I'm scared, things are going too well

[nogreenthumbs]

I've got 8 orchids and they all seem to be at least hanging in there if not putting out new roots and growth. I've got 3 in bark/charcoal/perlite and the other 5 are in S/H. I wish my Cattleya was in S/H too, but by the time I started S/H, it was already putting roots down into the bark, so I didn't want to change anything. I do have a Gramm-Cym in bark that seems very happy, but I'm afraid that the bark is too small (medium orchiata), but I'm just not watering often and I'm hoping for the best.

Every once in a while I find myself thinking, man, this is awesome. That's when I get scared and I look over my shoulder for the Orchid Reaper.

[dounoharm]

lol!!! I love your post!

I don't know anything about s/h, but the ones in bark....if you are worried about your orchids, I would pull those in pots out and search for anything crawly....mealies get down in crevices and hide! this is where a toothbrush comes in handy! the ones in s/h could probably do with an intense scrubbing too....

if you cant find a bug...HOORAY!! repot and get on with the next possibles.....

air, light, and water are the essentials for any plant...so, are the roots able to drain between waterings? ....check!

is the light sufficient? orchds can really take a lot of light! but, you need to acclimate them slowly! you don't want them closer than 6" from their light source....ok, check....

that watering schedule.....you have 8 different orchids. most likely they will each want different watering schedules....i always put indoor house orchids on big trays of wet gravel....and check!

do some studying on the different requirements for each one of your babies.....and find places that best suit them!

also, set a routine on fertilizer and insectisides and stick with it!

good luck!!

[Optimist]

I kind of live "waiting for the other shoe to drop" if all seems like it is going too well (Meaning orchids, as well as everything else in life!). All I can say is keep one eye out for problems. Or as the Easterners say "Keep a weather eye out..." Sempre vigilans.

[Dollythehun]

re·lax
rəˈlaks/Submit
verb
1.
make or become less tense or anxious.
"he relaxed and smiled confidently"
synonyms: become less tense, loosen, slacken, unknot
"her muscles relaxed"

[ShadePlant]

I think it's the realization that once we start to get the hang of things orchids don't have to be the impossible creatures to take care of. Of course problems will arise and there can be casualties but knowing growing requirements and being attentive can minimize this as much as possible. I had someone tell me that they didn't know how I took care of orchids since "You can't even water them or they die!" I don't know how this person expected the orchid (or just about any living thing) to live without water- ever!

[nogreenthumbs]

Originally Posted by dounoharm

lol!!! I love your post!

good luck!!

They are all indoors and our apt is small, so I look at them once or twice a day at least. They get a small amount of fertilizer with every watering (~25ppm N), they get watered when they need it (clear pots and S/H help with this). They are mostly in or near an East facing window that gets light from sunrise (5th floor) until noonish. The Phals are never in the window, but the rest can take a fair amount of light and are on the weekends when the grandson (15mos) can't reach them. The rest of the time they are near the window up out of his reach. I don't think I have any bugs, at least nothing harmful.

Originally Posted by Optimist

I kind of live "waiting for the other shoe to drop" if all seems like it is going too well (Meaning orchids, as well as everything else in life!). All I can say is keep one eye out for problems. Or as the Easterners say "Keep a weather eye out..." Sempre vigilans.

Yeah, that's what I'm doing. This just seems too easy. :eek:

Originally Posted by Dollythehun

re·lax
rəˈlaks/Submit
verb
1.
make or become less tense or anxious.
"he relaxed and smiled confidently"
synonyms: become less tense, loosen, slacken, unknot
"her muscles relaxed"

Hahah, I'll relax when I've got over a year under my belt or re-blooms, whichever comes last. Unfortunately, my cattleya is unlikely to rebloom because I set it back, but it's doing well with 2 new growths and lots of new roots. My first Phal has a new leaf and lots of healthy new roots. My other Phal seems to be ticking right along with roots that are happy. My Gramm-Cym has new roots. My Prosthecea Cochleata have new growths. Neither of my Onc are doing anything, but they are hanging out and don't appear to be going downhill.

[Mountaineer370]

Nogreenthumbs, like you, I have exactly eight orchids at this time. All seem happy with life here and are putting out lots of new growth, leaves and roots. I find myself always wishing for blooms, though <sigh>.

Right now, my very first orchid (NoID phal) that I got a little over two years ago has three open flowers, and this is the second time it has rebloomed for me. Of my eight plants, that is the only one that has ever rebloomed under my care. To be fair to the plants, though, five out of the remaining seven have been here less than a year and don't owe me anything yet.

Like a couple of you have mentioned, I also have an unfortunate tendency to expect something bad to happen at any moment, with everything, not just orchids, but I've been working extra-hard lately to follow Dollythehun's advice and relax!

[Dollythehun]

Thank you. The stuff that is supposed to bring us joy, we stress over. In the cosmic scheme of things ( to put a secular spin on it), what really matters? People aren't going to care that I grew a mean phalanopsis...but they may care that I fed the homeless.

Like both of you, I buy babies so it's awhile before they bloom. But each new root is a new beginning and I do a happy dance over each victory. What's really neat is to divide and share...

[bil]

There's always something to delight or worry about. Several of my Catts in the greenhous with 50% shading have got burned as tempt hit 47C regularly this summer.

On the plus side some of the orchids in the shade house are blooming for the first time.

[My Green Pets]

don't worry, something will go wrong eventually! enjoy this peaceful lull and best of luck to you.