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Florist orchid pots
Posted by helen
Florist orchid pots January 10, 2022 12:30AM |
Admin Registered: 18 years ago Posts: 7,920 |
Are florist orchids in pots different to what you would buy in a garden centre, in terms of growing medium etc... being organised for long term life?
I have noticed that the orchids I have had from florists or inherited from others to try and revive back to life seem to have little bark or other growing medium in their pots and I wondered if this was intentional or not.
Any thoughts?
I have just repotted a sad looking florist orchid for a friend. I am no expert but have cut the stem back to the base, watered it thoroughly and then drained it well and it is in a room where other orchids thrive so fingers crossed it comes back to good health.
Any tips from you?
I have noticed that the orchids I have had from florists or inherited from others to try and revive back to life seem to have little bark or other growing medium in their pots and I wondered if this was intentional or not.
Any thoughts?
I have just repotted a sad looking florist orchid for a friend. I am no expert but have cut the stem back to the base, watered it thoroughly and then drained it well and it is in a room where other orchids thrive so fingers crossed it comes back to good health.
Any tips from you?
Re: Florist orchid pots January 18, 2022 06:54AM |
Registered: 8 years ago Posts: 607 |
Helen, I am no orchid expert but from what I have read, it seems that most orchids are epiphytes ie live on host plants. That's why most of those you buy commercially are planted in very loose material - bark etc - which drains well, and they have roots that hang over the side of the pot which is how they attach themselves to the host. My understanding is that the material that they are planted in is only supporting the plant in the pot ie not contributing to its health or well-being.
So...I have a little pink bottle of liquid orchid food called Baby Bio - add a few drops in a litre of water during the spring/summer growing season.
I don't know much about the other type - terrestrial orchids - but I suspect that they are planted and cared for more traditionally.
It would be great to hear from someone who knows more than I do.
Regards,
Barbara Anne.
So...I have a little pink bottle of liquid orchid food called Baby Bio - add a few drops in a litre of water during the spring/summer growing season.
I don't know much about the other type - terrestrial orchids - but I suspect that they are planted and cared for more traditionally.
It would be great to hear from someone who knows more than I do.
Regards,
Barbara Anne.
Re: Florist orchid pots January 18, 2022 11:02PM |
Admin Registered: 18 years ago Posts: 7,920 |
Barbara Ann I too use the same little pink bottle of liquid feed but missed the bit about spring/summer feeding so my poor orchids get fed all year round and flower for most of it. I will give them a rest this winter.
The orchid I repotted is looking so much healthier, to my novice eye, there was too little bark in the original pot and this one now has a layer of bark at the bottom plus enough bark around the roots to hold the plant stable.
I am interested in hearing more about this but do wonder if florist orchids are designed to be a flower rather than living for years....
The orchid I repotted is looking so much healthier, to my novice eye, there was too little bark in the original pot and this one now has a layer of bark at the bottom plus enough bark around the roots to hold the plant stable.
I am interested in hearing more about this but do wonder if florist orchids are designed to be a flower rather than living for years....
Re: Florist orchid pots January 18, 2022 11:24PM |
Registered: 18 years ago Posts: 5,388 |
I have been a notorious murderer of Phalaenopsis Orchids and all but given up on owning them. I then heard about growing them hydroponically. So as an experiment, purchased a small one last year and took it out of the pot, washed the roots and placed into water. Only half of the roots should be immersed in water. The flowers eventually passed away after a few months, but I have had two new leaves. Am going to leave it and see if flowers return or not.
With regards your comment Barbara regarding Epiphytes - we have a type of orchid (not sure which) and it is an epiphyte. So as an experiment, we placed a cutting with roots into the fibrous bark of our large palm tree. Wrapped cling wrap around to hold it for now, and did one on each side of the tree to see how they last under the different lighting and weather conditions. It has been 3 months now and there are new tiny aerial roots. Just waiting to see now if it will flower as the mother plant does, in soil in a pot.
With regards your comment Barbara regarding Epiphytes - we have a type of orchid (not sure which) and it is an epiphyte. So as an experiment, we placed a cutting with roots into the fibrous bark of our large palm tree. Wrapped cling wrap around to hold it for now, and did one on each side of the tree to see how they last under the different lighting and weather conditions. It has been 3 months now and there are new tiny aerial roots. Just waiting to see now if it will flower as the mother plant does, in soil in a pot.
Re: Florist orchid pots January 21, 2022 01:39AM |
Admin Registered: 18 years ago Posts: 7,920 |
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