Your Questions About Orchids
August 14th, 2011 by Garden Lover
Lisa asks…
Orchids….?
My new boyfriend bought this orchid plant, (is that what it’s called?) It has flowers but is potted in a pot he said the florist said they were low maintenance, it’s really beautiful, and I’d hate for it to die, I am terrible when it comes to plants. What should I do with it, how can I keep it alive?
Garden Lover answers:
Water when the soil is dry to the touch, give it sunlight but not direct sunlight because the flowers won’t last as long, give it a fertilizer in spring and summer, not during winter or fall because the plant is entering dormancy and if you fertilize it during that time it will die. When the flowers die and you want new flowers bring the orchid in full sun and it will store alot of energy and it will flower again in 3 months, the kind of soil it likes is a soil that is high in nutrients and make sure to put perlite for drainage.
David asks…
How many orchids are in an orchid lei?
I am making leis for my wedding and need to know how many orchids I need to order to make them. So how many orchids are needed to make an orchid lei?
Garden Lover answers:
It depends on the size of the orchids, how long you want the leis and whether you will be using only orchids or adding “filler” flowers.
You could try making one out of artifical flowers to see.
Good Luck!!
Michael asks…
How long does cut orchids and cut calla lilies last in water?
What is the best way to take care of cut orchids and cut calla lilies? I am planning to pick up the orchids and lilies on a thursday and arranging them on a Saturday night for a Sunday reception. Anyone know if this is too long for orchids and lilies to last?
Garden Lover answers:
It could be a little iffy, but for the most part you should be ok. The orchids would be my biggest worry, but as long as you keep all the flowers in water and refrigerated, they should be okay. Another thing you should do is give them 1/2″ – 1″ trim on friday night before you go to bed.
Paul asks…
When do phalaenopsis orchids start showing new flowering spikes?
A week ago my orchid lost its last flower and I cut the stem. I read that orchids start growing their spikes in september, but when do they become visible?
Garden Lover answers:
It really depends on the plant and the kinds of conditions that you give it. Plants can be forced to flower more often, but it is not the best for the plant’s health. Orchids can be foreced into bloom for orchid shows 3-6 months in advance by altering the light cycles and other conditions to trick the orchids into flowering. However, usually under normal household conditions, they will flower once a year, especially for phalaenopsis. If your phalaenopsis is not in tip top shape and is on the verge of dying, it will try to flower continously, so to maximize its chances of making seed and propigating before dying. This is bad for your orchid, as it means that it is very weak, and if this happens, you should cut the stem off before it gets to bloom so that the plant can conserve envergy. Some kinds of orchids like masdevallias, can remain in bloom for almost half a year, but almost all orchid bloom once a year. You will see the spike emerge from the crown of the orchid, right where the leaves emerge, some time in september, or whenever your orchid thinks it’s the right time to flower. If you take care of it, it will find its own rythem and flower, ususally once a year, twice if you’re really lucky. Just be patient, it will flower when it’s well taken care, for, regardless.
James asks…
What is urdu name of phalaenopsis orchids and can phalaenopsis orchids grow from bulbs?
Please tell me urdu name of phalaenopsis orchids . I had tried asking local gardeners by english name but they don,t understand. Also can phalaenopsis orchids be propogated from bulbs. And is it fragrant or not?
Garden Lover answers:
Can’t help you with Urdu name, but the common English name is “Butterfly Orchid.” Perhaps if you took the Urdu words for Butterfly and orchid ???
On the other questions: Phalaenopsis and their relatives are amont the orchids which do NOT make pseudobulbs (like, say, Cymbidium orchids do), so obviously you can’t propagate then this way. Instead the flowering stems will often make baby plants (like spider pants) and you can carefully pot up the babies when roots begin to emerge from the base.
Fragrance: The overwhelming majority of Phalaenopsis and their hybrids are not fragrant. In nature only a handful (2 or 3 or 4) species have any fragrance, most notably P. Violacea, and hybrids made with this species often have some slight but pleasant fragrance. But if you are looking for fragrance, Phalaenopsis is definitely NOT the best group of ocrchids for you.
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