Orchids

[Jilly]

I know Jasmine, anything in the garden absolutely fine but I'm the kiss of death to houseplants. My SIL is useless with any plants outside or inside, but she can still grow lovely orchids.

It used to be a tradition in the office that I used to work that everyone would get a plant on their birthday, if it was either a bloke or one of the young girls not known for a preference, the would get an orchid, one of the ladies had a whole forest of orchids round her desk, as sure enough a couple of months after the birthdays the poor dying orchid would be brought back in and given over to her care. Whenever she went on holiday she'd stick post it notes all over them 'do not touch' and she'd always say to me, don't let anyone water my orchids 

[Jasmine]

They need to sort out their gift tradition Jilly - bet a bottle of wine would have gone down better and the poor lady wouldn't have been lost in a sea of orchids! Love the post-it note idea!
After a year at school I know who not to buy a plant for!

[Jilly]

Oh I don't think she minded Jasmine , when she retired it took her husband's car and one of our delivery vans so she could take her plant collection home with her. 


OH repotted mine this morning, so that's another job I don't have to do.

[Jasmine]

Aug 10, 2017 16:17:54 GMT Jilly said:

Oh I don't think she minded Jasmine , when she retired it took her husband's car and one of our delivery vans so she could take her plant collection home with her. 


OH repotted mine this morning, so that's another job I don't have to do.

Well done that OH!

[Dutchy]

I have a 17 year old pink lady slipper orchid that is wither ing on me. I have given it new orchid soil last year and keep it in the warm and humid bathroom. Somehow it seems to have lost its mojo.
Orchid feed did not help either.
Any hints and tips?

[Tig]

Have a look at its roots Dutchy . If any are rotting or dead cut them off with a razor blade back to healthy tissue. Could it have stayed too wet?

[Dutchy]

Hm could be. Maybe too dry lately.
The roots did look in trouble. What colour should they be? White green was hardly there.

[Tig]

I think they need to be white or pale green. If they are brown or beige they are dying and need to be removed. This video may help.

[maggy]

I only give a very weak orchid feed to mine Dutchy , and not very often at that , Keeping it dry wont hurt it , i water mine with rain water that I keep in the bottom of the airing cupboard in a large 4 ltr bottle, give it a big drink letting it stand for half an hour before tipping it out , but if you have had it 17 years you do know this ! Maybe it is just come to the end of its days.

I have 6 one of which is sickly looking im now experimenting by shaking all the would chip compost off ive put it in a glass vase as I saw in France and seeing what happens, I fill it with water let it stand , empty out 🤔 I’m now waiting to see if it improves ? Next move will be compost bin if it doesn’t pick up.

[Dutchy]

I hardly feed unless it looks ill. The new growth was not getting on and the old bit was dying back already. Having said that it does seem a bit more green now, the new bit might be on the up after all. I'll see.
This is not a Moth orchid but a Ladies slipper. They are more fickle.
So far I think I will simply not do too much. I gave it new orchid soil last November so it might be unhappy about the treatment still.
The compost bin is the last option indeed.

[Dutchy]

Surprise... Despite the leaves still being small the orchid lives and now is making a flower stalk.
I think sticking to doing nothing, besides watering, is a good plan.

[Jasmine]

Best £4 rescue I have ever made! This orchid just puts up huge stalks of flowers one after the other!

[maggy]

I think its snap Jasmine , this is the £8 one I bought last week it had been £16 but that was M&S so not surprising really

tried enlarging it but no luck 




they are worth it though I have one over 10 years old

[Jasmine]

Beautiful maggy!

Mine was a Homebase bargain - not sure what price it was to start with but it was big!

[maggy]

Its flowered again Jasmine, 19 blooms and 1 to open its lovely.

[Jasmine]

Wow maggy, that is stunning.

I love orchids - the flower stalks almost arrive without you noticing!

[maggy]

This is a new one to me, but I’m loving it

[Dutchy]

Beautiful! Not as easy as a moth orchid though.
No doubt you’ll de well with it Maggy.

[maggy]

Time will tell Dutchy,

[Jasmine]

Nearly to the year...my £4 rescue...



...and some Pringles!

[Jasmine]

An even cheaper rescue just coming out



How are your orchids doing maggy?

[maggy]

Not one in flower Jasmine, you would think when I have 6 one would be out actually I think I have missed a couple I tend to hide them when they are dormant. Yours are lovely I think I have the same colors I should even have a couple of mottled reddish ones that haven't flowered for a while.

[Jasmine]

Thanks maggy, I don't do anything to them, they are the perfect houseplants - water every now and again and they do their thing!

[maggy]

I've repotted my Ludisia jewel orchid this morning the plant pot and outer pot were very tight so I had a job to empty the water out after watering, I'm afraid I threw lots of pots out when we cleaned the greenhouse so it isn't in a clear pot , but it wasn't in one anyway when O.H bought it. The original compost isn't orchid bark ! but its in it now, I know nothing about these jewel orchids I will have to Google to see if they should be treat differently, anyway it hasn't thrived since I cut the dead stalk down , it has grown another about 7" so fingers crossed it might come on better now.

[maggy]

I've just found how to care for Ludisia orchids and found that mine has had far too much light hence the green leaves which should be reddish purple, and it should be potted in saintpaulia compost (african violet) ! but I'm not disturbing it again. I'm sure there is enough around the root ball , if it doesn't look happy I will just put some vermiculite in ordinary compost but this should drain just the same, I've moved it to a shadier spot! watch this space it could be interesting! these leaves have a lot of changing to do.

[mickthecactus]

I would have thought the leaves were green because it's winter and the light is weak. In winter they probably need the best light they can get. The leaves should colour up as the light gets stronger.

[maggy]

I looked it up mickthecactus, it says they grow on the forest floor where it’s very shady so they shouldn’t be in too light a place or they lose their dark colour.