Orchids

[StevieBee]

We've a couple of pots of these dotted around the home. They're generally two leaves and a stick doing nothing but OH insists they'll flower eventually to which I have previously expressed doubt.

One is in the spare bathroom that hardly ever gets used so surprised to find this beauty there:



A few weeks back this was literally a stick. Been like this for three weeks now. Lovely.

Is this what these plants do or is this an anomaly?

[Magic919]

They flower, they rest, they flower again.

[The Three D Mucketeer]

Once flowered to should remove the old stem .. a new stem or multiple stems will appear ... you need Orchid feed to help growth and blooming. Occasionally you will get "child" shoots called Keikis , which me cut off and propagated .
Yours is Phalaenopsis, also known as moth orchid. Many different species
This is my Zygopetalum currently in flower



And my Paphiopedilum

Edited by The Three D Mucketeer on Friday 23 October 14:07

[Simpo Two]

Moth orchids are tough, but they do like a splosh of water - and food if flowering. Adjust according to temperature/daylength.

Yours looks like it needs repotting.

[8-P]

They love humidity so bathrooms are perfect but keep them out of the sun, the like light but not direct sun light. Don’t over water them or let them sit in water but they do like feeding I find it really helps them flower - I have a spray feed I initially thought was emporers new clothes but one of mine has 3 stems and it has never done so well.

[Wish]

I’ve got 3 sitting on a window sill. Mainly given to me a gift, they arrive beautiful and then lose their flower and then do nothing.

This year I bought some food for them and all 3 have flowered and look fantastic again. I really like orchids again now.

[8-P]

Wish said:

I ve got 3 sitting on a window sill. Mainly given to me a gift, they arrive beautiful and then lose their flower and then do nothing.

This year I bought some food for them and all 3 have flowered and look fantastic again. I really like orchids again now.

I have this and the spray, I ve got lazy with the stuff you dilute because I now run them under the tap but agree, they like being fed.

Baby Bio Orchid Feed & Mist Spray... https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B072JTWJXM?ref=ppx_pop...

[Byker28i]

Magic919 said:

They flower, they rest, they flower again.

Pretty much this. Mrs B has started with them, we have about 8. One looked like it died, I had it in the poly tunnel for weeks, until it produced lots of new leaves, then brought inside, now full of flower

[The Three D Mucketeer]

Once again , anything gardening related Dr D.G.Hessayon is the guru

[Simpo Two]

8-P said:

They love humidity so bathrooms are perfect but keep them out of the sun, the like light but not direct sun light. Don t over water them or let them sit in water but they do like feeding I find it really helps them flower - I have a spray feed I initially thought was emporers new clothes but one of mine has 3 stems and it has never done so well.

Although - I had two moth orchids in my south facing front window (full sun) and they seemed happy with it and lived and flowered for years. But you do have to keep up with watering of course as the heat dries the pots out quickly.

I got some of the Baby Bio orchid food - if you look at the NPK it's exactly the same as the ordinary Baby Bio, just half the strength - so you're paying twice as much for it.

Edited by Simpo Two on Saturday 24th October 11:18