How should I pot this rescue orchid?
Lillian zone 10b Auckland, NZ
8 years ago
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arthurm2015
8 years agolast modified: 8 years agoLillian zone 10b Auckland, NZ
8 years agoRelated Discussions
1st rescue orchid
Comments (14)Bloody hell! Your orchid looks great I say given the circumstances! You have 2 out of three. Leaves, check. Spike, check. Only roots to go. Mind can't see them from your photos. My rescued ones (discounted from shops just before eminent doom) looked a lot worse when bought. Good luck! I am an amateur with loads of reading and somewhat attempts at growing orchids. I have just over ten up North (I recently moved across country and left them with mum) - these I posted about before on the forum (people were great with advise - I had them infected with larvae - but all good now touch wood). I have 5 at my new place (1 vanda) + 4 that I got for my sister. A few tips (mind you, you don't have to follow them - as each to their own ... my first advise on watering when I bought my first orchid six and a half years ago I no longer follow ... soaking method never worked out): - orchid leaves are not meant to be a gorgeous deep green (so the books tell us). So maybe a little closer to light. Mind they look good so might not be a must/must. Some of mine are deep colour, but hey ho there is a limited amount of sunshine one can get. - I read somewhere either a little cold or dark (not sure which) can get the blooms to open faster. - tight roots in clear plastic pot is good. If you repot it with space they will concentrate on root growth instead of flowering. - I water mine in bathroom. Once a week as its winter (but only if they dry - patting the bottom of pot if it has holes or checking the colour of roots ... green still moist light green need water). I pour loads of tepid water in the morning all over roots and bark avoiding leaves and crown and let them drain + spray the leaves and roots with special spray. - I mostly try to avoid ceramic pots (my preference). I like the way roots look in clear pots and I can tell quicker how good they are. I use shallow hand made ceramic bowls or plates instead (+roots have photosynthesis I hear): https://www.facebook.com/craigeylesceramics?fref=ts mind you I do also have a few oversized pots (so I can easily lift the plastic ones out). - repotting I hear needs to be done once in 1 -2 years. In spring or summer ... you don't want your orchid freezing. Don't know about where you live but hey ho nothing works in the garden/ home depot places in the UK. The generic stuff is too dirt based, gets soggy easily and does not drain. I bought some: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Orchid-Repotting-Kit-Orchid-Pot-Repotting-Mix-100ml-Orchid-Myst-Instructions-/291328763815?pt=UK_HomeGarden_Garden_PlantsSeedsBulbs_JN&hash=item43d48c27a7 Well not the kit ... massive bag of the stuff and spray separately. Mind you it ain't the best + quality hit and miss sometimes... but loads better that the garden centres stuff. I am planning to buy the next mix from a proper orchid nursery in Spring. With maybe some charcoal. If you repotting maybe search youtube ... I found a few helpful videos. If you'd like some tips let me know. It is advised when bought a bad conditioned orchid to repot it straight away (but I'd guess not in winter nor when its blooming unless you cutting off the spike... tends to correspond for phals). I am not perfect and will never be ... (right temperatures?! in this economy ...). I used to underwater mine ... getting better now. But orchids are the only plants that I had that survived this so I would say they are quite strong. I do refere to phalaenopsis species. Vandas I have no clue ... panicking like hell for it to not die....See MoreMontezuma. Should I attempt a body bag rescue?
Comments (8)New here last Spring, this rose has really impressed me with its rapid rebloom & clean foliage no spray. Early blooms came one to a stem but later most were in clusters. Bushy full form suiting its grandiflora status, and said to grow tall in some gardens. First to leaf out this year & live to the tips. Andrea grows Montezuma in Michigan 5b & it survived the Polar Vortex of 2014 for her. Searching this forum turns up a good number of discussions for a rose of that era. One of those - http://forums2.gardenweb.com/discussions/3101521/montezuma?n=3...See MoreHow much water should potted hostas get, & should I remove old leaves?
Comments (8)first.. remove dead leaves ... if they were in the ground.. i would suggest that is where early slugs are hiding ... second ... you should be able to tell from the weight of the bag... how much water is in there ... if you had a grow bag of dry media ... im just making up numbers.. maybe it would weigh one pound ... if you can barely lift a bag .. and it feels like ten pounds.. well ... you have 9 pounds of water in there... just a little more than a gallon.. if that old 7 pound thing is correct ... what you should do over the summer.. is water a bag ... mark the date.. and not water it again.. until you see the plant wilting a bit ... then see how many days to took to dry ... and then water accordingly ... i think you ought to cut way back.. until you figure out some facts to work with ... until the high heat of summer hits.. i cant really think they need water every day .. especially when they havent spread out their water losing leaves to the atmosphere ... and keep track of spring rain amounts... to use in your equation ... my bottom line.. as usual ... try not to kill them with too much love.. and watering every day in march.. might just be that ... ken...See MoreHow do I pot a basket orchid with a long stem. Lost several leaves
Comments (2)Is the long stem a flower stem with buds or blooms on it? Where are you in the world? Can you take a pic? I have lost part of my id. It used to have Zone10b Sydney Australia after my name. That is important info when giving or getting advice....See Morearthurm2015
8 years agolast modified: 8 years agoBill
8 years agojane__ny
8 years agoLillian zone 10b Auckland, NZ
8 years agoDanielle Rose
8 years agoLillian zone 10b Auckland, NZ
8 years agoarthurm2015
8 years agossuark36
8 years agolast modified: 8 years agoDanielle Rose
8 years agolast modified: 8 years agoluv_imprintz
8 years agoarthurm2015
8 years agolast modified: 8 years agoLillian zone 10b Auckland, NZ
8 years agoluv_imprintz
8 years agoLillian zone 10b Auckland, NZ
8 years ago
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Lillian zone 10b Auckland, NZOriginal Author