Help - I won an orchid in a raffle!!!!

[chook]

I won an orchid in a raffle. The label says "Maytime'. It was in flower when I got it - and gorgeous. It has survived inside at my daughter's house for six months and I have now brought it home. I'd love to have it flower under my care. I'm an 'ordinary' gardener, live in Australia with summer temps over 40 C/winter temps below zero and would appreciate answers to the following:
....indoor or outdoor (I'm guessing indoors)
....water how often
....it won't like wet roots, will it
....red spider mite, when to treat
....special fertiliser
Hope you can help.
They are such a breathtakingly beautiful plant. We visited an orchid show and I thought I'd do the right thing and buy a raffle ticket

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Too vague. There are a lot of different genera of orchids. No one's gonna be able to help you with just a cultivar name called 'Maytime'. There can be different genera of orchids with the same cultivar name, particularly if it is a line of hybrids or species originating from a specific breeder.

Can you type the entire name on the tag please?

Just to get you in the right direction...

Is it a Cattleya?

Is it a Dendrobium?

Is it a Cymbidium?

Is it a Phalaenopsis?

And I'm guessing you have a hybrid.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Congratulations on winning the raffle, btw.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Better yet...

Can you post a pic?


FYI:

There are over 25,000 known species of orchids in the world. There are plenty of unknown species of orchids as well waiting to be discovered.

Then there are the hybrids that also number in the 100,000's.

It's no fun to guess from that many orchids.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

To further help you along...

Here are the abbreviations for the genera of orchids that are most commonly sold:

Cattleya = C
Brassolaeliocattleya = Blc
Sophrolaeliocattleya = Slc
Laeliocattleya = Lc
Laelia = L
Epicattleya = Epc
Epidendrum = Epi
Encyclia = Enc

Cymbidium = Cym

Dendrobium = Den

Phalaenopsis = Phal

Vanda = V
Ascocenda = Ascda

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Should you think I'm being a jerk...

Let me illustrate my point...


Let's say you were an expert about the different kinds of pet birds available in the pet trade, and I had a bird I'd like to find out about.

Then I came up to you and asked if you had any advice about it, without me showing you a photo of the bird, or without telling you the kind of bird it is. The only thing I told you was that I got it as a gift from someone and the bird was given the name "Rocky".

I bet you'd want some more information from me before telling me anything, considering that the only thing you really know is that it's a pet bird named "Rocky".

[rangiku]

Aw, King, why would chook think you're being a jerk? Perhaps she hasn't logged back in since she posted. I know I check in here a billion times a day but I do hear that some people have lives outside of orchids. Strange but true!

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Originally Posted by rangiku

Aw, King, why would chook think you're being a jerk? Perhaps she hasn't logged back in since she posted. I know I check in here a billion times a day but I do hear that some people have lives outside of orchids. Strange but true!

That's not it.

It's the whole "lost in translation problem" with the internet.

Covering bases.

[CTB]

Welcome to the Orchid Board! You have come to the right place for answers with almost 16,000 members. Enjoy!!!!

[trdyl]

Welcome to OB!

As Philip said above, we need a bit more information about the plant before we can give an answer and we love pictures.