Large Orchid Arrangement in Ceramic Bowl!

[Annik]

I received an orchid arrangement for my birthday in a large ceramic bowl (about 14" diameter) with four orchid spikes and a plant. The bowl has no drainage and no plastic insert.

I'm not completely new to orchids but this scenario is challenging to me.

There are MANY flower buds and orchid flowers in full bloom.

Presently I have a challenging environmental situation of mediocre light, low humidity, and of course this giant bowl of orchids with no drainage.

Does anyone here have suggestions (or expertise) on how I should care for these? Any help will be appreciated.

Btw, my name is Annik and I am new to this forum so I would like to say to everyone!

[WaterWitchin]

Welcome and also Congratulations on the birthday. What a lovely gift!

Mediocre light is fine. Phaleonopsis likes mediocre light. In other words, don't put it where sun shines directly on the leaves. I'm presuming the orchids are Phals, but it's a pretty good guess. People call them "moth orchids" as well.

What kind of plant is in with the orchids? Can you stick your finger in the bowl here and there, and see what kind of medium it's planted in? Like a spongy moss? Or bark? Bark mixed with other stuff? That would be real helpful before telling you more how to deal with it. If you could post a picture, that would be even better.

[camille1585]

Hello Annik, welcome to orchidboard!

You're right about the arrangement being a challenge, and it will be very difficult to keep them happy. A few questions: Do the orchids have pots? (I've seen arrangements with potted orchids thrown together in a larger decorative pot). What kind of orchids are they, Phals I suppose? Based on that it will be easier to give you suggestions on how to proceed.

[Annik]

Originally Posted by WaterWitchin

Welcome and also Congratulations on the birthday. What a lovely gift!

Mediocre light is fine. Phaleonopsis likes mediocre light. In other words, don't put it where sun shines directly on the leaves. I'm presuming the orchids are Phals, but it's a pretty good guess. People call them "moth orchids" as well.

What kind of plant is in with the orchids? Can you stick your finger in the bowl here and there, and see what kind of medium it's planted in? Like a spongy moss? Or bark? Bark mixed with other stuff? That would be real helpful before telling you more how to deal with it. If you could post a picture, that would be even better.

Thank you for your kind reply and birthday greeting.

Yes, the orchids are Phals and I honestly don't know what the additional plant is, but it looks like your average green-leaf house or office plant - nothing rare or extraordinary.

I'm really distressed that this was placed in a large ceramic salad-type bowl without drainage. I can't see the roots and the whole bowl is covered with moss. It looks like the medium is spongy moss, as far as I can tell, and it is still moist, so I haven't watered it (I received it on the 29th of April.)

Do I leave it alone for now and how (and when) do I observe the root system hiding underneath?

Superficially, it looks beautiful right now but I have no idea how long the arrangement is sustainable in this container.

[WaterWitchin]

Okay, so we won't worry about the green plant for now. After you poke down through the moss, are you sure there aren't individual pots in there with each plant in one? Perhaps with something else covering the individual pots and/or stuffed in between them?

Do some diggin'! and report in.

---------- Post added at 10:23 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:22 AM ----------

PS That's the most common way florists pot up displays like that. In fact, I've never seen otherwise. And correct! Don't water anything for now!

[Annik]

Originally Posted by camille1585

Hello Annik, welcome to orchidboard!

You're right about the arrangement being a challenge, and it will be very difficult to keep them happy. A few questions: Do the orchids have pots? (I've seen arrangements with potted orchids thrown together in a larger decorative pot). What kind of orchids are they, Phals I suppose? Based on that it will be easier to give you suggestions on how to proceed.

No pots, no liner. Yes, all four are Phals.

Although it is a very beautiful arrangement, it makes absolutely no sense!

The potting medium is moss, perhaps with some bark mixed in.

[DirtyCoconuts]

Welcome

You have hit the nail on the head. It is not sustainable in that but you can probably enjoy it for this bloom cycle.

I would wait until the flowers start dropping and then repot

In the mean time, try to keep it moist and not soaked.

One technique might be to pour water on it and then tilt it sideways to drain any excess. Not knowing how it is fit in the bowl, it is hard to be sure.

Use the “err on the side of dry” until it is repotted

Good luck and I am certain more orchids are in your future

[Annik]

Originally Posted by WaterWitchin

Okay, so we won't worry about the green plant for now. After you poke down through the moss, are you sure there aren't individual pots in there with each plant in one? Perhaps with something else covering the individual pots and/or stuffed in between them?

Do some diggin'! and report in.

---------- Post added at 10:23 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:22 AM ----------

PS That's the most common way florists pot up displays like that. In fact, I've never seen otherwise. And correct! Don't water anything for now!

I can't find any pots. The roots are VERY firm. It's inexplicable to me why a florist would place 4 Phals and a plant in a big bowl (other than aesthetics.) How did they grow? Grrrr... what a challenge.

I had one Phal previously - another interesting situation which I will describe in another post - so I am not a complete newbie (but certainly not very experienced either.)

This, however, is going to be a challenge.

---------- Post added at 11:46 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:38 AM ----------

Originally Posted by DirtyCoconuts

Welcome

You have hit the nail on the head. It is not sustainable in that but you can probably enjoy it for this bloom cycle.

I would wait until the flowers start dropping and then repot

In the mean time, try to keep it moist and not soaked.

One technique might be to pour water on it and then tilt it sideways to drain any excess. Not knowing how it is fit in the bowl, it is hard to be sure.

Use the “err on the side of dry” until it is repotted

Good luck and I am certain more orchids are in your future

I appreciate your reply. I am from NYC but I am in S. Florida as well right now (for work.)

I have another orchid (another gift) that flourished spectacularly until I moved, and then the blooms fell, I cut it back, and put it outside on a terrace. It has grown two new leaves and I just identified a new flower spike a couple of weeks ago. I re-potted it in a premium moss medium, in a clear pot with lots of drainage. This one was water-logged and I had to cut off the dead roots - I almost lost it. So I have done orchid triage before, but this new addition is much more complex I think.

[WaterWitchin]

Originally Posted by Annik

I can't find any pots. The roots are VERY firm. It's inexplicable to me why a florist would place 4 Phals and a plant in a big bowl (other than aesthetics.) How did they grow? Grrrr... what a challenge.

I had one Phal previously - another interesting situation which I will describe in another post - so I am not a complete newbie (but certainly not very experienced either.)

This, however, is going to be a challenge.

Well, florists don's grow orchids. They sell flower arrangements. Phals are a very hardy, easy care orchid as compared to many. The florist anticipates many will enjoy the blooms, then when finished trash the plants... similar to a cut bouquet. Which of course MANY folks do.

As DC says... for now, I would enjoy it as is. Occasionally (once or twice a week) stick your finger under the decorative moss and feel around... if it's still moist, don't water. If you end up needing to water, don't overdo it (like a 1/4 or less cup of water in maybe four or so spots around the pot (only if drying out). With that big of a mass, it's gonna take a long time for it to dry out. And that's what the florist anticipates... you'll just let it sit and enjoy.

It costs a pretty penny to get four orchids in an arrangement from most florists. So enjoy it "as is" for awhile. When you start losing blooms later down the line, or it starts to look unwell, THEN go ahead and dig down in there and disassemble it and repot them. But you likely have more than a month to just enjoy as it is, with the occasional small drink.

And if you get more water in, tip the bowl over and pour it out as DCoconuts says. Try to water little enough that you don't have to do that. Less is better in this particular setting.

And if you start questioning whether it's still okay, ask more questions. There's always someone around willing to pitch in. And with Phals, if your humidity is comfortable enough for you the Phals should be okay. They "like" higher humidity, but again are regularly grown as a houseplant by folks who know very little about orchids in general.

[oregon woodsmoke]

If there are no smaller pots inside and there is no drainage, those plants haven't been in there for long.

Myself, I would enjoy the arrangement for a week or so and then rip it apart and re-pot each plant. It's important to me to save my plants, more so than to save the flowers.

I'm very new to orchids and I've only re-potted one plant in bloom and it seems to be happy enough and still retains all the flowers. Handle the orchids gently and it might be possible to re-pot without losing the blooms. If you do lose the flowers, you have the happy plant to bloom again later.

---------- Post added at 08:43 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:39 AM ----------

My only other suggestion: when I am starting seeds, when the pot is still wet but the surface is getting dry, I spritz the surface with a spray bottle. That wets the surface without adding more water to the medium.

It would take a lot of care to spray the surface of the potting mix without getting water on the orchid leafs, but if you want to keep the arrangement, that might work.

I would guess that a mossy sort of potting soil in a ceramic bowl with no drainage is going to stay wet for a very long time.