more than one orchid in one pot?

[NYCorchidman]

One plant or multiple plants in one pot does not really matter as far as growing good plants is concerned.

As James points out, with multiple plants in one pot, the flower show will be much better, and hence, many florists sell orchids in big display. better look and more cash.

As Tucker mentioned, if you ever wish to separate them, it can be a hell. lol

Another big possible issue is that if one of them is virused, the rest will all share the bug.

[james mickelso]

It's fun to experiment. Seedlings or 1yr old plants are relatively inexpensive to play around with. Usually if you get one plant that is virused, although you wouldn't know unless it was worth testing, they all most likely will be virused. Usually if you buy plants at the same place they all came from the same place. As soon as I can find my camera I'll show a pic of a ball of catts. Up, down, and all around. As for wanting to divide them in the future, why. They're the same. It can be done easily enough. Just like dividing any other overgrown orchid.

[jasonmom]

I'm super excited to report that I watered the four plants yesterday and at-least one of them looks to have many roots. It was wild to watch some of the roots change from white to green when watered. I watered them by sticking each pot into standing warm water for about 30 seconds (read to do it this way with somewhere). When I took the pot out all the water appears to run out. I'm not exactly sure what they are planted in. Some of it floated to the top of the water. All of the water seamed to run out very quickly.

I guess I'll water every two days like this?

One of the plants has small (pea size and smaller) brown spots on it. This plant also had a dead leaf that had fallen off in the package. If I do plant them together I will probably not put this one in incase it is diseased.

Still trying what type of pot to use. Really love the idea of glass so I can watch roots.

[Zep]

I'm always nervous to buy the ones that haven't sprouted any spikes yet

[jasonmom]

Saw some beautiful blue orchids at grocery store the other day. The guy behind the counter stated all I would have to do is put 3 ice cubes on the plant once a week. He also stated that if I used blue food coloring the flowers would come back blue. With no food coloring they would be white.

Now I don't know much but that sounded wrong to me. And that was before I spent the last few days on the web reading what I could about orchids.

[RandomGemini]

Glass won't allow good air circulation around the roots though and orchids need air at their roots.

IMO, recycle a Starbucks cup. You will be able to see the roots, and if you cut slots in it, plenty of air flow. You will be repotting these plants every year to two years (I have no idea how often cattleyas should be repotted, but phals get repotted once a year). So don't blow a bunch of money on a pot because it looks pretty.

With orchids, pots are more about function than form.

[RandomGemini]

Orchids do not naturally occur in blue. They come in purples, but not blue. And yes, the ice thing is silly.

[Ordphien]

I'm on the other end. I prefer my pots to be functional and pretty.
I can't stand plastic pots.
The orchids don't care though.
I generally use a decorative pot with plastic pot hidden inside.

The orchids however. Don't care.

I wouldn't ever water a tropical plant with ice. Phals can and will live like that but they will never thrive.

And lastly. There's very few blue orchids out there.
There's species in Australia that aren't phals, that do come in brilliant shades of blue.
Phals don't though. With the exception of a few genetically modified plants made by a university in Australia I think.
And lastly, you have to inject the spike with a specialised dye while it's forming to get coloured flowers. Watering with food dye won't change the flower colour.

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[jasonmom]

I thought that guy at the grocery store was wrong. Believe it or not, this grocery store and Walmart have the only blooming orchids around. May have seen one at Lowes before, but I don't remember. I'm in southern WV. I think most people around here buy one in bloom and then get rid of it later. I've never seen an orchid at a local nursery (and believe me I've been to all of them).

I'm leaning toward the plastic cups. Maybe I'll get a violet for the pretty pot I bought (someone on here informed me that the pot I bought is for African violets).

[RandomGemini]

They should say on the shelf, when you pick up a pot, what it's for. I would be careful about choosing an african violet. I may have to throw my AVs out, I found that one of mine has aphids, and I won't risk my orchid collection to a few inexpensive plants that are easily replaced.

Orchid pots have great big holes in the sides of them. They look like this:



The designs for the holes will vary too, I have some that just literally have holes in the sides of them and others that have lattice looking designs. I still use plastic pots though. I think that's where you should start, finding a plastic pot or a good way to recycle something into one for you to use.