Quote:
Originally Posted by ginnibug
It good to uncover the the top roots but you also want to loosen up the whole root ball in general because the growers pack them in really tight so they don't have to water as much. These growers don't keep the plants in longterm care, just keep them right up to the time of first flowering. Then they ship them off to vendors to sell, like Lowe's. Unfortunately Lowe's and H.D.doesn't for the most part have people that know how to take care of orchids. These people "mostly know" dirt plants or have just been hired for the season. I find orchids on the "death table" aka clearance rack that have either crown rot or root rot because they haven't been watered properly. At Lowe's and H.D., if they don't sell the plants; they end up being thrown away, and most are half dead anyway.
Oh to answer the other question... Yes let the light in! I know alot of people say put a sheer in front of the plant and such but in an east window you will not need anything like that. Give it all that East light, it won't get burned. Now a South light there might be a remote possibility but I doubt that too. I grow some of mine w/ south exposure and don't get burnt during the winter. You will probably need to water about once a week.ginnibug
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Yeah I took out most of that from the sides and bottom. I didn't have to take much off the top.
I did what you said to do plus I took some off the top....
Ok I will crack the blinds a bit and let a bit more light in but I can't open it too much since this is my bedroom and when i wanna sleep in I can with the blinds open, I'm almost like a vampire....as soon as that sun hits my face I am wide awake lol.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Olivia
There are two basic schools of though regarding cutting spikes after the flowers are spent:
1) Wait until the spike turns dry and brown and then cut it.
2a) Cut it back to the base as soon as the flowers are done.
2b) Cut it back to above the 2nd node like you mentioned.
People generally do the second node cut if they're hoping to get another spike branching off the old spike, but that doesn't always happen.
I personally wait for mine to turn dry and brown before cutting because some phals are sequential bloomers and will bloom off the old spikes. I have a new sogo vivien myself and the spike has stayed green for about six months since the flowers were spent. I don't know enough about this one to know if it will rebloom but I'm taking the wait and see approach 
The main reasons people will cut the spike back completely is that if the plant is not genetically a sequential bloomer there can be fewer and fewer flowers each bloom. But one of mine that is sends out new blooms every 3 or so months on the two old spikes. The other reason to cut the spike is if you think your plant needs to conserve it's energy, for example if its suffering from root loss.
Basically how and when you cut the spike is a matter of personal preference. But if you do cut it while it's green use a sterile blade and cinnamon dust.
Hope this helps! |
Yeah I knew all that, except the cinnamon dust...good to know I researched well.
I just wanted to make sure of things.
I wish I knew where I went wrong with all of my Orchids tho since from what i have read so far on here and what people are telling me I was doing things right.
| What does the cinnamon dust do?
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