3 orchids from Home Depot

9 years ago

Phal with 3 spikes that has finished blooming and is packed in bark, I haven't looked at the roots yet. There is some new growth off one of the spikes at the top and a strange looking new leaf that has a 2 inch stem and is more round instead of oval like the others and it's growing straight up?

Dendrobium packed in soil, also finished blooming and a Cymbidium (I think) full of beautiful lemon yellow slightly fragrant blooms and packed in sphag.

They were dirt cheap and I couldn't resist even though I swore off orchids after killing my last 3 phals because I overwatered and changed from original sphag to bark.

What I am wondering is if I should fertilize weakly, weekly or let them be until (if) I see new growth? My instinct tells me to leave them alone and let them acclimatize to their new home and lighting. I'm pretty sure they have been outside for awhile, the leaves are very dirty. I cleaned up the phal and will get at the other 2 tomorrow.

The leaves on the Cymbidium look a little pale, I don't know if they should be, plus a few of them have black tips and some black along on the edges of the leaves. There are 6 spikes, 4 with blooms and 2 spikes that have unopened brown blooms and are rotting at the tip.

Any suggestions would be appreciated, I have them in full sun, western exposure but live in Canada and my windows are dirty. My other flowering plants Hoyas, African Violet (behind sheers) and jasmine are all thriving in the same location.

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Comments (4)

arthurm
9 years ago
The Canadian Orchid Congress has a set of culture notes that you may not have seen. I've put them in the link.
No idea how to grow anything in Canada but suspect that the Cymbidium might be the most difficult to flower there, but that depends a lot on the breeding and there is probably no name tag.

Here is a link that might be useful: Canadian orchid congress notes.
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tanie51
9 years ago
Hi Pattirose,

Where about do you live in Canada that you can get HD orchids for dirt cheap? And may I ask how much is cheap. I live in Alberta and last month, they had beautiful Miltoniopsis with all different colors. I couldn't resist and bought 3 with $20 each. Couple of days ago, I went back there and found a bright yellow mini 3" phal for $13. For me, that's not cheap...Where I live, sometimes Safeway has some cymbidiums and oncidiums but most of the time just phals. I go crazy when I see some different kinds instead of phals. HD over here never have orchids lower price down. Last month they had a Ondontoglossium like the one I have. This re bloomed for me beautifully last few months ago and I wanted to get few more with different colors. They had 2 but not as strong colors as I wanted but wanted to buy anyway, I thought I'd wait the see if they will put them on sell after the flowers are gone but NO. I think no one bought them so they probably chucked in the trash can.. It broke my heart.....Right now, there are some Dendro and 1 of the oncidium with yellow flowers almost done but they are still on the shelf. They really need good homes to go to but No sale on.....

Tanie
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I think you are learning some of the most important lessons to learn in growing orchids - observation over time will tell you what works best for orchids in your own growing environment and with the way that you personally care for them. People who tend to like to water a lot may see theirs doing better with more bark and less moss; orchids kept outside down here in Zone 10 tend to need more moisture; etc. I don't think orchids are difficult to grow - it's your own personal learning experience of trial and observation that will ultimately make your plants thrive. (Also - keep records - when did they bloom; how many blooms; when did you repot; when did you try moving them to higher light; diseases treated; etc.) Also, note that the articles in AOS regarding Phals refer to the grower in a large greenhouse, who has very tight control over temperature, humidity, and amount of light. A lot of their findings are difficult to directly apply to our "home" environments when growing Phals - useful nonetheless, but not practical sometimes for the individual grower.......... The important thing is have fun learning by observing - orchids are not for the gardener who always must have instant gratification! Maggie PS I've found some of the greatest value in Phals in my collection at HD! Several of them have been practically nonstop bloomers for over nine months now!)
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pattirose4
Original Author
9 years ago
Tanie: I live in Edmonton. The phal was $2. it's standard size 5" across. I bought it because of the 3 spikes and I thought if it had 3 once there was a good possibility it would do it again and for $2. well I couldn't resist. The other 2 were $6. each and are packed really tight into small 4" plastic orchid pots. They had quite a few of those 2 feet tall, heavy foliage ones that have the huge blooms you see in expensive cut arrangements for $20-30 but they weren't tagged and not marked down. I have no idea what they were and wanted to do a little research before getting one. They were $20. and in bloom.

Last year at RCSS they had 20 phals thrown in a box sitting by the trash compactor, I begged 2 different managers to please let me take them or even charge me a nominal fee a dollar or 2 each - no way - it was full price (20) or nothing.

I have a bad addiction, for plants and books :) at one point I had 100 plants in my small condo, a couple years ago I culled them and only kept the healthy, lush, thriving ones that did well under my specific conditions and gave the rest away. Now I have 23 with these 3 new ones.

Arthurm: Thank you for the link!
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tanie51
9 years ago
Pattirose,

That is so unfair!! I live in Lethbridge, we are in the same province and as I said it earlier, within a month, I bought 3 miltoniopsis (probably the ones you saw in bloom and didn't know what they are) at $20 each. Then 2 days ago, new batch came in with some lemon yellow phals I couldn't resit so, I got it, 3" for $13. They never put it down!IIf they have the price down on Miltoniopsis, I could have taken 10 of them with 10 different colors and shades!! Wal Mart too, never put the price down and some of them even looked dead. But, last month, a new batch came in and I was there. They put the price down at $7.88 for very big beautiful phals for a change. I got 2 of them. Oh well, this way, my house won't get too crowded!! (sour grapes)!!
Thank you for your response

Tanie
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3 orchids from Home Depot

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3 orchids from Home Depot

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