Hi - I need advice on the growth of my orchids - Orchid Board

hermie3rd · #1 02-09-2008, 12:51 PM

Hi All!
I was recommended to this site by the member Orchidaholic, who belongs to the same Orchid Group I do on Myspace. I am posting my same question on here and will attempt to post some pictures of my plants, so please bear with me! Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

I have a question - I have two orchids, one is a pink phalaenopsis my sister gave me a little over two years ago in bloom. The other is a yellow oncidium (well, at least I think it's yellow) that my mom gave me a about a year and a half ago, which has yet to bloom for me. (My mom split that plant three ways, kept one plant for herself, gave one to me as well as my sister). I live in Michigan, and I have kept both plants for the last year in my living room near the large picture window facing east. Both plants have grown new leaves and are a healthy green color, but I can't get blooms on either - I'm especially curious to see the oncidium, since I haven't the flowers on it yet! I have kept them watered (on average once a week, depending how dry the house gets), and like I said, they look healthy overall. Recently my father-in-law gave me some orchid food, which I've applied to each plant a couple of times. Before that, I just gave them plain water. I'm just wondering if I should be giving them the food every time I water them, or just once a month, etc...or if I should hold off since we are in the middle of winter, and start feeding them once we get closer to spring. If anybody has any insight I would really appreciate it. Thanks!

Hi - I need advice on the growth of my orchids-img_0726-jpg

Hi - I need advice on the growth of my orchids-img_0729-jpg

Hi - I need advice on the growth of my orchids-img_0733-jpg

Hi - I need advice on the growth of my orchids-img_0734-jpg

Ray · #2 02-09-2008, 01:31 PM

OK, Herm. I'll take the first shot at this.

The phalaenopsis is probably just fine, although based upon the tray, it looks like you leave it standing in water sometimes, which you do not want to do. All orchids need moisture, but also need lots of air flow to the root system.

A pink phalaenopsis should be grown warm (low of 60° is OK), but needs to experience a few weeks of cooler temperatures (low of about 50°, high of about 70°) in order to initiate the growth of a flower spike.

The oncidium needs a lot more light than the phal, more than it can possibly get in an east-facing window. I would also suggest getting it out of that glazed pot and put it into a potting medium that is very coarse and dries out faster than that the phal is in. The exposed roots look waterlogged, and the wrinkled pseudobulbs tell me that the plant is not getting enough water, probably due to suffocated, dead roots rather than underwatering.

Both plants should be fed regularly, and I would recommend a relatively low-nitrogen formula (too much N can actually prevent flowering) at about 125 ppm N at two or three out of four waterings.

CodiMN · #3 02-09-2008, 07:53 PM

Hi Hermie, welcome to the OB.

Ray you are so wonderful! Great advice every time.

Hermie---if your house is like mine, you may want to get a little digital thermometer or something so you can monitor what's really happening temperaturewise to your 'chids while you're not home. It'll help you keep consistent and give them the temps that Ray suggested.

Rule of thumb: orchids don't like "sitting" in water. Their roots are "breathing" for them.

hermie3rd · #4 02-10-2008, 01:15 AM

Thanks guys - I didn't know that you shouldn't let the orchids stand in water...I was assuming that I would need a plate under the orchid pot, since it drains out...but I guess I'll just leave it in the sink when watering so it can drain away. Also...I have a question about the pot the oncidium is in - my mom told me it was an orchid pot...are there any types of orchids that should actually go in that pot? I don't have a problem repotting the oncidum if it is the best thing for the plant, I just didn't know if I could get another type of orchid that would do well in it, or if my mom was mistaken about what type of pot it actually is. Also Ray - I know you said the oncidium needs more light than an east facing window - the only other good spot I really have for it would be in my kitchen, which faces west. Do you think that would be okay, or too much light? Thanks again!

ipv6ready · #5 02-10-2008, 04:59 AM

Hi I am new too, have a look at this site by Ray the first reply on this thread
First Rays' Free Info and click on fertilizer under "Feeding your plants"

Also if you are wondering like me at first how to measure 125ppm -> it's there as well under the heading "Measuring Fertilizers" in Ray's site.

Other information in the site is must read as well it is a great resource.

I could be wrong but that pot with onicidium looks like a herb pot rather then a orchid pot. But if you read all the ways orchids are grown there is no such thing as the "Perfect Pot" it all comes downs to watering.

kavanaru · #6 02-10-2008, 07:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ray

The oncidium needs a lot more light than the phal, more than it can possibly get in an east-facing window.

My

: Agreed that Oncidium generally need more light than Phals... however, an east-facing window can be sufficient! As always, this depends on your latitude and the Oncidium you have (species or hybrid). For example, Oncidium Sweet Sugar, Oncidium ornithorhynchum, Oncidium Sharry Baby and Oncidium Tiny Twinkle, are quite popular "Supermarket-Orchids" (as I use to call all the chids you can easily buy for a couple of €/CHF in any European supermarket

) in Switzerland and Germany. They are normally sold to normal housewives that just want to have a couple of nice flowers at the windowsill without much troubles... I have seen these Oncidiums blooming every year on east and west facing windows from Zürich up to Berlin... They are somehow becoming as common as Phals, as their price is always going down and down (Thanks to Dutch flowers and plants industry!)

Ray · #7 02-10-2008, 09:23 AM

Good point, Ramon. In Michigan in winter, that's probably not enough light, but it will get brighter as spring arrives.

Hermie, would it be possible to supplement with an artificial light source?

Also, pretty much any pot with holes in the sides to provide extra aeration are called "orchid pots", but that does not automatically mean they are good for them. In this case, the fact that it is glazed is what I am not fond of, BUT - if the potting medium is coarse and airy enough, you should be OK.

quiltergal · #8 02-10-2008, 12:44 PM

I've found that my Oncs like to be watered more often than the rest of my plants, especially when they are actively growing. That is not to say they like to be soggy. In your picture it looks like some of the leaves are pleated. I can't really tell. If that's the case then you need to water more frequently, and that also increases the importance of media that drains really well.

Ross · #9 02-10-2008, 01:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ray

Good point, Ramon. In Michigan in winter, that's probably not enough light, but it will get brighter as spring arrives.

Here in Michigan winter I have seldom measured more than 2000 foot-candles in my south-facing bay window! I have 3 CF lights to supplement. East wouldn't do at all even for Phals, unless supplemented with artificial lights. Just my

hermie3rd · #10 02-10-2008, 02:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ross

Here in Michigan winter I have seldom measured more than 2000 foot-candles in my south-facing bay window! I have 3 CF lights to supplement. East wouldn't do at all even for Phals, unless supplemented with artificial lights. Just my

Would moving them to a west-facing window be enough light? Our kitchen basically gets light for most of the day so I could move both plants to the kitchen table - or would I still need to supplement with artificial light??