Identify new orchid given to me - Orchid Board

skeenski · #1 02-03-2011, 11:57 AM

Neighbor brought me 2 new orchids from Hawaii. They are in Eco houses. Keeps in humidity. They were in bloom when I got them in early november. Blooms are now slowly dying. I think it is doing OK so far. Not sure what they are. Pix are on Gallery under skeenski. Eco house labels have Light Brown Apple Moth orchid on a huge USDA sticker on the eco house but on the top of the Eco house it has Dendrobium Orchid.

I also need to know when the last flowers drop off what care does it need. Do I cut the flower stem off? If so how long do I leave it.

thanks Linda

WhiteRabbit · #2 02-03-2011, 06:13 PM

Yes, that first one is a Dendrobium - looks like a "Phal" type (Phalaenthe section of Dendrobium). The second looks like a Vanda, or related.

As far as I know, neither will rebloom on old spikes, so you can cut the spikes when the blooms are done - I wait for the spikes to be brown and dry, but I know others go ahead and cut them before then. Just cut as far down as you can without damaging the plant - where you cut the spike does not have any affect on the plant, except in the case of plants that can rebloom on previously bloomed spikes.

skeenski · #3 02-04-2011, 11:53 AM

thanks tons for the info. It helps tons. Linda

skeenski · #4 02-09-2011, 05:18 PM

Any special instructions for it that you know of. I water it every 7 to 10 days and fertilize it once a month in the winter. Plan on fertilizing it 2 times a month in summer weather. I think it is an east window plant which I don't have so plan on sitting across the room from a south window.
Any suggestions?

Thanks Linda

WhiteRabbit · #5 02-09-2011, 05:40 PM

Most Vandas can take a great deal of light - in the south window this time of year would be good - as the sun gets higher in the sky spring, summer, early fall, the south window will not get nearly as much light as it does now, and outside might be best.

The Den might be able to sit in the south window now, or slightly (a few inches) back from it - across the room will not be sufficient. If there is no roof overhang on your south window, it may get enough light during warmer months for the Den - I'm not sure. East or west facing windows are good if you have them, or outside if that's an option.

skeenski · #6 02-10-2011, 01:19 PM

How warm does it have to be to be outside to put them out?. I have a huge patio with a roof over it I could sit them on but we get over a 100 here in Utah some days would that be too hot for them? Linda

skeenski · #7 02-10-2011, 01:21 PM

Plus I would worry about the stinken raccoons eating the leaves or the deer. Do you think they would bother them? We have a herd of deer that live in our subdivision and we feed them in the winter. Wasn't fun baby sitting our new cement last summer though in 100 degree weather to keep the stinkers from walking through it when it was wet. Linda

WhiteRabbit · #8 02-10-2011, 03:08 PM

Aww ... I really don't know if the racoons or deer might want to eat them - I live in suburbs, we do have racoons, deer don't usually come down this far from the nearby hills. I haven't had trouble with critters munching on orchids (except for occasional grasshopper) - I suppose the deer might chow on them - hopefully someone else can help answer that

skeenski · #9 02-10-2011, 07:22 PM

Thanks

Will you look at the pix under gallery of Skeenski and see if you can tell me what the black spots on vandas leaves are please. One leaf is closed up except at the end and she has a line on another that is bulging in the inside of her leaf. She doesn't seem to be growing just having problems. I have her in a vase and water her for 20 min everyday and fertilize her for 30 min once a week but she isn't liking life. I lost 4 leaves in the beginning because she was tooooo close to a south window and it just baked them. So now she sits to the side of the south glass sliding door. It has no over hang to lessen the intensity of the light . North won't work because they have a porch roof or frosted glass because windows are at chest height in the front of our home and we did not want people walking up the front sidewalk to the porch looking into the house. Upstairs north windows are spare rooms we have closed up until guests come. We leave drapes closed.
Anyway Vanda isn't liking life it seems and I love her beautiful purple flowers but if I don't get her growing I won't see flowers ever. Thanks Linda

Vanda lover · #10 02-10-2011, 08:13 PM

Your Vanda is a cooler growing type with some Vanda coerulea in it. They like cooler night temps and under 85 or so in the day [preferably in the 70's]
I move mine around the house to get the sunniest spots, but if that isn't posible you could consider artificial lighting. A Spot grow bulb might help.
Hanging it outside and bringing it in if the heat is excessive would be best. I water mine about every third day in summer [this is in a basket with a little charcoal and moss] feed once a week. Water about once a week in winter [and feed] Try to give it as much light as it can handle without burning it.
Raccoons won't want it, deer I'm not sure of [try to hang it high] I doubt that they would like them because they aren't tender.

nancy