Inherited Orchids
 

I just inherited quite a few orchids from my late father. I have not had much luck with them in the past. Some orchids are labels, some are not and none are blooming. One plant's label is x V tessellata, alba (aer. Flabellata-Rhy.coelestis)

Any advice for watering techniques and frequency?

Hello and welcome to the OB.
Are all your orchids vandas?
Watering techniques and frequency will depend on the type of plants, your growing conditions and your location.
Joann

I have several of these I named but several others that are different species that I have not had time to try to research. One of them is huge. My dad was a horticulturist. They are in wooden hanging baskets (log house kind) with no potting medium. I live in Alabama zone 7A so they are hanging in the livingroom in front of the bay window that faces west right now. I have been spritzing the roots with water but they have only been here about 4 days.

You can post pictures and we can help identify the plants for you.
I don't grow vandas so I can't really help with their watering requirements. The daily spritzing is probably going to work until someone with more experience chimes in.
Joann

Welcome to O.B.

Sorry about the reason for your acquisition, but hopefully they will be a pleasant memory of your Dad.

If they're bare root in baskets, chances are they are Vanda alliance. Bright light with a little direct sun is good - sounds like you have that covered. I try to give mine a double spray. After the first spray they seem to absorb water, but with the second the water will usually bead up on the roots and not get absorbed rapidly. That tells me they've had their fill.

Pictures will help with general ID, but more specific ideas need blooming.

Here are pictures of a few I have
http://www.flickr.com/photos/74409264@N00/5336400722/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/74409264@N00/5336400766/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/74409264@N00/5335787617/

For some reason the pics didn't attach correctly so here are the links


100MEDIA_IMAG0106 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
100MEDIA_IMAG0107 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
100MEDIA_IMAG0109 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

The first two definitely look like Vanda's.
The third pic is kind of jumbled. The leaves are terete like Vandas, but unless there's a grouping of some sort, I haven't seen that kind of helter/skelter growth or branching.

Welcome to OB!

The middle one, IMAG0107, looks like Rhynchostylis gigantea. The last is also a Vanda.

Hi Mich!!! I am from Alabama too, Tuscaloosa in fact. How bout yourself? I have not met many from Alabama that like orchids or have any besides on occasional gift. Those look like vanda's to me, not sure what the last one is. I am sure someone will chime in on that one. I would continue to mist the roots once daily.

Do they turn green when you mist them?

Also, when you found the orchids where were they?

Did it have a humidifier, temperature gauge or light by them?

Did your father have central air ? The answer to these questions are important. Like myself I have central air, so I do not open and close the doors or windows to let hot or cold air inside because it would make my bill go up. If he had central air that tells me that he didn't open windows, ect to help care for the orchids. It also tells me the orchids there liked the temperature in there, unless he had a humidifier and or lights by the orchids. This way I can get a better idea of what type of plants they might be due to what conditions he was providing them with.


Look forward to hearing from you soon :)

I'm in Tuscaloosa as well! They were outside in a greenhouse because he lived in Sarasota, FL. The roots do turn green when I spray them. The third one that is hard to see is a giant version of the first one. I have been spraying them about twice a day and they seem to be doing ok.