When Do You Decide to Rehome an Orchid?
 

Something that has been often repeated on this forum is the fact that orchids will teach us patience. I've only been growing orchids for a short time compared to many of you, around three years, and I have come to really appreciate the truth of that idea.

However, I have only a very small space for orchids in my home. Presently, I own a grand total of thirteen orchids, and they all reside on my kitchen table, in front of a good-sized south-facing window. Only two of my orchids (both Phals, both the first two orchids I got) have ever rebloomed for me. One of the Phals took 19 months to rebloom. The other one has rebloomed at intervals of 8, 14, then 7 months.

I have a few Oncidium types, and they are between a year and a half to two years here with no reblooms ever. Ditto with my one Cattleya. I have a few Paphs, one of which is well over a year old, but it's growing a nice new fan, and I know it will not rebloom until that fan is mature. My other Paphs and a couple of newer Phals have not been with me long enough to expect blooms.

I'm getting discouraged. I'm starting to think I just don't have the right conditions to bloom orchids. Everything I have grows new roots and foliage just fine, but I'm having no luck getting flowers. I'm starting to think of rehoming many of these, especially the oncidiums and the catt, since I don't have the space to spare to just have them sitting around doing nothing. I wish I did. I feel guilty for thinking about this. Plants are nice, even if they don't have flowers, but I think those of us who grow orchids do so hoping for flowers, even though it may be a long wait in between.

So how long is long enough? Do you have a rule of thumb about how long you keep an orchid before you decide it might be happier living somewhere else? Or are you someone who will just keep them forever, waiting for that special occasion when they may surprise you with blooms?

Cheri, only you know the answer to that question. But, I think you don't have enough light. Can you set up shelves or a baker's rack with lights attached? That's my set up and it's not at all unattractive. Or you could hang shelves from the window to get them closer to the light.

As Carol said, only you can answer what is right for you. Personally, I have a couple the I've had for 10 years and still no blooms but I have more space so I can continue to play with the culture to try and get those blooms.

If my space were more limited, I would give a plant 2 years and if no blooms...i would get rid of it.

Given you spacial challenges and the fact that you have had success with phals...you might want to focus only on the lower light orchids. Or, as Carol stated, you could supplement your light and that would probably solve the bloom problem with the higher light orchids. Again, only you can decide what's best for you and/or how much "extra" you want to do to get those blooms. There are plenty of lower light orchids that would do well with phals.

I'd also like to add...this is a hobby and that means we should enjoy it...it shouldn't become another job in our lives and we shouldn't feel guilty about any aspect of it. Do what makes YOU happy!

Cheri the age of your plants might also be a contributing factor on why they have not bloomed. You have to consider the fact that when you bought them were they blooming size or seedlings.

Another factor is that the plants we buy have been grow in optimum conditions and most need a period of adjustment when now grown in the home. That could be a year, most often more.

You've already proven to yourself that you can get phals to rebloom so as mentioned already maybe the other genera you have just need some additional light.

How long you feel like waiting is entirely up to you. :)


Judi

Thanks for the replies so far. To answer some of your questions: Of my thirteen plants, ten of them were purchased in bud or bloom. Two were not in bloom but had old spikes, so they were definitely mature and had bloomed before. Then there is one Paph that I just bought a couple months ago. The seller told me it was blooming size but had not yet bloomed for the first time. It's got two fans and is growing new leaves on both of them, so I'm hopeful. I decided when I first got into orchids that seedlings were not for me, not with my limited space.

Carol, I think you may be onto something with the light issue. I've been wondering about that, too. (That and the fact that my temps are the same day and night.) It seems like an unobstructed south-facing window would be enough, but maybe not. I place the Oncidiums and the Catt closest to the window, and they are between one and two feet from the glass.

That may be a problem without a workable solution, though. This is our kitchen/dining room, one of the main living areas of our small house, and even if I wanted to, I don't think I could sell my husband on hanging plant lights from the ceiling. Also, my eyes are extremely sensitive to the ultra brightness of fluorescent and especially LED lighting, so the plants might love them, but I would not. ;)

Katrina, I'm also thinking that two years is going to be about the limit of my patience. I will gradually rehome the Oncidiums and Cattleya, and if I get any new ones, they will have to be Phals or maybe Paphs, if those end up doing well for me. I'll have to look into other types of low-light orchids.

Judi, you're absolutely right that, oftentimes, the orchids we buy and bring home have just come from a greenhouse, and living in household conditions is a big adjustment.

A word on Paphs.... some are REALLY slow to bloom (especially the big multi-floral ones) Others are a bit faster, but a young plant may still skip years of blooming - once the "fan" develops, then come the roots, and only after that does it think about blooming. So with limited space, I'd suggest that you don't get too many of these... enough so that you have the thrill and excitement when they do bloom, but have enough others to provide gratification of flowers in between.

Cheri, I have my LED strips bolted to my Baker's rack shelves. They are nearly invisible and the light shines down, not out. You would think that south and unobstructed would be enough but I couldn't bloom catts in that exposure. In the summer the trees leafed out and I probably couldn't bloom oncidiums either. Think outside the box...?

Another note on Paph choice... if you can get your hands on one of the sequential bloomers such as P. victoria regina, P chamberlainianum (may be a synonym... or not), P. liemianum, etc. and hybrids in that group, once they get going they pop out a new flower every month or six weeks as the old one fades. On those, a spike may stay in bloom for a couple of YEARS... The plants are typically not that large, and really rewarding. House temperatures are fine for them.

Roberta, thanks for that information about Paphs. It will be helpful in making future choices. I guess it's a good thing I like most Phals. I find their foliage pleasing, even when they're not in bloom. I do know that they're not all alike, though, and some are more fussy than others.

Carol, there is no place in this room (or anywhere else in the house) to fit even the narrowest baker's rack. I wish there was. :(

If you are intent on growing Oncidiums and Cattleya, more light is definitely in order for them to be able to bloom. These orchids do not grow under the exact same conditions where Phals thrive in.

They should not be a dark green in color. They should be a light green.

In the case of certain Cattleya, if there is strong enough light, they can produce anthocyanin pigments, (the violet colored pigments), to shield themselves from the excess light. As long as the light is not strong enough to burn the orchids, they will be ok.

If you want suggestions for orchids that do not require a lot of light other than Phalaenopsis, maybe that could get you going in the right direction.

What you are able to do for the orchids or what you are willing to do for the orchids is up to you. You are the one who understands your situation the best.

Thanks, Philip. I believe I will soon start a new thread to ask for suggestions for other orchids that would grow more easily in my lighting situation, along with my Phals.

As far as the color of the leaves, I would describe my Oncidiums and Cattleya as being a medium green, not real light, but definitely not dark. I've seen plenty of them at greenhouses, and those are usually lighter than mine.

I position the Phals and Paphs the furthest away from the window and behind the others, so they are about two to three feet from the glass and getting a bit more shade off and on as the earth rotates throughout the day. I would describe the color of their leaves as medium, also.

I love growing orchids and always envisioned myself as having several dozen, of many different genera, but I guess it's not meant to be. I do have several other houseplants that have been with me for decades, in some cases, so at least I am enjoying living greenery of some type in my home.

I think a new thread is a good idea. I know I have other orchids that grow and bloom with my phals. If you can move you phals closer to the window it might help. Also, do you have a window sill? If that's a south window, there's probably lots of minis that could bloom there! My phals are in a north facing greenhouse window. It has a smallest and west pane and s clear top. I even have zygos in there that do well. I can't believe your south window isn't better than that!

If I felt guilty for killing plants, I would not be able to continue trying to grow them. Rehoming your plants is your personal decision. Only you can decide what your goals are and if you are satisfied with a particular plant. Or perhaps, you keep a plant you are dissatisfied with because you hope to learn something from it.

I have had very negative reactions from some people. But my entire existence depends on killing plants in one way or another. I see no moral difference between tossing out a plant that has stopped blooming and eating a salad.

I saw immediately at the first part of your post that you are not close enough to the window, and may even need to put them outside. Green paphs, oncidiums, and even cattleyas need much more light than it possible in a normal dining room near a window. I keep mine indoors in the winter, but that is so they stay "alive" and I am sure they are not happy. The only way I can get blooms is near direct sunlight.

What I think you might like to think of is to go to "very low" light orchids (phals are among these). That is about 800 to 1000 fc.

I always tell a story about some iris I bought. Not knowing the difference, I planted them under a tree in the shade. No blooms for many years, and I thought they were infertile or something. Then I read about plants, photosynthesis, lighting and a lot of other growing related things. The next year, I planted them in direct sunlight-- guess what? I got flowers!

So, if they get adequate light so they do not die, they will "stay alive." If they get the optimum light for health and blooming, then they will have flowers.

Plantluvver, I welcome all opinions. You correctly point out that we kill plants every day to survive. :) I do have a few houseplants that have sentimental value to me because of who gave them to me or how long I've had them, but your viewpoint helps me feel less guilty if I decide some of the orchids have to go.

Optimist, the window measures 42 inches tall by 64 inches wide. I have a lower tier of curtains, very loosely woven lacy things, and I usually push those open all the way in the daytime. There are no buildings or trees to impede the light coming in save for one tall but sparse pine that wouldn't block anything until very late afternoon.

If a foot or so away from such a window is not enough light, then I really do have some serious thinking to do. I'm a little confused about whether that is even enough light for my Phals.

One other thing I just thought of is that there is a garage outside that has a bright security light that comes on at dusk and stays on all night. It's roughly 20 feet from the window in question. I've wondered if having that shining in all night is not giving the plants enough darkness at night.

That security light might indeed have a negative effect on blooming. Maybe try a dark curtain that can be deployed at night. Some plants are fussier than others about photoperiod -some Catts are very picky. Don't know about Phals. But if you can't easily add light by day, try subtracting it at night. (or both)

The original question "When Do You Decide to Rehome an Orchid?" Is an interesting one.

There are several triggers that might make me decide to trade, gift, etc. a plant to someone else (no particular order):

• l find that the plant just does not interest me anymore, but might interest someone else.

• I decide that I can't adapt my growing conditions to properly grow dddßAthe plant and bring it to bloom

• I end up with multiples of a plant, with no good reason to keep all the extras. Usually 1 is enough

• I find an opportunity to donate a good plant to a good cause (over the last couple years, several of my plants ended up in a charity silent auction at work)

• I can give away a good NOID or tagged plant to a beginner, or as a door prize at a meeting

• I deliberately have limited growing space indoors, so giving a plant to a new home helps me preserve space.

There are probably other triggers, but those are the leaders.

Cherri, I live in Ohio and go to school in Indiana. I too was struggling with blooming, until I put my plants outside over the summer. I had to use some shade cloth I got off amazon, but the extra light just for those few months gave them a boost, and all four of my phals bloomed. You might try that, as long as outdoor temps are above 60 at night.

I appreciate all of the replies and suggestions. I'm somebody who is very reluctant to put my orchids outside. Other houseplants that are potted in soil, yes, but the orchids being potted in such loose and airy material, I'm afraid any number of bugs and pests will take up residence down in there and come inside when I bring the plants in.

Carol had asked about putting minis in the windowsill. The horizontal surface of the sill is only two inches wide, and then the solid wood frame extends up three and a half inches above it before the glass starts. Even if I could find something small enough to fit there without being knocked off, it would be the equivalent of being next to a tall wooden privacy fence, lightwise.

Thanks for all of the advice and insights. Many of the parameters here are just not changeable. Unfortunately, I think I know what I have to do.

Do you not have another window? To put a console table against? Or some other piece of furniture?

I have a tension rod on a small window that I hang mini mounted plants off of. A proper curtain should hold a few 3" pots on hangers, maybe even a shelf (if you are handy, think wood plank swing seats).

ETA: Depending on light exposure (intensity and duration) you might have to find more suitable genera and invest in a privacy window film.

There are other windows, of course, but none that could be utilized for plants, with the exception of a small north window where my few African violets do well sitting on top of a low file cabinet. It's a small house and there is no extra space for anything, anywhere. :(

Rethinking furnishings
 

Cheri, my husband says I live to spend his money. We also have a very small home. I have found it is extremely easy to have too much/too large furniture. We don't even have a sofa anymore, just chairs and a loveseat because of space.

I digress. What about a smaller table, if you hardly ever use it, why not downsize? Wayfair.com can give you lots of good ideas! Then you might have room for a slender rack.

As I type, I'm already suspecting your reply...but, really, every problem has a solution, if we think outside the box.

You have all been very kind and thoughtful, and I really do appreciate all of your ideas and suggestions. I'm weighing a lot of options in my mind. Some may work, others probably not. I will say I am not giving up on orchids entirely. I'll still be around the board. Maybe compact Phals will be what I end up with going forward. Time will tell. :)

In answer to your original question, I really have no one to rehome orchids to so I keep them until they die. When a plant continues going south even after I've tried various changes I do eventually stop caring and often throw it out. Sometimes they become vectors for bugs and are better off in hell. If they are chugging along but never blooming, however, I don't lose interest, I just keep trying new things because that's the fun part. Are your phals still putting out new leaves or are they declining?

I found that it took me around 3 years of growing to get my orchids to bloom regularly. It takes a while to get a feel for everything required to bloom an orchid. It took me a while to understand, for instance, that oncidiums need so much more water than the others I had and that they need cooler temps to grow properly. Or that I chose a few plants that were just stupidly impossible in my indoor conditions.

I've grown mainly in windowsills and could bloom most high light plants including vandas and cattleyas without putting them outside. Though you are farther north than I am I grow in an east-facing window and still have managed to burn my plants. I keep them as close to the window as possible and don't use curtains. I mentioned in another thread you started that keeping your house the same temperature all day long, every season, will probably prevent blooming. I did not realize you were growing mainly phals; I find that phals are especially particular about needing temp changes to bloom. I don't think they need to go outside though. Just keep them by a drafty window in the fall, or open the window when temps are around 60 outside and leave them there for a few days. That has worked for me in the past.

But if you are losing interest in these you might as well try other plants instead. What's the point?

Your house is a constant temp...maybe it's that!

I apologize if I gave the impression I was losing interest in my orchids. Quite the opposite, in fact. I did say I was getting discouraged with having such a hard time getting anything but two of my Phals to rebloom for me. Neither the Phals nor any of the other orchids are declining. Just the opposite, really. I get lots of new roots, new leaves, new pseudobulbs, etc. Just hardly ever any blooms.

Yes, I'm also thinking it could be the constant temps, it could be the humidity, it could be the daytime lighting, it could be the "night light" on the garage......and so on and so on and so on, lol. I'll have to work on the ones that I can. :biggrin:

I think with a few of your non-bloomers, you should seriously consider growing outdoors part of the year. Learn how to do that gradually in terms of light intensity. I think you will find that more plants move into the "bloom" camp.

Pests that might happen can be managed. Just about any bug taking up residence in the pot can be evicted by flooding the pot in a bucket. I get more bugs when my plants stay indoors for long periods. Bugs in nature seem to be naturally controlled by other critters in most cases.

Phalaenopsis are a group of orchids that do require a seasonal change in temperature to bloom. If you are intent on growing Phalaenopsis, but are limited in space, why not try something like Phalaenopsis bellina, Phalaenopsis violacea, or Phalaenopsis cornu-cervi? They are much smaller than the hybrids out there, but are bigger than mini-Phals. Phalaenopsis pulcherrhima is a smaller species of Phalaenopsis that the majority of mini-Phal hybrids get part of their heritage from. Maybe Phalaenopsis (Kingidium) chibae, Phalaenopsis (Kingidium) deliciosa, Phalaenopsis lobbii, or Phalaenopsis parishii might be easier to accommodate by way of size.

Cattleyas and some Oncidium need pretty bright light to bloom.

Have you thought about growing certain Pleurothallids such as Pleurothallis hemirrhoda, Pleurothallis grobyi, Pleurothallis gelida, or some of the easier/warmer growing Masdevallias such as Masdevallia floribunda? Perhaps a Platystele orectoglossa would be something you might like...these are in bloom the majority of the year, do not grow large, do not require temperature fluctuations in season, nor do they need terribly bright light. Plateystele stenostachya are also in bloom the majority of the year and they are sequential bloomers.

Maybe some of the Jewel Orchids such as Ludisia discolor or Macodes petola might work?

You are not limited by choice of orchid. There are 1,000's of orchid species and hybrids to choose from.

With Jewel Orchids, you are not even limited to space. You can set up a small terrarium or mini-greenhouse for them pretty much anywhere in your house.

If you know how to grow Dahlia, maybe some of the easier to grow tuberous terrestial orchids can be tried, such as Cynorkis fastigiata or Stenoglottis woodii, Stenglottis longifolia, or Stenoglottis fimbriata. Want more color? Maybe Habenaria rhodocheila, Habenaria xanthocheila, or Habenaria erichmichaelii might be something you could be interested in.

Some miniature orchids can put up a show. The flowers are just much smaller. I highly recommend you make another post asking for suggestions on orchids that fit your growing style instead of sticking to this one. I think you've already been told all you can be told regarding your current batch of orchids so far.

The possibilities of orchid growing are endless.

I believe we all have space challenges at one time or another. Even with my 14'x16' greenhouse, I purge plants regularly. I find that it is part of my makeup to share plants so that others can try to grow ones that they may not otherwise attempt.

With regard to your cultural conditions, there are several challenges you face with growing inside. Caveat - this is in general.

1. Light - your cattleyas and oncidiums will have issues blooming without a decent amount of light over time. It is not the bright light necessarily, it is the bright light over time. In general, most of these require 4-8 hours of bright filtered light per day.

2. Humidity - most orchids need some consistent humidity otherwise they will abort blooming.

3. Temperature swings - most orchids including your Phals need a 15-20 degree temperature swing to induce the blooming period. For example, commercial nurseries will take Phals into a separate greenhouse and drop the temperature down for about 2-3 weeks to induce bloom spikes.

4. Water & Food - when orchids don't get enough light, the water and food just goes into vegetative growth. There is no reason for the orchid to induce propagation (i.e. no stress to reproduce).

I know you mentioned you are adverse to putting orchids outside, but this is one of the easiest solutions. Additionally, you can look at orchids that will grow outside year round. May I suggest that you look at Cymbidiums? They can be grown year round outside in your area and if it is really cold during winter, you can shelter them in a garage. Additionally they do really well in a thick mix including a manure rather than a fast draining bark. I wish I could grow them here as they have long-lasting blooms, lots of blooms, and they get nice and big fast.

The other suggestion that I have is to research the background of your cattleyas and oncidiums. By learning about the species origins and cultural conditions, you can estimate what will be needed for your hybrid. I have OrchidWiz, but you can use the RHS website (free) to research the origins. And of course as an AOS Associate Judge, please become a member of your local society and the American Orchid Society. There is a wealth of information on the website and in the Orchids Magazine. I also recommend this website Orchid Board (priceless) and Orchid Digest magazine. I am attaching a link for cattleya blooming and repotting seasons. http://staugorchidsociety.org/PDF/Ca...onRogerson.pdf

Forgot...night lights are inconsequential to affecting orchid blooms unless they are so bright that the orchids’ chloroplasts start photosynthesis. There is a threshold of light that must be surpassed for this to happen and it is different for each orchid.

Thank you for these Phalaenopsis suggestions. Most of them are ones I am attracted to, but I had heard that they are a bit more "fussy" than the hybrids. I am a bit puzzled, though, how two of my Phals did rebloom here without temperature changes.

No, I really can't. That's what I've been trying to explain. There is no more space in my house. I'm embarrassed to admit it, but I promise I'm not exaggerating. It stresses me out each and every day. :(

You're right, I do want to do that. I will wait until next week since many of our members may have holiday plans and won't be hanging around the OB.

Thank you, Philip. I really do appreciate all the suggestions. I will definitely look into culture requirements for the other genera you mentioned.

---------- Post added at 03:03 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:50 PM ----------

Shadytrake, thank you for all of that great information and the link, which I will be checking out. In answer to the above, I have been a member of my local orchid society for about two years now. I know it would be beneficial to join AOS, too, and I will. :)

Don’t be embarrassed! I get what you are saying about the space issue. I live in a 200 year old 580sqft 1 bedroom, 1 bath, 1 closet, shoebox size place with a husband, 2 cats and my little snake, Jim. I have zero space indoors for my collection (I don’t even have room for a tv or a coffee table, it’s so tiny) so everything is outdoors in my small courtyard all year, even when things are blooming. I might be able to squeeze in a little nano cube somewhere, but even that’s pushing it:lol: At least phals are doing well for you and nothing is declining! Some of these suggestions about other low light orchids and possibly sticking the Cattleyas outside, bugs be dammed, might be worth kicking around

Forget the cymbidium suggestion. Cheri is further north than we are.

Those species are not much fussier than a hybrid. Don't knock it until you've actually tried it. In fact, they'll probably come in looking much better than many of the store bought hybrids. The hardier one out of the bunch I mentioned is Phal cornu-cervi. Phal cornu-cervi also has a "secret" I will let you discover on your own. You won't have a difficult time finding out what that surprise is if you do a search on the OB alone. You'll find out pretty easily by doing a general internet search as well.

Although, I will say that Phal bellina is something of a fun one too... If you do a search, you might find out why I'm saying such things...

The Phals may have re-bloomed because of a temperature change that may not have been noticed, or they had breeding with Phals that can repeat bloom from the same spike.

Just thought of a pretty easy Phal to grow that stays small and is a plant that is used heavily in the use of hybridization to produce mini Phals...Phalaenopsis equestris. If you grow this species, you virtually cannot tell the difference between growing a species or a hybrid.

SaraJean, you definitely have me beat -- or should I say I have you beat, lol. My house is somewhat larger than yours. In my case, it's me and my husband and two large dogs. I appreciate your post. Sometimes, when we face a challenging situation, it's just nice to know we're not alone. :biggrin:

---------- Post added at 03:09 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:04 PM ----------

Hmm, plants that are fun and have secrets! They sound interesting, and I will be following up with more questions. I believe the Phal. cornu-cervi and the Phal. bellina are fragrant. I would really love to have some fragrance in my collection.

Re-homing. Our small house has never allowed much space for my plants and when I got very into orchids, I actually gave away most of my other beloved plants to make room for them. Then, a few years ago, I realized that I really missed the other plants so, over time, I re-homed most of the orchid collection and replaced them with smaller orchids (and less orchids). This has allowed enough space for the other plants I feel should be a part of my life.

Good luck with your collecting and whatever decisions you make. :)