Last night we had a talk on @indoor gardening'. Not my cup of tea but
still some members enjoyed it.
Anyway question was asked about growing orchids and Nursery manager from
"biggest Plant centre in country (in Ware)" advised that you grow
orchids in clear flower pots as their roots need to see the light.
Members pointed out that her orchid was still flowering after 24 months
but was in ordinary pot but that was pooh poohed as good luck.

Question:
Where do you get the clear flower pots from? They might have drainage
holes for the orchid but apart from that I haven't seen them so can't
supply any more details.

Googling got me Stewart plastic pots and clear saucers to go under pots
(drip trays) but no actual pots.

Any ideas?


Janet
--
Janet Tweedy
Dalmatian Telegraph
http://www.lancedal.demon.co.uk

I've seen pots at my local garden centre with the orchids, together
with bags of coconut husk as a growing medium.
I believe you can get all such items mail order from

Ray Creek Orchids
Luddington
Tel. 01724 798445

Unfortunately no website, I had his mail order list a few years ago &
there were stacks of unusual orchids + normal stuff too.

Search for 'ray creek orchids' & you'll find plenty of references.

DD

Janet Tweedy wrote in
:

Last night we had a talk on @indoor gardening'. Not my cup of tea but
still some members enjoyed it.
Anyway question was asked about growing orchids and Nursery manager from
"biggest Plant centre in country (in Ware)" advised that you grow
orchids in clear flower pots as their roots need to see the light.
Members pointed out that her orchid was still flowering after 24 months
but was in ordinary pot but that was pooh poohed as good luck.


My 3 phalenopsis orchids are all flowering well in normal pots as well.

Having said that, they tend to 'walk' and all have roots out of the pots
and wandering around the dining room, so perhaps they are getting their
daylight that way!


Haven't had the miltoniopsis long enough to say, but it has flowered well
so far, again in a normal pot. (I was kind of expecting it to just keel
over on my windowsill, but it seems to be doing OK)

Victoria
--
gardening on a north-facing hill
in South-East Cornwall
--

Dave, as your orchid knowledge is so good, please can I ask 2
questions.
1. Please can you give us some advice on feeding, generally.
2. I have a cymbidium shich I bought in flower for my Mum, at least 8
years ago. It became very sickly and I brought it home after a couple
of years to try to revive it. It looks better now, but has never
flowered again. It is in my living room, near a window but not in
direct light.
Any advice please?


Pam in Bristol

"Dave Poole" wrote
Hi Janet,

Having grown Phalaenopsis and a good many other epiphytic
(tree-perching) orchids since I was 'knee-high to a grasshopper',
which is now over 40 years there is nothing in the claim that they
have to be grown in clear pots. If you think about it, clear plastic
pots are a trendy introduction of the past couple of years at most,
but Phalaenopsis have been grown conventionally and very successfully
in this country since before 1850. You don't need rocket science to
work out, whether they must have clear pots or not.

That said, a good many roots will try to grow on the compost surface
and out into the air or down the outside of the pot. These should not
be cut away since they will absorb nutrients and atmospheric moisture
(most importantly), but also partly function as leaves as well.
However, their photosynthetic contribution compared to that of the
leaves is quite minimal and by no means essential. When roots are
exposed to full light and kept growing actively, a good many plants
develop green-tinged roots and that includes those that normally grow
in the ground.

Chlorophyll (the 'green stuff) or more importantly chloroplasts (the
organs which contain chlorophyll and carry out the photosynthetic
process) are not limited just to stems and leaves. They can and will
develop on any part if there is sufficient light exposure. Try this
out, stick a bit of fuchsia or Impatiens in a glass of water and
instead of potting it as soon as the roots form, allow them to carry
on growing. They will turn greenish and start photosynthesising in no
time - as will the roots of almost any other plant.

Anyway question was asked about growing orchids and Nursery manager from
"biggest Plant centre in country (in Ware)" advised that you grow
orchids in clear flower pots as their roots need to see the light.

Biggest 'Plant Centre' immediately smacks of little or no specialised
knowledge!

... pointed out that her orchid was still flowering after 24 months
but was in ordinary pot but that was pooh poohed as good luck.

Aha! Proof positive! The man clearly knows relatively little and has
followed some cleverly worded marketing blurb in favour of clear
plastic pots. They are a stylish innovation of no great practical
value. A bit like galvanised buckets as planters on the patio. When
the trend for minimalism bites the dust, so will a lot of these.

Janet, the key to success in growing Phalaenopsis or any other
epiphytic type is to get a good balance of air and moisture around the
roots. They naturally have most of their roots exposed, but this is
mainly to trap falling detritus from higher up and absorb moisture.
Any photosynthesis is incidental and not essential. Allow any roots
that want to 'hang out' (orchids were never 'neat growers', nor will
they ever be) and water whenever the compost becomes very slightly
dry. Provide airy, buoyant conditions, sufficient warmth, reasonable
light but not direct sun and you are 95% there. Growing in a clear
plastic pot will not make a scrap of difference in the face of these.
If you prefer terra cotta coloured ones (I go for black meself), you
carry on girl. Good growing practice and not style will always win
the day.

I totally agree with David, if you were to go to your local Orchid Society
Show you would see beautiful Orchids grown to perfection and very few, if
any, in clear pots.
The Orchid Society of Great Britain (OSGB) had their annual show at RHS
Wisley a couple of weekends ago, not that most visitors to the gardens knew
anything about it as it wasn't signposted, and I don't remember seeing any
in clear pots.
What you will see in the shows is some growing on a lumps of mossy bark and
others growing on pieces of Tree fern trunk because that's how they grow in
nature. You need automatic misting to be successful with that method really.

There are some specialist orchids that have no leaves and these do all their
photosynthesis entirely through their roots, these do need to grow on
bark/tree fern/brick so the roots get light. Never heard of anyone using
clear pots for them.

--
Regards
Bob
In Runnymede, 17 miles West of London

In article , Dave Poole
writes

a lot of really good stuff about orchid growing.

Thanks David, inwardly digested. Could I possibly put this in our
Gardening club newsletter? Will leave the bit out about the garden
centre manager being a bit dim if you want, but as usual your advice is
clear and to the point and would be invaluable for the Indoor plant
growers.

janet

--
Janet Tweedy
Dalmatian Telegraph
http://www.lancedal.demon.co.uk

Subscribe to rec.gardens.orchids I have been using the group for a few years
now.Some great growers with sound advise.
Pam if the cymbidium has been growing inside for all those years and never
flowered,I would say it was the temperature that was the problem.Cymbidiums
are cool growers,so need a cool period to initiate flowering.The best thing
to do is around about know depending on what part of the country you
live,put them outside shaded from the sun.Bright but not direct sun.As the
new growths appear start to water & feed.Evenly moist & allow to slightly
dry between waterings or feel the weight of the pot.General plant liquid
fertilizer can be used,orchids do not need much fertilizer so some say
weakly weekly.But i feed mine when i remember or have time!I have a
greenhouse solely for growing orchids.Leave them in the garden
summer/autumn,when the temps start to drop bring them back inside and
hopefully you may have a surprise and find you have flower spikes coming
from the matured bulbs.
Day temps should be 75 to 85 f or more. night temperatures in the late
summer to Autumn (August to October) must be 50 to 60 degrees F to initiate
flower spikes. Optimum temperatures in winter are 45 to 55 degrees F at
night and 65 to 75 degrees F during the day. When in bud, temperatures must
be as constant as possible, between 55 and 75 degrees F or the buds may
drop!Hope this helps and hasn't put you off growing these fascinating &
addictive plants known as orchids,they are tougher & easier to grow than
most people think .

--
Thanks Keith,Nottingham,England,UK.
"Janet Tweedy" wrote in message
...
In article , Dave Poole
writes

a lot of really good stuff about orchid growing.

Thanks David, inwardly digested. Could I possibly put this in our
Gardening club newsletter? Will leave the bit out about the garden
centre manager being a bit dim if you want, but as usual your advice is
clear and to the point and would be invaluable for the Indoor plant
growers.

janet

--
Janet Tweedy
Dalmatian Telegraph
http://www.lancedal.demon.co.uk

On Fri, 27 May 2005 23:18:34 GMT, "keith ;-\)"
wrote:

Subscribe to rec.gardens.orchids I have been using the group for a few years
now.Some great growers with sound advise.
Pam if the cymbidium has been growing inside for all those years and never
flowered,I would say it was the temperature that was the problem.Cymbidiums
are cool growers,so need a cool period to initiate flowering.The best thing
to do is around about know depending on what part of the country you
live,put them outside shaded from the sun.Bright but not direct sun.As the
new growths appear start to water & feed.Evenly moist & allow to slightly
dry between waterings or feel the weight of the pot.General plant liquid
fertilizer can be used,orchids do not need much fertilizer so some say
weakly weekly.But i feed mine when i remember or have time!I have a
greenhouse solely for growing orchids.Leave them in the garden
summer/autumn,when the temps start to drop bring them back inside and
hopefully you may have a surprise and find you have flower spikes coming
from the matured bulbs.
Day temps should be 75 to 85 f or more. night temperatures in the late
summer to Autumn (August to October) must be 50 to 60 degrees F to initiate
flower spikes. Optimum temperatures in winter are 45 to 55 degrees F at
night and 65 to 75 degrees F during the day. When in bud, temperatures must
be as constant as possible, between 55 and 75 degrees F or the buds may
drop!Hope this helps and hasn't put you off growing these fascinating &
addictive plants known as orchids,they are tougher & easier to grow than
most people think .

Thanks for that helpful info, Keith. I've never put mine outside, so
will try that and the other advice you gave.

Pam in Bristol

In article , keith ;-)
writes
Day temps should be 75 to 85 f or more. night temperatures in the late
summer to Autumn (August to October) must be 50 to 60 degrees F to initiate
flower spikes. Optimum temperatures in winter are 45 to 55 degrees F at
night and 65 to 75 degrees F during the day. When in bud, temperatures must
be as constant as possible, between 55 and 75 degrees F or the buds may
drop!Hope this helps and hasn't put you off growing these fascinating &
addictive plants known as orchids,they are tougher & easier to grow than
most people think .

Easier, do you say! ;-)

Day temps of 75 to 85 or more means I'll have to put it back in the
greenhouse for the summer, winter temperatures are unachievable -
greenhouse is 40-45 deg, house is over 60.

I'm sticking to Phalaenopsis, which seem happy on the east facing toilet
window.

--
Kay
"Do not insult the crocodile until you have crossed the river"

In article , Dave Poole
writes
Janet Tweedy wrote:

Thanks David, inwardly digested. Could I possibly put this in our
Gardening club newsletter? Will leave the bit out about the garden
centre manager being a bit dim if you want, but as usual your advice is
clear and to the point and would be invaluable for the Indoor plant
growers.

By all means if you think it will help. Edit as you see fit, but I
hardly think there's going to be anyone banging my front door down and
brandishing a machete

Thanks David, I'm very grateful

Janet

--
Janet Tweedy
Dalmatian Telegraph
http://www.lancedal.demon.co.uk

Kay, Cymbidiums need outside in summer /autumn & cool unheated room winter
i.e. porch,conservatory .To put it simple.
I do have the same problem as you though,I have a greenhouse for my orchids
55-60 f min & heated house & conservatory.

--
Thanks Keith,Nottingham,England,UK.
"Kay" wrote in message
...
In article , keith ;-)
writes
Day temps should be 75 to 85 f or more. night temperatures in the late
summer to Autumn (August to October) must be 50 to 60 degrees F to
initiate
flower spikes. Optimum temperatures in winter are 45 to 55 degrees F at
night and 65 to 75 degrees F during the day. When in bud, temperatures
must
be as constant as possible, between 55 and 75 degrees F or the buds may
drop!Hope this helps and hasn't put you off growing these fascinating &
addictive plants known as orchids,they are tougher & easier to grow
than
most people think .

Easier, do you say! ;-)

Day temps of 75 to 85 or more means I'll have to put it back in the
greenhouse for the summer, winter temperatures are unachievable -
greenhouse is 40-45 deg, house is over 60.

I'm sticking to Phalaenopsis, which seem happy on the east facing toilet
window.

--
Kay
"Do not insult the crocodile until you have crossed the river"