Talkback: How to care for orchids - Page 2 - Talkback

kater1

08/03/2012 at 20:23

I went to a talk given by a commercial orchid grower & he said that they watered their plants with tap water which had been allowed to stand for a day or so. He also said to avoid over-watering, you should not water the plants if the visible roots - through the clear pot - are bright green. You shouldn't automatically water weekly but only if the roots are greyish green.

Richard Morris

30/03/2012 at 20:51

do you dead head the flowers to encourage them to grow more or leave them to fall of by themselves???

sara hughes

04/04/2012 at 00:46

should you repot orchids once it is bought from shop

Emma Crawforth

04/04/2012 at 15:52

Hi orchid growers,

sara, if your orchid came in a transparent plastic pot, leave it in there - it's perfect for moth orchids as they benefit from having their roots in the light.

Richard, my moth orchid flowers gradually fade one by one. I just gently pull them off when I think they don't look pretty anymore. If your stem is healthy and green, don't cut it off.

kater1, I water my orchids in the bath with shower water. I use slightly warm water to make them feel as though they are in a tropical forest. They do fine with this treatment which I do once a week.

Emma

gardenersworld.com team

Sue 2

04/04/2012 at 21:08

I was told by an orchid grower at hampton court flower show NOT to use the pink baby bio orchid feed. Use the orchid feed think called 'Blooms' or a powderd 1. Theres two types 1 for flowering & 1 for growth. preferably use rain water to water with & just let them soak for 5 mins then allow to drain out. If you get mealy bug use methalated spirits on a sm paint brush to wipe it off, but if it keeps coming back you may need to take it out of its pot & wash off all compost & then re pot using fresh orchid compost & a clean pot. Do the same for any other orchids you have or any other plants infested by it. You can wipe the leaves with a soapy water solution.

john8

22/05/2012 at 09:27

how do i treat the roots of orchids

Sybil2

22/05/2012 at 15:46

Does anyone know how to get my orchids to bloom? I bought orchid bulbs in Madeira about 6 years ago and although the plants seem healthy, they have never flowered - I do not even remember which type of orchid they are but they have long slender leave which need staking as they grow very long. I have concentrated orchid feed which I use twice a month. Can anyone advise as to what I need to do or what I am doing wrong. Thanks

su6

26/05/2012 at 17:12

Hello. I've had an orchid on my kitchen window sill since last November. It has been beautiful. It had two stems. The last flowers fell off one stem about three weeks ago and I trimmed it to about 6 inches - is that right? the second stem has two flowers left on it - about to fall any time now. What should I do next? I have a greenhouse. Should I put it in there or leave it where it is?

gillian browne

12/07/2012 at 20:37

that was a useful video but I always lose mine apart
from the leaves. I think I cut the stems to short.

Sue 2

13/07/2012 at 10:41

Hi su6 just trim the stem down to an outward facing node (they look like tiny leaves) & it will grow more stems & more flowers. cut it down preferably before the last flower has finished while the sap is still rising.

Sybil2 try going on the web site www.orchids.uk.com & send them a pic & ask for advice, theyre very helpful.

schubbs

22/10/2012 at 20:48

Very useful and practical video. It would be of added use to have, somewhere, how to spot disease (insect, scale, fungus, spots on leaves, etc) and what to do about it.

homebird

27/01/2013 at 15:51

I have accumulated 6 phals now and just water mine when the roots look grey. Sometimes giving them a deep soak in a washing up bowl of warmed rainwater and at other times pouring aired tap water, with orchid food added, into the top of the pot. I also have the pots standing in a tray into which the poured water drains and I leave it there to evaporate. They are almost always in flower and I cut the stems down as someone previously advised to a lower bud once the last flowers are about to drop. Some plants are in the kitchen window facing east and the rest are in the cooler conservatory facing the same way. I fortunately haven't had problems with diseases.

Flower bird

08/02/2013 at 15:39

I have got to repot a few of my orchids, the compost has broken down and also the orchids are outgrowing their pots. Am going to try the big one in a clay pot and the smaller one in a clear pot.
Have got the proper compost but am going to put a little charcoal in them. I am looking forward to doing this because it is a bit of a challenge. Have enjoyed your video Sarah, I also looked at some on you tube. All has been very helpful. Thank you.

Flower bird

08/02/2013 at 18:55

Anyone got any idea where to put a sick orchid? I bort it at Christmas in its plastic bag and when I got it home and removed it from its packaging the orchid had been sweating and it's leaves were soggy.. I should have taken it back but I didn't..
All it's flowers fell off and I ended up having to cut off sickly leaves which were going a funny colour and rotting.
I am left with two big leaves which I think are getting paler by the day.
I am reluctant to put it in a bin incase I can revive it. I have not put it on my window ledge which is shaded by a light net. Felt it still might be too light for it at the moment, I have now moved it into the kitchen which is the warmest place especially during the night.
Any ideas?

Lorraine4

10/03/2013 at 12:43

Hi flower girl almost impossible to save at that stage subject buy new one only a fiver at most super markets we have kept seven for over five years just water them once a week by dunking the whole pot in tepet water for five minutes let it drain and spry with orchid myst when flowers start dying back cut the stem just above a node and it will re flower in a month or two when you have cut it place in a dark corner until buds appear good luck Lorraine.