Hi,

we bought an orchid at Homebase last year, and it flowered for ages.

When it eventually stopped flowering we put it to one side, assuming it had
to die back over the winter to be revived next spring.

Come spring, I start looking for instructions on how to encourage it to
flower.

http://www.easyorchids.co.uk/phalaenopsis/index.html

Hopefully I may be just in time to save the poor little bugger, but it looks
touch and go.

I had no idea you kept on feeding and watering them over winter and that
they should always be green.

I guess they just look like daffs. etc - although the lack of a bulb should
be a dead giveaway.

Ooops!

Dave R
--

In article ,
"David W.E. Roberts" writes:
|
| we bought an orchid at Homebase last year, and it flowered for ages.
|
| When it eventually stopped flowering we put it to one side, assuming it had
| to die back over the winter to be revived next spring.
|
| Come spring, I start looking for instructions on how to encourage it to
| flower.
|
| http://www.easyorchids.co.uk/phalaenopsis/index.html
|
| Hopefully I may be just in time to save the poor little bugger, but it looks
| touch and go.
|
| I had no idea you kept on feeding and watering them over winter and that
| they should always be green.
|
| I guess they just look like daffs. etc - although the lack of a bulb should
| be a dead giveaway.

Good luck. They don't need watering very often, and I don't bother
to feed mine at all in the winter (as it isn't growing). But we
don't keep our house hot by modern standards.


Related to this, I left a Cymbidium we don't much like outside and
there was a mild frost (-3 to -4 Celcius). The fading flower spike
collapsed overnight, but the plant is fine. I suspect that a lot
of the claims of needing coddling are nonsense, though I can't say
WHICH are.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

In article ,
"David W.E. Roberts" writes:
|
| we bought an orchid at Homebase last year, and it flowered for ages.
|
| When it eventually stopped flowering we put it to one side, assuming it had
| to die back over the winter to be revived next spring.
|
| Come spring, I start looking for instructions on how to encourage it to
| flower.
|
| http://www.easyorchids.co.uk/phalaenopsis/index.html
|
| Hopefully I may be just in time to save the poor little bugger, but it looks
| touch and go.
|
| I had no idea you kept on feeding and watering them over winter and that
| they should always be green.
|
| I guess they just look like daffs. etc - although the lack of a bulb should
| be a dead giveaway.

Good luck. They don't need watering very often, and I don't bother
to feed mine at all in the winter (as it isn't growing). But we
don't keep our house hot by modern standards.


Related to this, I left a Cymbidium we don't much like outside and
there was a mild frost (-3 to -4 Celcius). The fading flower spike
collapsed overnight, but the plant is fine. I suspect that a lot
of the claims of needing coddling are nonsense, though I can't say
WHICH are.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

In article ,
"David W.E. Roberts" writes:
|
| we bought an orchid at Homebase last year, and it flowered for ages.
|
| When it eventually stopped flowering we put it to one side, assuming it had
| to die back over the winter to be revived next spring.
|
| Come spring, I start looking for instructions on how to encourage it to
| flower.
|
| http://www.easyorchids.co.uk/phalaenopsis/index.html
|
| Hopefully I may be just in time to save the poor little bugger, but it looks
| touch and go.
|
| I had no idea you kept on feeding and watering them over winter and that
| they should always be green.
|
| I guess they just look like daffs. etc - although the lack of a bulb should
| be a dead giveaway.

Good luck. They don't need watering very often, and I don't bother
to feed mine at all in the winter (as it isn't growing). But we
don't keep our house hot by modern standards.


Related to this, I left a Cymbidium we don't much like outside and
there was a mild frost (-3 to -4 Celcius). The fading flower spike
collapsed overnight, but the plant is fine. I suspect that a lot
of the claims of needing coddling are nonsense, though I can't say
WHICH are.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

"Nick wrote in message after
David writes:
|
| we bought an orchid at Homebase last year, and it flowered for ages.
|
| When it eventually stopped flowering we put it to one side, assuming it
had
| to die back over the winter to be revived next spring.
|
| Come spring, I start looking for instructions on how to encourage it to
| flower.
|
| http://www.easyorchids.co.uk/phalaenopsis/index.html
|
| Hopefully I may be just in time to save the poor little bugger, but it
looks
| touch and go.
|
| I had no idea you kept on feeding and watering them over winter and
that
| they should always be green.
|
| I guess they just look like daffs. etc - although the lack of a bulb
should
| be a dead giveaway.

Good luck. They don't need watering very often, and I don't bother
to feed mine at all in the winter (as it isn't growing). But we
don't keep our house hot by modern standards.


Related to this, I left a Cymbidium we don't much like outside and
there was a mild frost (-3 to -4 Celcius). The fading flower spike
collapsed overnight, but the plant is fine. I suspect that a lot
of the claims of needing coddling are nonsense, though I can't say
WHICH are.


Phalaenopsis are tropical orchids and like most tropical rainforest orchids
need a bit of warmth and water all year round, in old language they are Hot
House orchids. Give it plenty of indirect light, plenty of misting (and if
so don't water much)in the mornings, don't let it get waterlogged or let
water sit in the crown, and be lucky.

Cymbidium, well they do need cool, even cold nights to initiate flower
spikes, usually not having these is the reason they don't flower, but it's
not advisable to allow them to get frosted. That said I too once left one of
mine out all winter by mistake and it survives still although it was knocked
back badly. Tougher than we are led to believe. Mine spend all summer/autumn
in the garden anyway.
--
Regards
Bob

Use a useful Screen Saver...
http://setiathome.ssl.berkeley.edu/
and find intelligent life amongst the stars

"Nick wrote in message after
David writes:
|
| we bought an orchid at Homebase last year, and it flowered for ages.
|
| When it eventually stopped flowering we put it to one side, assuming it
had
| to die back over the winter to be revived next spring.
|
| Come spring, I start looking for instructions on how to encourage it to
| flower.
|
| http://www.easyorchids.co.uk/phalaenopsis/index.html
|
| Hopefully I may be just in time to save the poor little bugger, but it
looks
| touch and go.
|
| I had no idea you kept on feeding and watering them over winter and
that
| they should always be green.
|
| I guess they just look like daffs. etc - although the lack of a bulb
should
| be a dead giveaway.

Good luck. They don't need watering very often, and I don't bother
to feed mine at all in the winter (as it isn't growing). But we
don't keep our house hot by modern standards.


Related to this, I left a Cymbidium we don't much like outside and
there was a mild frost (-3 to -4 Celcius). The fading flower spike
collapsed overnight, but the plant is fine. I suspect that a lot
of the claims of needing coddling are nonsense, though I can't say
WHICH are.


Phalaenopsis are tropical orchids and like most tropical rainforest orchids
need a bit of warmth and water all year round, in old language they are Hot
House orchids. Give it plenty of indirect light, plenty of misting (and if
so don't water much)in the mornings, don't let it get waterlogged or let
water sit in the crown, and be lucky.

Cymbidium, well they do need cool, even cold nights to initiate flower
spikes, usually not having these is the reason they don't flower, but it's
not advisable to allow them to get frosted. That said I too once left one of
mine out all winter by mistake and it survives still although it was knocked
back badly. Tougher than we are led to believe. Mine spend all summer/autumn
in the garden anyway.
--
Regards
Bob

Use a useful Screen Saver...
http://setiathome.ssl.berkeley.edu/
and find intelligent life amongst the stars

Phalaenopsis -
We've got one in the house and it's been in flower almost constantly for a
couple of years. My Houseplant Expert book says to keep it moist at all times.
Each flower lasts several months. When it decides to fall off, up pops a new
stem with a few more flower buds. Very little leaf growth.

Edwin
Bath.
---------

Try the group,rec.gardens.orchids there are alot of experienced growers
there who are helpful,be it most of them are Yanks. I could do with more
people from the UK joining!Its a really good group though,no back biting or
arguments at all just people with the same interest willing to help.
Thanks Keith,UK.
"Edwin Spector" wrote in message
...
Phalaenopsis -
We've got one in the house and it's been in flower almost constantly for
a
couple of years. My Houseplant Expert book says to keep it moist at all
times.
Each flower lasts several months. When it decides to fall off, up pops a
new
stem with a few more flower buds. Very little leaf growth.

Edwin
Bath.
---------

"David W.E. Roberts" wrote in message
...
Hi,

we bought an orchid at Homebase last year, and it flowered for ages.

When it eventually stopped flowering we put it to one side, assuming it
had
to die back over the winter to be revived next spring.

Come spring, I start looking for instructions on how to encourage it to
flower.

http://www.easyorchids.co.uk/phalaenopsis/index.html

Hopefully I may be just in time to save the poor little bugger, but it
looks
touch and go.

I had no idea you kept on feeding and watering them over winter and that
they should always be green.

I guess they just look like daffs. etc - although the lack of a bulb
should
be a dead giveaway.

Ooops!

Dave R

Update - it seems to be perking up a little - sign of some growth and the
roots have generally turned a healthy(?) green colour.
I understand the roots have to be exposed to sunlight to allow a beneficial
fungus to grow, which is why the orchids come in clear pots.
However the growing medium includes a lot of sponge rubber(!) which will
presumably hold moisture well, but is the very devil to wet once it is dry.
Trying the 'plunge then drain' method to see if this works O.K.
Is sponge rubber a normal addition to the growing medium, or is this a mass
market 'budget' idea.

TIA
Dave R

"David W.E. Roberts" wrote in message
...
Hi,

we bought an orchid at Homebase last year, and it flowered for ages.

When it eventually stopped flowering we put it to one side, assuming it
had
to die back over the winter to be revived next spring.

Come spring, I start looking for instructions on how to encourage it to
flower.

http://www.easyorchids.co.uk/phalaenopsis/index.html

Hopefully I may be just in time to save the poor little bugger, but it
looks
touch and go.

I had no idea you kept on feeding and watering them over winter and that
they should always be green.

I guess they just look like daffs. etc - although the lack of a bulb
should
be a dead giveaway.

Ooops!

Dave R

Update - it seems to be perking up a little - sign of some growth and the
roots have generally turned a healthy(?) green colour.
I understand the roots have to be exposed to sunlight to allow a beneficial
fungus to grow, which is why the orchids come in clear pots.
However the growing medium includes a lot of sponge rubber(!) which will
presumably hold moisture well, but is the very devil to wet once it is dry.
Trying the 'plunge then drain' method to see if this works O.K.
Is sponge rubber a normal addition to the growing medium, or is this a mass
market 'budget' idea.

TIA
Dave R

"David W.E. Roberts" wrote in message
...
Hi,

we bought an orchid at Homebase last year, and it flowered for ages.

When it eventually stopped flowering we put it to one side, assuming it
had
to die back over the winter to be revived next spring.

Come spring, I start looking for instructions on how to encourage it to
flower.

http://www.easyorchids.co.uk/phalaenopsis/index.html

Hopefully I may be just in time to save the poor little bugger, but it
looks
touch and go.

I had no idea you kept on feeding and watering them over winter and that
they should always be green.

I guess they just look like daffs. etc - although the lack of a bulb
should
be a dead giveaway.

Ooops!

Dave R

Update - it seems to be perking up a little - sign of some growth and the
roots have generally turned a healthy(?) green colour.
I understand the roots have to be exposed to sunlight to allow a beneficial
fungus to grow, which is why the orchids come in clear pots.
However the growing medium includes a lot of sponge rubber(!) which will
presumably hold moisture well, but is the very devil to wet once it is dry.
Trying the 'plunge then drain' method to see if this works O.K.
Is sponge rubber a normal addition to the growing medium, or is this a mass
market 'budget' idea.

TIA
Dave R

"David W.E. Roberts" wrote in message
...
Hi,

we bought an orchid at Homebase last year, and it flowered for ages.

When it eventually stopped flowering we put it to one side, assuming it
had
to die back over the winter to be revived next spring.

Come spring, I start looking for instructions on how to encourage it to
flower.

http://www.easyorchids.co.uk/phalaenopsis/index.html

Hopefully I may be just in time to save the poor little bugger, but it
looks
touch and go.

I had no idea you kept on feeding and watering them over winter and that
they should always be green.

I guess they just look like daffs. etc - although the lack of a bulb
should
be a dead giveaway.

Ooops!

Dave R

Update - it seems to be perking up a little - sign of some growth and the
roots have generally turned a healthy(?) green colour.
I understand the roots have to be exposed to sunlight to allow a beneficial
fungus to grow, which is why the orchids come in clear pots.
However the growing medium includes a lot of sponge rubber(!) which will
presumably hold moisture well, but is the very devil to wet once it is dry.
Trying the 'plunge then drain' method to see if this works O.K.
Is sponge rubber a normal addition to the growing medium, or is this a mass
market 'budget' idea.

TIA
Dave R

"David W.E. Roberts" wrote Update - it seems to be perking up a little -
sign of some growth and the
roots have generally turned a healthy(?) green colour.
I understand the roots have to be exposed to sunlight to allow a
beneficial
fungus to grow, which is why the orchids come in clear pots.
However the growing medium includes a lot of sponge rubber(!) which will
presumably hold moisture well, but is the very devil to wet once it is
dry.
Trying the 'plunge then drain' method to see if this works O.K.
Is sponge rubber a normal addition to the growing medium, or is this a
mass
market 'budget' idea.

I'm no expert, David but I have got half a dozen or so orchids on various
windowsills around the house and, like you, I got them from Homebase and
B&Q over the past 5 years or so. According to the labels, they are all
"Cambria" Orchids and these might have different requirements to yours.
[For the more technically minded, it goes on to say that Cambrias are
"intergenic crosses between Odontoglossum, Cochiloda, Mitonia, and
Oncidium." (!)]

I've found them to be surprisingly robust and I water them about once a
fortnight during the autumn and winter and every 2-4 days in the spring &
summer, depending on how warm and sunny it has been. In spring, I give
them a feed of well-diluted "Baby Bio" (usually when I remember, but
probably equating to once every 2-3 weeks).

The main thing it seems is not to let them get waterlogged at the root.
Mine came potted in coarse bark and I've always done as instructed - i.e.
to water by running water through the pot from the top (I do it by placing
them under a running tap) and making sure that all the excess drains away
before putting the pot back into its holder. I've no experience of the
sponge rubber medium, I'm afraid.

Hope this helps.

- Tom.

"David wrote in message
Update - it seems to be perking up a little - sign of some growth and the
roots have generally turned a healthy(?) green colour.

No, other than the growing tip the roots will only be green if damp,
otherwise they will be a light grey colour. If they are green all the time
then the plant is too wet.
It grows as an epiphyte, clinging to the branches of trees, so the roots get
wet when it rains but dry out quickly when the rain stops, especially the
ones that hang down from the branches and wave in the air. The fleshy leaves
are also storage organs BTW.


I understand the roots have to be exposed to sunlight to allow a
beneficial
fungus to grow, which is why the orchids come in clear pots.

And if growing well the roots will grow outside of the pot where they prefer
it, just don't let them get a grip on anything as you would have to break
them to release their grip..

However the growing medium includes a lot of sponge rubber(!) which will
presumably hold moisture well, but is the very devil to wet once it is
dry.

No again, it could be "Rockwool", anyway, some is made to be absorbant and
some is water repellant and remains full of air to ensure you don't
overwater and that those roots have plenty of air around them.

Trying the 'plunge then drain' method to see if this works O.K.

Excellent, but let the compost dry out almost totally before replunging it.
Never allow water to remain in the crown or on the leaves of the plant,
especially overnight. Most orchid growers water in the mornings for this
reason.

Is sponge rubber a normal addition to the growing medium, or is this a
mass
market 'budget' idea.

Rockwool and spong are a normal types of additions to growing media for
those orchids, it's inert and easier to deal with than the chipped
bark/sphagnum moss type compost although I prefer the latter in different
proportions for my plants.

--
Regards
Bob

Use a useful Screen Saver...
http://setiathome.ssl.berkeley.edu/
and find intelligent life amongst the stars

"David W.E. Roberts" wrote Update - it seems to be perking up a little -
sign of some growth and the
roots have generally turned a healthy(?) green colour.
I understand the roots have to be exposed to sunlight to allow a
beneficial
fungus to grow, which is why the orchids come in clear pots.
However the growing medium includes a lot of sponge rubber(!) which will
presumably hold moisture well, but is the very devil to wet once it is
dry.
Trying the 'plunge then drain' method to see if this works O.K.
Is sponge rubber a normal addition to the growing medium, or is this a
mass
market 'budget' idea.

I'm no expert, David but I have got half a dozen or so orchids on various
windowsills around the house and, like you, I got them from Homebase and
B&Q over the past 5 years or so. According to the labels, they are all
"Cambria" Orchids and these might have different requirements to yours.
[For the more technically minded, it goes on to say that Cambrias are
"intergenic crosses between Odontoglossum, Cochiloda, Mitonia, and
Oncidium." (!)]

I've found them to be surprisingly robust and I water them about once a
fortnight during the autumn and winter and every 2-4 days in the spring &
summer, depending on how warm and sunny it has been. In spring, I give
them a feed of well-diluted "Baby Bio" (usually when I remember, but
probably equating to once every 2-3 weeks).

The main thing it seems is not to let them get waterlogged at the root.
Mine came potted in coarse bark and I've always done as instructed - i.e.
to water by running water through the pot from the top (I do it by placing
them under a running tap) and making sure that all the excess drains away
before putting the pot back into its holder. I've no experience of the
sponge rubber medium, I'm afraid.

Hope this helps.

- Tom.