Orchids

[Arlon Tishmarsh]

B&Q are flogging them off for a fiver. Loads of colours, double stemmed etc etc. Never grown them before , so i thought "why not".





Might get a few more at that price.

[kata]

Indeed Arlon, why not?

I bought my sis one for Christmas (christmas day birthday) and it was still in flower early march when my son dropped me off for a visit. As I don't see her that often next time she rings i'll ask her is it still in flower.

I paid around £13.00 for sis orchid.

What she did ask me and I could'nt say was how to look after them, feed water etc.

Anyone know?

[otorongo]

Do they cope well with the cold? I'd like to mount some orchids on trees. I reckon there is at least one hardy tree orchid but it dies back for the months when it's needed the most...

[kata]

Try one Oto,

All you lose is a fiver, if they work then do the rest.

Somehow though I doubt the cold will do them well.

[stephenprudence]

They're tropical Orchids, they won't tolerate any cold.. but theres no harm in trying them in a display in summer? I think they prefer to stay mostly dry even in the growing season though. So if we end up having a wet summer, that would probably finish it.

[Steph]

No hope of them surviving a winter outside, I have rarely managed to get them to reflower but they do last a lot longer than a bunch of flowers!

Some people have the knack and just keep them in flower for ever.

I think 'co they are tissue cultured, forced under light & with hormones, the plants aren't very robust but I always have a few around, think they are brilliant.

[Arlon Tishmarsh]

What she did ask me and I could'nt say was how to look after them, feed water etc.

Anyone know?

The attached label says, water weekly , feed monthly (orchid feed) , don't allow roots to sit in water, mist regularly.

No hope of them surviving a winter outside,

They're tropical Orchids, they won't tolerate any cold.. but theres no harm in trying them in a display in summer?

Yep, no hope at all. Min temp for this one is 12 deg (54deg f). Great summer bedding for a fiver . Will probably grow this on as a house plant tho.

Do they cope well with the cold?

I think there are very hardy British natives , Cypriedium's i believe. No doubt be a premium to pay for those .

[Clive60]

Wyevale here have a huge display of Orchids, all tropical, Cattleyas, Cambrias, Phaelanopsis, Miltonia and Dendrobiums, all for Mothers Day obviously but the prices, none above £20 is good value, if you can keep them.
I have seen photos of nurseries in Thailand where the tissue culture 'room' is the size of a B£Q Warehouse where millions are grown annually. You would have seen hardly any of these for sale 20 years ago. A fiver for an Orchid is crazy, what did it cost to grow? Cheap labour and no heating costs make cheap plants. Every home should have one.

[Steph]

The lady I know who gets hers to reflower, ignores it mostly but does give it a drip of tomato plant food occasionally.
She wouldn't know what orchid food was... its really quite humiliating.

And I admit to having one of the blue Phals...

[kata]

Thanks Arlon, I passed that on just now to sis,

Christmas pressie as i said..guess what...she still has four flowers on it.......

She just gives it water now and again.

[Arlon Tishmarsh]

Kata,
Mike K is an orchid enthusiast, so if you're ever stuck for advice he'd be the fella to ask..........

I had a look at the clear internal pot earlier on the plant pictured above. Its well packed with thick roots and appears to be potted in what looks like a mix of bark / coconut husk.

[fern Rob]

Naturally all there roots would be exposed to high humidity and would not be planted as they use them to photosynthesise.

[kata]

Arlon, do you mean metal hammer?

Thanks!! and about the mix as well.

[Kristen]

Wyevale here have a huge display of Orchids, all tropical, Cattleyas, Cambrias, Phaelanopsis, Miltonia and Dendrobiums, all for Mothers Day obviously but the prices, none above £20 is good value, if you can keep them.

My Wyevale sold off their Cymbidums for £3 each after they finished flowering. From memory they are in 3L pots

Duuno about the Phaelanopsis, in AT's picture, but the Cymbidiums needs varied Day/Night temperatures during summer to induce flowering. (I think Phaelanopsis like that too?)

Worth getting some Winter and Summer (separate) feeds IMHO. I think it is feed for 3 waterings and then just water flush-through on the 4th, or something like that. The feed is very very weak. Ours are not well cared for, but reliably re-flower each year. The things I think are important are the temperature they are kept at is (varies by species), putting plenty of gravel in the "outer" pot that the "inner" pot is stood in so that the pot doesn't sit in water, but has some humidity from the evaporation, and the feed I use. But I have no idea if those things is what makes mine reflower.

On Phaelanopsis cutting down the flower stalk to a lower bud, when flowering finishes, can induce re-flowering, which will help "keep them going". I prefer the Cymbidiums as I think its more of a plant than the Phaelanopsis - I think their 2 or 4 leaves looks a bit pathetic ... but nonetheless the always flower fit-to-bust!

[Arlon Tishmarsh]

Arlon, do you mean metal hammer?

Thanks!! and about the mix as well.

Yes K, seems to have a growing passion for them...