Orchids? Anybody?

[BigBlueHen53]

That sounds... not quite right. If you do an online image search for something like "Phalaenopsis healthy roots", do yours look like that?

I will search tomorrow, thank you. There is SO MUCH on line, and a lot of it is contradictory, sigh. Or there are videos but you can't really see what the person is doing.

I think there's apps you can download that will let you use your phone as a light meter, so you can work out how much light plants will be getting in different locations. I don't know how accurate they are though.

Okay thanks.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I really appreciate the feedback, folks!

 

[microchick]

Okay, I'm sold. As soon as the temps come up so I can safely transport one from the store to home, I'll look for a Moth Orchid.

 

[microchick]

Okay, I have a couple of questions. I have one good east window but it's near a door so I doubt if it would like drafts, especially in winter. I read indirect light. How far back from a southern window exposure would it have to sit to be considered in 'indirect' light?

I have a spot that is about 3 feet away from a southern window and I also have a spot that is between windows on the south wall that might work also. No direct sunlight but bright indirect. Would that work?

Also, I have grow lights that could be employed. Anybody grow orchids with grow lights?

 

[Rambling Iris]

When we lived in central Florida I grew orchids on our south east facing porch with good success. My daughter worked at a local green house that specialized in orchids and was a member of the American Orchid Society. https://www.aos.org/ this is there website. We traveled all over Florida to orchid/flower shows to photograph the plants for the venders. There are some amazing flowers some harder to grow than others. Phalaenopsis or moth orchids are some of the easiest to start out with.
MC any of the locations you mention except by the door are probably fine.
True story: I put an orchid in a wooden slated planter under a shrub to get it out of the way while I was unloading groceries from the car. It started raining and I did not go out to get the plant. Forgot it was there because it was hidden by some of the shrub branches. It stayed under that shrub for 6 months! The only reason I found it was because it put up a bloom spike that came through the shrubbery. This was in central Florida during the summer so it was hot and humid but the plant was mostly in the shade with good air circulation.
I don't have any orchids now. I gave them to friends and family when we moved.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

have grow lights that could be employed. Anybody grow orchids with grow lights

I use a grow light. I don't have any good spots by windows.

 

[Echelontheory101]

Hi, so just to be clear, I am NOT an authority on orchids! I am looking for folks that know something, ANYTHING, about successfully getting these beautiful, elegant, fussy plants to reliably bloom! I accidentally did (pic attached) but I honestly think this poor plant boomed more in desperation and self-defense than because of anything I successfully did for it. Please, if you're a successful care-giver of orchids, share the knowledge! I need all the help I can get, I have two more plants here waiting for me to figure things out. I do know, by the way, not to give them ice cubes!

Following cause I'm terrible at orchids the bloom they have when I buy them lasts awhile and then once thst dies so does the plan! You'll have to let me know what you discover!

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Well. First of sll, forget about giving them ice cubes once a week. They are a tropical plant and guess what never occurs in the jungle? Yeah, ice! More in a bit.

 

[Strawberry74]

I'm no expert on Orchids but everyone I've ever had has been in the north window and bloomed twice a year reliably. I never did anything they told me to about repotting or certain substrates and they still just bloomed. One is had hadn't I bloomed in years and all the sudden started blooming twice a year. I was about to give up on it.

 

[Rambling Iris]

I find this web site very helpful taking care of orchids.
https://www.aos.org/orchid-care