No internet at home as just moved so ciao time is what I can squeeze in at work for now. x
No internet at home as just moved so ciao time is what I can squeeze in at work for now. x
Member since:25.02.2003
Reviews:24
Members who trust:6
I have always liked orchid flowers. but have never had much success with house plants so never really considered growing them. I tend to neglect plants so eventually they dry out and die! However in a moment of weakness in a garden centre, I spotted a rather sad looking phalaenopsis (not that I knew that was what it was at the time!) With beautiful pale pink petals and a deep pink centre. It was reduced as it had been rather bashed and didn't look very healthy! Always a sucker for a charity case, I bought it and brought it home. All the instructions on the pot were in german, so a little while on google was required for some simple care instructions! This was over 12months ago and the orchid has been in flower ever since - certainly a lot cheaper than a bunch of flowers! I have acquired another 6 orchids since then, and am rapidly running out of window sill room! I have also bought a couple of books and even been to an "orchid event" at my local garden
centre! Be warned - this is a low input but pretty addicitve hobby!
Phalaenopsis, a bit of back ground
Phalaenopsis, or moth orchids are the most popular type of orchid grown in this country. Apparently, they are also the most popular selling house plant at the moment. They are native throughout southeast Asia from the Himalayan mountains to northern Australia. All phalaenopsis are epiphytic plants; meaning they live in crannies in rock of tree bark. In the wild they are found below the canopies of moist, humid forests. They tend to be shaded from direct sunlight and subjected to infrequent, fierce rainfall, after which they dry out. Phalaenopsis are known as monopodial, meaning they have only one stem at ground level. They produce alternate left and right sided thick, dark green leaves on top of one another. Unlike other orchid species they have no pseudobulbs. The stem which produces flowers appears from the (hidden) stem, between the leaves. Flowers are pink, purple, white, yellow or a combination of these colours, and will sometimes persist for up to 6 months! Flower stems will arch over under the weight of the flowers, and some can reach nearly 2 foot high! Large plants can produce multiple flower spikes.
Growing hints and tips
DO NOT OVER WATER! That is the most important piece of advice available! Trying to imitate the natural conditions for a phalaenopsis gives them the best chance of growing. This means a bright spot, without too much direct sunlight (leaves can scorch in direct sun). Temeperatures of around 20 C are ideal, temperature should not go below 15C. Once weekly watering is more than adequate except in the hottest of summers. If the plant is still damp (or you can see moisture in th pot still) it does not need watering. I water mine with rain water which I bring in and allow to warm to room temp. If you want to use tap water, it should be fine but again, best at room temp. Also, if you live in a high chlorine/ hard water area (I do) the water needs to settle for 24 hrs so the "hardness" drops out. This means that they can be kept inside realtively easily, do not need too much tlc and can be forgotten about for an entire holiday! Orchids should be potted in compost specific for their type (not just "orchid mix", they live in all environments so they do not all need the same thing!). Phalaenopsis like a medium grade bark mixture generally (drains well, plenty of space for air). This will not sustain many minerals, so feeding every other feed is advisable. Whilst orchids are flowering, or to encourage flowering, a high pottasium feed is ideal (e.g. half strength tomato feed).
An orchid will often have several flowers (nearest to the main stem) and several buds (furthest from the main stem) on each flowering spike when it is bought. These flowers should persist for about 3-4 months. When they start to drop, the time has come to trim the flower spike. Cut back to just above the second node from the top WHILE THE LAST 2 FLOWERS ARE STILL ON THE PLANT! It does seem a shame to loose the flowers, but they will have less than a week still to flower, and you are maximising the chance of more flowers appearing. A side shoot should then be produced. This can be repeated several times, each time the plant will produce fewer flowers, but they will be of the original high quality.
In summary, these plants are addicitve, if you can keep one alive you will soon want a different coloured one as well! In my case it is the relative ease of care that appeals, although they are seen as difficult to grow, they really aren't at all. They are also a popular mother's day/easter/birthday/xmas gift, so a few have come my way once people heard I could grow them, both as presents and neglected ones that relatives were given last year! My windowsill next to the computer looks like a nursery for neglected orchids at the moment. They can be expensive to buy, but even if you can never make them flower again, the cost involved in buying them is less than similarly spectacular bunches of flowers would be for 3-4 months!
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
very helpful by (100%):
