An Introduction - Phalaenopsis Owner

[Blue_Morphae]

Greetings and Salutations!

I cannot tell you how happy I was to find this site this afternoon! I've had two Phal orchids in the past and haven't had the best of luck with them. Perusing your site today, however, I believe I am on the right track and in the company of fellow enthusiasts.

My third (and hopefully a long lasting) Phal was purchased at a local Trader Joe's for $15. I keep it at work since the environment is much more suitable there than in my bedroom. Everyone really enjoys having it there. I get compliments all the time.

She had been planted in a moss which held water like there was a drought coming. So, since she just dropped her last flower today, I took the opportunity to repot using a mix of orchid bark and the moss that was already in the pot. I didn't have to prune too many roots, which pleased me greatly and I decided to cut the spike to about 3 inches from the base to encourage a strong root system before reblooming. I also dusted a little ground cinnamon on the cut.

She currently has two strong, bright green leaves and a third starting to grow that is barely over an inch long. I was so excited when I saw the new foliage.

So, that's the run down on my orchid. Is there anything else I should do to promote her health or any advice out there for a novice orchid enthusiast?

I look forward to getting to know the members of this forum and again, SO HAPPY to be here!!

[CTB]

Welcome to the Orchid Board! You have come to the right place with almost 16,000 helpful members.

I'm thinking you only used a little of the old moss in your repotting. Moss usually holds too much moisture. But if your roots were good maybe you caught it in time.

Before watering put a pencil in the bark to check for moisture before watering. Like testing to see if a cake is done. Do they keep air-conditioning on during weekends in your office?. Can't tell where you are from but watch for temp. changes. Is it near a window for good light?

Best of Luck, there are many good posts on Phal care you can read. Every day is a learning experience for me. Enjoy!

[Blue_Morphae]

Hi Carol!

Thanks for such a warm and speedy welcome! You are correct, I used mostly bark with only a small amount of moss mixed in because I thought the water retention would likely be a boon later on. I live in Southern California so our humidity is usually low. It's been getting pretty cold at nights too; as low as 30 degrees.

I water her usually once a week on Fridays if the potting is dry enough. If not, I'll wait until the following Monday. As far as I know, they do not leave the A/C on all weekend.

I do place her in the window but, I don't think it faces a good direction (I believe it's a northern facing window she sits in now) so I'm thinking about repositioning her once again. I had to bring her home today to repot and prune.

Most of the roots were healthy, I only had to trim a two small parts that were withered and hollow. However, there were some stiff, stringy attachments to the base that didn't look like the other roots. I was wondering if they could be an adaptation to the moss. I don't know how long the plant was in the moss before I bought it.

Thanks again!

[CTB]

It is a toss up, you need the stronger light, but not close enough to get cold. It's unusual for Cal. to get so cold isn't it.? We getting ready for a cold snap too, I keep my Phals at no lower than 60, have to bring them inside to a porch area, then set up a heater.
Get you a nice box to keep in the car, hehe, it will be the carseat for the phal, sounds like it may be going home for the weekends.

I've only been collecting since last April, and I have learned so much from this site, and the people here are so willing to share any info they have. We have several professional growers, AOS judges, PH D's and the like so I'm sure you get quite a bit of excellent help. Good information too about setting up lighting in dark places for growing.

Just pick what fits your situation and enjoy. You do know that this is an addiction and you will soon need a larger office.

[Blue_Morphae]

Well, I'm technically in the desert but, about two hours from the coast and backed up to a mountain range. So, a lot of cold air from the coast gets trapped in my area. The weather is rather normal for this region, actually. Hahaha.

I've never put my orchid outside and so, bringing it inside isn't an issue. But, I think you're right about it having to come home with me. A space heater isn't a bad idea though.

The toughest part about everything is that I get terrible light in my bedroom and I live with my fiance's parents and few (if any) windows get the ideal amount of sun for an orchid. My last orchid lived in my bathroom pretty successfully but, I share the one I have now with three boys and don't really think they're keen on the idea of my keeping my flower in there.

Any suggestions?

[CTB]

Isn't there another part of the house, you can put a plant in,? Everybody loves Phals.

Otherwise the Office is probably the best spot, maybe it doesn't get too cold on the weekends. It is doing good where it is.( bright green leaves with a new one. ) sounds good.

Maybe others wil have some better ideas for you. You now know what to look for when it's time to get your own place. East and South windows for the orchids. LOL

[RosieC]

Welcome to Orchid Board. Your Phal looks happy and sounds like you did the right thing.

What medium you use can vary drastically with your climate. I tend to work on the principle that whatever you use it should dry in about a week. I use two weeks as an outside marker. Any longer than two weeks and you need more of something like bark to help it dry quicker. If it's drying very quickly, like in just a few days and you would rather water it less, then add more of something water retentive like moss to the mix. A week is a good point to aim for though as roots that stay wet much longer don't seem to do as well. (Except for in Semi-hydroponic growing techniques where all the standard rules go out the window, we have a sub-forum on that if you are interested).

[roby]

Welcome to the orchid board

[Connie Star]

Hi Blue!
We're happy you found us, too!
This is a fantastic site for learning; we all learn from each other.