Well, I guess I'll just dive in

[peggypugsmom]

Well, I guess I'll just dive in. Thanks for the invite to do so! It is very late, nearly midnight now in Vermont, but I finally got my registration finished and my kind of limited profile, and wanted to intro myself before I fall asleep! My name is Eileen and I received my first ever orchid for Mother's Day this May. I had mixed emotions..absolutely beautiful, the tag in it said P. Sylvia; it had (note the past tense!) 5 lovely blossoms and 2 promising buds..and it was extremely intimidating. I wasn't sure I was capable of caring for this lovely!...I carefully took her home, placed her on a desk in an East facing window, lots of morning sun, purchased a beautiful book, took her to the kitchen sink and removed her from the small clear plastic pot!..I carefully removed the wet sphagnum moss, gingerly trimmed off rotted root tips, and tossed away the styrofoam peanuts? What the heck? I had also picked up a bag of rough plant bark...replaced the plant and the bark in a bit larger clay pot and sat her back in the East!..a week later...no buds! One by one the flowers dropped off!.. My daughter, the gift giver, was shocked and I was sad!..but determined..read some more, repotted into pot #2 (actually several weeks later); listened to friends who had friends with orchids...don't repot when blooming, leave in the tiny pot, they love the snug environment, more light, mist often, drain well. I got it..the "stem" is correctly called the "bloom spike"..and there is every chance she will reflower. She now sits happily (hopefully) back in the original clear plastic pot (I can view the roots that way), on my teeny tiny 3 x 4 ft side entrance "deck"; morning sunlight and some afternoon sunlight; lovely red sheer curtains offer gentle protection when the sun is straight overhead..and..glory be, the naked bloom spike is growing a ....new part!...there is hope. With all this success, while visiting the local Home Depo 2 nights ago, just meandering around the plant section, 2 (not 1, but 2) lovely specimens called to me to take them home.. a larger Phal (as the lingo seems to go) and lo and behold, a gorgeous Dendrobium...incredibly perfect little miniature orchid "faces"...this specimen is growing out of what appears to be a piece of petrified tree branch that seems to fit perfectly into the 6 inch plastic pot. It has one of those supports through it and secured to the rim of a just larger clay pot into which the plastic pot sits. The plant has 3 total "psuedobulbs" growing very healthily..so I guess it's ok to be stuck in this unyielding medium! (I would ask advice on how long it can actually grow in there and how long should I just admire it's loveliness without doing too much to it. I put the 2 new ones on the kitchen windowsill, facing westerly (some late day southern exposure, inside of a double layer of sheer curtain)..two of the Den's beautiful blossoms are looking just a bit "tired" and beginning to show signs of fading..could use some advice there; the lovely and larger Phal sports 3 good sized blooms. I enjoy the fact that both their leaves are firm and fresh looking. So without further ado, I put them outside on the "deck" also..temps at night have been in the mid 50's probably a bit warmer next to the house, and then spans of evening temps in the 60's. (It is Vermont!). My first and now challenging specimen has developed floppy leaves, still green, but lost their lovely firmness! I found this wonderful site while looking for an answer to the leaves being droopy. So I shall say good night and look forward to your knowledgeable suggestions and insights. Thank you all. I'll be back tomorrow!...E

[Roly0217]

Eileen and to the OB !!! That was a quite lenghty intro but it doesn't really matter. As far as the first Phal that's growing a new spike from one of the nodes. You can cut above the node since it won't flower again from above that node. Cut not to close to the new spike and seal with cinnamon powder to prevent any infection. As far as why the blooms felt; you never repot when the plant is in bloom. I also purchased a Dend from Home Depot on those big pieces of cork and had to remove it because any new growth would end up rotting. Now here we love some pf the chids so make sure that you upload some whenever you have a chance and Happy growing!!!!

[peggypugsmom]

Thanks Roly for your warm orchid welcome...and the wonderful suggestions...I immediately took your advice and clipped off the remaining spike above the new growth..and sealed with cinnamon..! I took many pictures of all 3 of my babies and will upload ASAP..regarding your advice on removing the cork-type medium in the Den...she is in bloom, though as I mentioned a few are fading..and everything looks so tight in there. When will be a good time to repot and how to go about removing the cork? Thanks so much..Eileen

[Swamper]

Welocome to the OB Eileen...I would not touch any orchid while it's in bloom. Also keep in mind your location, Vermont, when you are going to repot for outside growing. Requirements are neautralized when you grow indoors to an extenct but outside what works for me will seldom work for you. Any info or books titled growing orchids in ....pick area are good. Also books on wild orchids of your area are very helpful and informative.

[peggypugsmom]

Thanks Swamper...I will look into books more directly related to outdoors in Vermont..of course that period is very short! I think I may need to create a "perfect" place for them indoors; they can enjoy the warm and humidity for the time being. I'd love to hear from anyone growing them successfully in Vermont (South Central). I was thrilled to follow Roly's advice and clip the spike on my Phal; she looked great and promising..but I think I may have accidentally "bumped" the spike even gently while attending to other plants on the rack outside..heartbroken to see it snapped off! Am I too expect another spike at some point? does one clip off the old spike and wait for a new one? A billion questions us newbies have. Thanks for any help here..and I will wait until my new Den is no longer in bloom before removing from the cork. Eileen

[Roly0217]

Eileen go ahead and clip that spike just above the other node; that is if the spike has more than 2 or 3 nodes which some do and add cinnamon powder again. This should awake the node and start a spike. As far as the Dendrobium goes wait until it has finished flowering and then repot. I found out that those chuncky pieces come off easily but mine used to die because of all the water retained by those chunks. Repot in and orchid mix or course bark. You can probably keep it in the same pot since they like to be tight in the pot. Good luck with your chids

[peggypugsmom]

Roly....thank you, thank you...there is hope ...still..I shall do as you suggest...only must place her somewhere very safe. I've spent many hours today trying to upload pix...finally just succeeded in bringing on my new Den! I have pix of this lovely lady who insists on challenging my patience and perseverance every step of the way..so glad I stumbled on OB!...Eileen

[Chubidubi]

to the OB Eileen

[Swamper]

Hey, that Den. looks very healthy and happy keep an eye on it, and good luck. You'll do fine.

[Bird Song Farm]

Hi Eileen and welcome to the OB. We're glad you found us too!

I see you are getting some help with your questions and that's great. We're a friendly bunch and like to have some fun along the way.

Come back often and chime in any time!
AL