seems they’ve evolved as epiphytes (plants that grow non-parasitically on other plants) to take advantage of the brighter light available in the upper reaches of the shaded environs.
Orchids grown under sufficient light will have lighter, somewhat yellow-green foliage and strong upright growths. You do want to make sure they’re not getting so much light that they burn, however.
Water
Each plant has different needs, depending on the humidity, air movement, potting medium (type and age) and light levels they experience. But you can tell if your potted orchid is almost dry. Here’s how:
Examine the roots, after watering the roots should take on a greenish appearance. However, as the orchid absorbs the water, the roots start look white or gray. If the roots of your orchid start to look completely white or gray before they are due for their next watering, go ahead and increase your ice cube amount to 4 ice cubes per week.
The potting medium should provide rapid drainage — as well as the air that orchid roots need — sphagnum moss or a commercial fir-bark-based potting medium are formulated to provide air and rapid drainage. Of course, our tip is to water your orchid with three ice cubes and just once a week which is sufficient for most home or office environments.
Fertilizer
As far as fertilizer goes, orchids will grow and flower without fertilizer, but you'll achieve better results with a little bit. Once your Just Add Ice Orchid has finished flowering, try to fertilize at least once a month or every other week.
Purchase a balanced houseplant fertilizer and mix with water at half the recommended strength. When fertilizing, skip the 3 ice cubes that week and place your orchid in the sink with the drainage holes exposed. Water with the fertilizer solution until it starts to run out of the bottom of the pot. Allow it to completely drain in the sink before moving it back to its original location.
Following these recommendations will keep your Just Add Ice Orchid happy and healthy, and hopefully a repeat bloomer!