Posted by Just Add Ice Orchids... It's Just That Simple. on Fri, Aug 27, 2010
Here is some comfort for those who find they have accidentally killed their orchids from Larry Litwin, a veteran grower:
“I have been fortunate to have had the opportunity to grow orchids in climate-controlled growth chambers, greenhouses, outdoors, under lights and on windowsills. Throughout, I have managed to kill a lot of orchids. I feel qualified to offer reassurance to the beginner who has some apprehension. I would advise you not to worry.”
Of course, he understands, it will be by accident. “You will repot something at exactly the wrong time. You will both overwater and underwater. You will heavily fertilize a plant that is salt-intolerant. You will give shade lovers too much sun and sun lovers too much shade. This is unavoidable. Some mistakes will be made because you just didn't know any better. Others will occur because you followed well-intentioned advice which was inappropriate for your conditions.”
“Much of orchid growing depends on your experience. Experience takes time. The more experience you have, the more mistakes you will have made, the more problems you will be able to anticipate and avoid.”
“…reading and talking to other growers is very important. Learning what has worked for other people is only one of the benefits. This also exposes you to considerations which may not have occurred to you otherwise.”
His advice is to “balance all advice against your experience with your own conditions. Find out why the advice is given. Determine the cause-and-effect basis for the advice. Then analyze how that relates to your situation and conditions. Modify the advice as necessary and apply it. You won't go too far wrong. The important thing is to understand the "why" of it rather than the "how" or "what." Above all, be prepared to make mistakes.”
In closing, he offers, “don't fret too much over the ones you kill. It really can't be helped.”
Read the full article on the AOS website.
Posted by Just Add Ice Orchids... It's Just That Simple. on Tue, May 25, 2010
So you've been given an orchid plant and have enjoyed its long-lasting bloom, but now the last orchid flower has faded and you're wondering what to do with the rest of the plant. Right? Fortunately, they will bloom again. In the meantime, you have a few options:
You can let it be, while making sure to fertilize monthly or as often as every other week with a houseplant fertilizer or balanced fertilizer (example: 20-20-20) at half the recommended rate. During this time,the plant may produce new buds at the end of the old flower spike. (If the orchid flower spike has turned yellow or brown, the entire spike should be removed.)
You can cut the bare flower spike back to a "node", a triangular shaped area on the stem, which may encourage the orchid to generate new side flower spikes.
You can remove the entire flower spike so that the orchid plant can put more energy back into the leaves and roots, helping it to grow stronger and produce a fresh new flower spike.
You might also want to promote orchid reblooming by moving it to an area where the night time temperatures are slightly lower than their current environment - ideally between 55 to 65 degrees F, but with the same amount of in-direct sunlight exposure as before.
You'll know an orchid flower spike has formed when what looks like a root starts to grow upwards and the tip takes on the appearance of a mitten, as opposed to a root tip that is rounded. Once the orchid flower spike is identified, the orchid can be returned to its normal setting.
As the flower spike grows, support it with a stake along the way. To produce a beautiful display of orchid flowers try to avoid changing the plant's orientation to the light when it is producing its flowers. Otherwise, the flowers may be twisted on the stem and you may jeopardize a nice arching floral display.
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!