new to indoor plants - Orchid Board

Maurissa · #1 09-19-2011, 06:04 PM

hi everyone! im trying on my green thumb, never really took interest with house plants until recently. i wanted to spruce up my apartment so i bought a few "hard to kill" house plants (pothos, philodendron and a dracaena). the other day my future mother in law bought me a phalaenopsis orchid, but she purposely bought it already cut down and kindly challenged me to experiment and see if i can make it bloom. so here i am, looking to learn and seek advice on how to make this happen!

Bud · #2 09-19-2011, 06:20 PM

Wecome and Hello !
"cut down"? I assumed it was the old blooming spike you are referring to...but sometimes you can still get some blooms on those old spikes assuming its still green and have several nodes.
read some postings from the other members and learn from their wealth of knowledge coming from years of growing orchids.
also read about Phalaenopsis culture; and one of the member posted "Phal abuse stops here" do a search on it

Gage · #3 09-19-2011, 06:20 PM

Welcome and congrats on your new green thumb! For Phalaenopsis care, this is the most comprehensive gathering of info and methods I have seen, a must read! http://www.orchidboard.com/community...ght=phal+abuse Enjoy, and welcome aboard!

Maurissa · #4 09-19-2011, 06:36 PM

thanks!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bud

Wecome and Hello !
"cut down"? I assumed it was the old blooming spike you are referring to...but sometimes you can still get some blooms on those old spikes assuming its still green and have several nodes.
read some postings from the other members and learn from their wealth of knowledge coming from years of growing orchids.
also read about Phalaenopsis culture; and one of the member posted "Phal abuse stops here" do a search on it

your right, old blooming spike is a better choice of words than cut down. there is a tiny dark green tip on the top and one below it and then there are what look like little white spikes on the stem. could that be a new bloom?

Bud · #5 09-19-2011, 06:43 PM

Pictures would be nice. But the way you are describing it: you have two spikes still existing one top and one below it...it is confusing(below what?)
the white spike looks like you are describing a dead spike. buds in the spike are green. ok better yet google parts of a phalaenopsis...and then you can acurately describe your phalaenopsis...

Maurissa · #6 09-19-2011, 06:55 PM

sorry i dont have the proper terminology yet lol, ill catch on. let me post pics..

Maurissa · #7 09-19-2011, 06:58 PM

here is the top of it. it kinda looks like there is 2 or 3 buds on there and you can see the 'white spikes' below it that i was referring to. the white things go down to about the top third of the stem.

WhiteRabbit · #8 09-19-2011, 07:02 PM

glad you found us!

Bud · #9 09-19-2011, 07:24 PM

you have buds, maybe in 3 weeks you can have them blooming. the whitish ones are nodes...the buds and nodes are in a spike coming from the base of the plant or out the side of the leaf.
give us a full picture of the plant showing the media and the pot...

Gage · #10 09-19-2011, 08:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bud

you have buds, maybe in 3 weeks you can have them blooming. the whitish ones are nodes...the buds and nodes are in a spike coming from the base of the plant or out the side of the leaf.
give us a full picture of the plant showing the media and the pot...

That sounds really fast, I would guess mine take more like 2-3 months. Do your Phals really go from this stage to blooms in 3 weeks?