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Post by rosemarytheherb on Apr 28, 2009 21:17:33 GMT
;D I have been nuturing an orchid which was given to us a year ago. I thought I had killed it with neglect, it looked like a stick and 2 of the large leaves fell off, I started to look after it and we have a flower!!!!!!! Thought it was a hopeless case but I got advice and followed it carefully and tonight one of the buds has opened. ;D Rose x Phew!!
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Post by Suzy R Sopham on Apr 29, 2009 6:59:53 GMT
Great Rosemary! Where's the picture???
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Post by Peek on Apr 29, 2009 10:22:28 GMT
Well done Rosemary...I too was given an orchid at Christmas time in 2007, and it really looked quite sad after the flowers fell off. However I replanted it, and talked to it alot, and it has produced 6 flowers on the stem, and as the last flower has just fallen, 2 new buds have appeared, so don't give up hope! Here is one side of it :
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Post by Fi on Apr 29, 2009 11:00:26 GMT
That's gorgeous Peekie. Speaking as a failed orchid reviver, where did you keep the plant while you lavished it with TLC? I've never got beyond the new leaves stage.
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Post by Peek on Apr 29, 2009 11:38:26 GMT
Fi, I keep it on a windowsill in the kitchen, it's fairly high ( well, for me it is ) which means I have to stretch up a way to water it, so in actual fact it thrived on neglect because I only watered it when I remembered,lol. It's fairly shady, gets the sun through a misted window late afternoon/early evening, and has the occasional draught from another nearby window. Also, I planted it with some of the roots (?) showing on the surface, not sure why I did that, but it doesn't seem to have affected it...and it had rain water whenever possible.
Strangely enough I had forgotten what the colour of the blooms had been, but T5 seems to think that it was originally a more vivid pink, so whether they change I don't know !
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Post by Suzy R Sopham on Apr 29, 2009 17:02:02 GMT
I've got two orchids both of which at different times have been totally without flowers and looking like there is no hope.
They just seem to love neglect, particularly lack of water.
I keep both of mine on window ledges which both get the sun from mid morning onwards.
I won't show you a photograph as they are both 'in stick' at the moment but have more growth coming!
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Post by troykerr on Apr 29, 2009 18:50:09 GMT
We still have two that we bought to help dress the last house when selling it. Water it when we remember and not yet had any fertiliser in 5+ years. Amazing as up to now I had 'black fingers' when it came to indoor plants.
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Post by Tigger on Apr 30, 2009 11:41:12 GMT
Beautiful flowers Peek
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Post by lottielou on May 3, 2009 13:51:07 GMT
Lovely Orchid, Peek. I have had a passion for Orchids for years ever since I visited the Diana Orchid exhibition at Kew Gardens. Fi in answer to your question this may help. In my experience they are best kept in a glass or transparent pot filled with fibrous material like bark chippings mixed with a little peat. You can buy orchid compost ready mixed. They do like to have some of their roots exposed. I immerse the pot in rain water for about 10 minutes before draining off the excess once a fortnight. Misting regularly if you have a dry atmosphere. They do not need watering in winter. Mine do well on the windowsill with diffused light. They do not like direct sunlight. Also Peek is right. Do not cut the stem back immediately after the last flower has dropped as they often grow new stems from the original. Like this Phalaenopsis here
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Post by rosemarytheherb on May 3, 2009 21:08:48 GMT
Great Rosemary! Where's the picture??? Erm its a bit embarrassing but I'm still learning how to. Rose x
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Post by Fi on May 3, 2009 23:15:02 GMT
Thanks for the advice lottie - especially the bit about transparent plant pots/containers. It hadn't clicked with me before, but there had to be a reason why they are grown commercially in transparent pots.
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Post by rosemarytheherb on May 6, 2009 22:13:43 GMT
the advice I got from Swillington Nurseries was..it doesn't re-potting til you cant see the bark chippings for the roots! Rose xx
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