who else here grows orchids? i've got 2 now... one's a dendrobium.....below is what the flowers used to look like. it hasn't flowered for a goo few months now though. does it need a clear pot? as it didn't come in one...it's just a black pot. and also what can i do to make it flower again? i mist the leaves pretty much every day and give it a few drops to drink every few weeks. i've also given it very dilute tomato feed about a month or so ago. this is the new one i got. it's a phalaenopsis i believe....or more commonly known as the moth orchid. this one has come in a clear pot....so i'm wondering what i can do to ensure a long flowering period. and also what's the most economical way to buy orchids? thanks :)
The first thing I would suggest in look into the type of soil your orchids are currently in. Most greenhouses sell their orchids in a course moss for soil. This stuff works well until the orchid grows and blooms for the first time. Then it is put on the shelf and sold--this is where their concern ends. If your orchids are still in the moss then they would benifit greatly from being transplanted into a proper orchid mix (which can be bought in any plant store). It is mostly chunks of bark and allows a lot of air to reach the roots. Clear pot? Never heard of such a thing. It might be important for some orchids, but I really don't think so. It must just be for looks. (If I'm wrong then I'm sure I'll be corrected). Here is a good orchid care FAQ that you might like. Economical way to by orchids? Well, I'm guessing that the cheapest way, as with most plants, is to aquire some seeds and study up on how to grow them. Another good option (which I use all the time) is to look around for places that sell orchids and look for ones that are just finished blooming and make a deal with the sales person. Most stores don't have the time or will to keep a non-flowering orchid until they can get it to bloom again. This works really well in shops that don't have the facilites to get it to rebloom even if they wanted too. Michael
from what i understand, most orchids require a clear pot because the roots photosynthesise aswell as the leaves. growing from seed for an average home isn't an easy task to be honest. the only way you can achieve it is through tissue culture, which requires some specialist equipment and a very sterile environment. but yea...people have always said to me that you can go up to a store manager and ask them to reduce something because it's in their best interest, otherwise it wont get sold. whenever i've done that, i always get told that they can't do that. most orchids i've ever seen on sale have been pretty much dead so there's no point buying them lol. but thanks for your advice on the matter :)
Dear Wahaj17 Welcome to the forum! And welcome to growing orchids. I do hope that you will find your efforts rewarding over the course of your experiences. To help you in your questions I believe the best advice I can give you is for you to get involved with the orchid society in your area. to begin click on the link below and then I think that you will be able to navigate your way around the world of orchid growing in all due time! http://www.orchid-society-gb.org.uk/ Cheers.
thanks! it's seems like a nice forum. i've been reading it for a while but i thought it was about time i joined up. i've looked at the site but there doesn't seem to be one near my area. i'm in northamptonshire and reply on public transport....so it'll be really difficult and costly to get to any of them really. but thanks for the link though!
if you have a dendrobium with a pseudobulb then it will probably go dormant soon for a few months, keep the misted but allow it to dry out and stay fairly dry the whole time. then in a few months start watering it again, about once a week in the spring and summer and fertilize every other week. for the phal, water it about once a wek in the spring /summer and once every 3 weeks in the winter, it needs indirect sun and quite a bit of fertilizer. the thing about your pots is that the plants are epyphites and naturally the roots would be exposed to light but plastic pots don't breathe, so you should plant both plants in clay pots, this way the roots can breathe and the plants won't stay too wet. also the potting soil should be a good orchid mix, a mix of bark, charcoal,stoones, and pearlite. to water the plant place it in the sink and let it drain completely after watering it never let them stand in water. that all i can really tell you now, hope this infor helps you out. if you want more info on other orchids let me know.
