Hello everyone! I could use some advice.

[Skayc1]

I have 4 orchids, 1 I keep at my mom's it was given to me last July (2012), It grew a new leaf, now I'm hoping to get it to bloom again (last year it was blooming when I got it & bloomed till December.)

just yesterday I got three more orchids from lowes clearance rack, they were packed in sphagnum moss- the moss was damp, the roots looked bad, i removed all the dead looking limp, hollow roots, & left the ones that were still firm. I have not replanted these yet, I have them in my bathroom which gets humid & am misting them daily. I'll start misting with a very weak fertilizer solution once a week when I go to mom's to pet sit a week.

i could use all the advice any of you want to give me...If these survive I'll be watchful for more clearance rack orchids...& in future when all are blooming I'll want to learn how to cross pollinate them or grow seeds..will orchids self pollinate or do they need a separate variety to grow seeds?

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[RosieC]

Welcome to Orchid Board

You might want to consider mounting the ones in your bathroom. This gives them some support but they grow without medium and the roots cling to the mount. You would probably water pretty much as you do now.

Growing from seed is not simple. They are sown in flasks of a gel type medium (like agar jelly) and need to be done in a very sterile environment. There are then such things are re-plating where they have to be transferred from one flask to another in a sterile environment.

I've never tried it, but some folks here do do it. Take a look at the propagation section for more on that.

Also you can buy flasks and grow on the seedlings. A bit easier than sowing the seed yourself but still challenging. Again see our propagation section and also this thread where quite a few people have recently started with flasks at the same time and are comparing and discussing results and techniques used.
Flasks (Project 15 - Spring 2013)

[WhiteRabbit]

[HighSeas]

Even though I've been growing orchids for some 40 years....I'm by NO means an expert. I'm always learning on the Orchid Board. That said, I can only tell you what I'd do. First, I'd get them out of the Sphagnum moss. I have personally never had much success with it. Invest in some coconut bark instead. Get some SuperThrive....some Epsom Salts....and some KNL. Be very careful not to overwater until you see roots developing. For now, concentrate on a healthy root system instead of flowers. Good luck with them and use the board for information and questions. It's a most awesome resource!

[Skayc1]

First thing I did was remove them from the moss, I have them clipped by the bloom stalk & the sticks stuck in a container just hanging in my bathroom till I can get Orchid Bark. (Will it do?) Epsom salts I have, Where do I find superthrive and what is KNL? I do have a fertilizer powder that you mix with water made special for orchids, I also have a powder rooting hormone. What tips would you recommend when repotting them. How to handle them when placing roots in bark? I saw where it recommended removing the 'spike' which I think is the flower stalk. Only one is actively in flower, so can I leave the spike on the two not in flower, or remove those as well?
I'll get more photos tomorrow.
very little roots left-no flowers on stalk

was really bad, flower on stalk, wilted leaves

The roots were not mushy so I kept them

My first orchid, was planted in orchid bark- when should I repot it & where to find a bigger container that is clear & has plenty of holes for air circulation?

how do I add the thumbnail link attachments? I'm doing something wrong.