[Cathy]

Visitors to my house may have noticed a vase of hot-pink Phalaenopsis, which are 100% plastic. I have a black thumb, and am not to be trusted with the real thing.

But I've been gifted with a magnificent living example. Can anyone provide some tips on how to keep it that way? Other than offering to take it off my hands, that is.

[Daisy]

I have a black thumb but am wildly successful with orchids which puts them in the Hard to Kill category. They like light. When I have them I put them on a table near the window every morning. I do not get a ton of direct sunlight but my apartment is on a high floor so I do get lots of light. Once a week, at night, water them by putting them in the bathtub and really soaking the growing medium and leave them overnight to drain. FYI, my cats chew on the leaves which does not seem to bother the orchid but can look a little weird.

[Cathy]

Thanks, Daisy! I'm going to leave the plant at the office - the boy cat would knock it over, or amuse himself trying. I'll put it on the table in front of the window.

[Robert Schonfeld]

Phaelanopsis are easy to grow on NYC windowsills. You need a pot with good drainage, preferably with slits on the sides, bark chips as a growing medium, and, as Daisy says, a good weekly soak. Setting the pot in a saucer filled with stone chips and filled with water will generate some desirable humidity.

We have gotten some of our best orchids from the garbage.

[MyKong]

They like lots of light but not direct sun-- a sheer curtain can help filter the light.

They like to be fed occasionally.


http://www.orchidlady.com/growing.html

[Cathy]

Robert, it arrived in a wide terra cotta pot. Not sure what the growing medium is, but it's covered with moss, which seems like it would help keep it moist. I'll add some stone chips to the saucer.

Great link, MyKong! Very helpful.

Thanks for the advice, friends.

[Evelyn]

Cathy, there is a wonderful orchid nursery I visit when I am in Hawaii...here's the website:
http://www.kawamotoorchids.com

Also, Orchid Growing for Wimps by Ellen Zachos provides lots of photos for all kinds of orchid information from repotting and soil types to which orchids are easy to grow to 'problems' and how to solve them.

[Cathy]

Thanks, Evelyn! Another great link.

[GG Mora]

Orchids seem to take perverse pleasure in performing well for the otherwise black-thumbed. At one time, I had nearly twenty of them, all different types. I cared for them by the book, even bought them their own humidifier, etc, etc. While the plants were all beautifully healthy, I couldn't for the life of me persuade any of them to rebloom for me, bloom being the point of orchids after all.

Two friends keep phaelenopses, one in the dark in her bathroom, the other on a neglected side table somewhere. Both admit to watering only every few months (when they suddenly realize they haven't watered in a few months) and never feed. And their orchids bloom and bloom and bloom. And bloom. I swear I saw one stick its tongue out at me once.

[Tamar G]

my mother couldn't get orchids to rebloom and once sent her orchid to an orchid motel for the non-bloombing months. When it started to bloom again, they sent it back. She decided it was cheaper to throw them out after blooming was over and get new ones.

[flyfish]

Tamar G, on Aug 2 2005, 03:02 PM, said:

an orchid motel

You learn something new every day!

Fly

[Cathy]

flyfish, on Aug 2 2005, 03:37 PM, said:

Tamar G, on Aug 2 2005, 03:02 PM, said:

an orchid motel

You learn something new every day!

Fly

Rooms by the hour?