Old New Orchid Fancier

[Pokey49]

Hi- I finally became an orchid fancier. I say finally as I have been waiting to retire and have my retirement house with a sun room. After 25 years living in Alaska we now live in southern Oregon in a nice little house that we had a sun room addition built. After getting settled I finally got started with my orchid fantasy ) I have started witha couple phalaenopsis, 2 cymbidium, one epidendrum and one paphiopedilum. And I am really glad to find this forum. One can only read so many books until they all start sounding the same and most can't answer specific, nit picky questions. So I hope I can get some answers from kind people here So here we go:

The epidendrum that I got from a well know supplier arrived ona very cold day here. The blooms fell off over the course of the next 5-10 days. I called the supplier and they said it was likely cold shocked and thats why the blooms fell off and gave me a credit. Here's my question on this one. Do I cut the flower spikes that lost blooms off at the base? There are other spikes , will they produce flowers?

Similar thing happened with the paph. It arrived in bud, but after 3 weeks has not bloomed. Appears to me the bud is going to fall off. If it does do I cut the spike off at the base? BY the way these two orchids are in my sun room, temps are 60-70 between night and day, plants are watered and fertilized according to their requirements.

LAst question today. I have two cymbidiums that bloomed for weeks. The blooms are now falling off. The plants appear quite crowded in the pots. After they bloom do I divide them before I repot them or just repot them ina big pot. New grow is starting to appear on the one that is about to drop all its blooms. The other one has two more spikes with frsh buds coming on.

I think thats enough questions for being a new kid. MAny thanks in advance to whomever offers me some advice. Cheers

PAul

[hcastil3]

hoooray for a sun room!!!!! well welcome!! so I have no experiece with Cymb. the buds that fell is cold related happens to me if I have an orchid next to my door.....


anyhow you can cut them back just make sure you sterilize your tools before and the wound as well .. cinnamon works for me, and I also use physan 20 for any fungal issues..

you can sterilize with rubbing alcohol as well or a flame.. whatever you like..


I wouldn't divide my orchids, they like to be squished though.. so unless you really think they need divinding go ahead...

maybe put some pictures? that would help..


Paphs... yeah those things for me take forever to bloom after they are in sheath... and do the same cut after they are done.. or just let them dry out.... completely then cut after they are dried.. the stems ....


I hope someone else can answer the questions better for you though.

Welcome!! I want to go to Alaska!!!

[Leafmite]

I typically buy seedlings many years from blooming so I really don't know too much about bud blast but I'm sure many others will help you.
Welcome to the forum and hobby! Orchids are really great fun and this is a wonderful place to learn about them.

[james mickelso]

Once the cyms have finished blooming, repot them in a pot that has about two inches of room around the periphery of the mass of pbulbs. This will allow for another years growth. I would not divide them if there are less than 6 pbulbs in the bunch. The flowers fell due to environmental stress. Happens all the time. Cut the empty spikes back to their bases and cauterize with powdered cinnamon. Welcome to the worlds best orchid board.

[Pokey49]

I figured the flowers fell and the bud will not open due to cold stress. Though they were packed well, it was 8 degrees the day Fedex delivered them and no telling how long they road around in a cold fedex truck.

The challenge I think I will face in the summer is keeping our sun room cool enough when its 95 outside. I have come to realize I really like cymbidiums and they prefer cool as I understand. They certainly seem to do well here this time of year.
I also like the paphiopedilums alot too. I can see lots of orchid adventures ahead

Thanks for the advice everyone. I can already tell this is the place to come to get good experienced information about growing orchids. Cheers

Paul

---------- Post added at 09:42 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:39 PM ----------

One more question. Regarding the epidendrum. There are about 5 spikes. Two had flowers and lost them. I assume I should cut those off at the base. Hopefully the other 3 will produce flowers, yes??

[Polarizeme]

Welcome to the board!

I generally will leave spikes on the plant until they have browned. I just let nature take its course. I don't know if Epid. will bloom off an old spike, but some other orchid types will.

[reliablefool]

When you speak of the epidendrum, what exactly do you mean "at the base?" If it is a reed-stem epidendrum, then I am concerned that "at the base" means removing that whole growth (leaves and all) which shouldn't be done. You may want to cut the part that grew up above the leaves with the flowers, but even when the flowers aborted because of cold I've had the spike continue to grow/bloom in following years.

[Pokey49]

Yes I was referring to cutting the entire stem leaves and all which sounds like a no no in this case. The part of the spike where the blooms fell off has turned brown and woody looking. Should i just leave it alone or cut that down to the first set of leaves?? Again so glad I found this place. No book can get down to these kind of specifics.