Orchid kinds and care

Hi there,

I recently acquired 3 orchids post bloom from a friend. I have no clue on what they are and how to care for them. Since I live in Denver [dry climate], I think they might need extra attention. Am I right?

Attaching photos for your perusal. Also, please let me know if they look fine and what I can do to take better care.

Thanks
olivefingers.

PS: I hope the photos attach, since I cannot see them in the preview

 

Now I'm no orchid expert although I DO have some myself that I've had for about 6 years now.

The one on the left looks like an Oncidium. The middle one I'm not sure of. The one on the right looks to me like a Dendrobium. They look fairly healthy to me!

Water when the mix gets dry, feed every other watering with half strength fertilzer, miracle grow of equivilent. LOTS of light.

Tom

 

Hi Tom,

Thank you so much for your help in identifying my orchids. I now can do my research about care and treatement. Can you tell me when I should expect them flower?

Thanks
Olive Fingers

 

Hi Olive Fingers;

I like Tom have some orchids like you published, The centre one looks like a Cattleya. It needs a lot of light a sign that it is getting enough light is that the leaves are light green and are firm. If the leaves are soft and a dark green it is not getting enough light. I have my orchids on dishes of pebbles filled with water to increase the humidity around them, I spray them about every 3-4 days and water every 7-10 days. tcw

 

Hi TCW,

Thank you for your quick response. I have another question, do you put the orchids in full direct sunlight or bright light no direct sun?

Thanks
Olive Fingers

 

Dens in winter (At least mine bloom in winter) and I'm not sure of Oncidiums. I'm waiting for my Oncs to do something!

Tom

 

Hi Olive Fingers;

Bright light, no direct sunlight. As the plants are Ephytic they live on tree branches under the canopy of leaves. Air movement is also important, usually they like to be watered in the morning as to dry out by evening. keeping up the humdiity helps.
TCW

 

Thanks TWC,

That helps. I am off to the store to get a trough to keep up the humidity level for my orchids.

Olive Fingers

 

Hi Tom,

I will be looking forward to them blooming. Hopefully they will later this year :-)

Olive

 

Watering every 7 - 10 days is a great practice. Be sure to keep the water in the pebble dishes as clean as possible - wouldn't want stagnant water being absorbed by the orchid bark.

As to feeding your orchids I don't like to use miracle grow products. There are fertilizers that are designed specifically for orchids. I'll get the names for you on my next post. Fertilizing every-other watering is sufficient for maintaining a base level of nutrients near the root base. When watering my orchid's I soak them for nearly twenty minutes so that the orchid bark can absorb moisture. I then allow them to dry out under the cover of my japanese black bamboos.

 

My Oncs. and Dens. have been blooming for 2 months now.

 

You can be quite abusive of the Cattleyas. I just tied mine to tree stumps in full sun and sprayed them with water from the hose every evening.

Mind you, I live in the tropics....

Nevertheless, they seem to like to be treated badly or at the very least ignored. Mine bloomed in spring and again in fall.