Help!!! I have an Orchid.....

[InletBchDweller]

and it is dying. I received 3 in the past month and they are starting to not look so good. Should I....
throw them in the trash after all the blooms are gone???
Does anyone have any luck with them????
Hints and tips would be great....I feel I have a 3/4 green thumb so I am not skeered to try....THanks in advance...

 

[Cil]

Is it really *dying* dying or just losing its bloom?
They just bloom every now and then, and look rather boring when not blooming.
I finally got mine to bloom again before we moved here, but had to give it up.
If you're not really into plants, or just not too excited about orchids, maybe you should throw them away--but ask around first, maybe someone wants one.

 

[Teresa Cline]

and it is dying. I received 3 in the past month and they are starting to not look so good. Should I....
throw them in the trash after all the blooms are gone???
Does anyone have any luck with them????
Hints and tips would be great....I feel I have a 3/4 green thumb so I am not skeered to try....THanks in advance...

Are you over watering it? seems more people kill orchids this way...what kind of orchid is it, if you want to p.m. me I might be able to offer some insight

 

[bdc63]

Don't you just love orchids? I try to have several in bloom around the house at all times. Here's my advice:

instead of "watering" your orchid, put an ice cube in the pot everyday or every other day (2 if it's a big pot). this creates sort of a slow drip watering for the orchid.

keep it out of direct light ... filtered light is better.

after it has lost all of its blooms, fertilize it by purchasing a water soluable fertilizer for orchids, filling a deep bowl with the liquid, and submerging the entire pot into the liquid. dip a cup into the liquid and pour some of the liquid over the leaves. leave it submerged in the liquid until it is completely saturated (1/2 hour or so), and then let it drain well.

I like to fertilize once every six weeks until I see a stem emerging -- then stop fertilizing. Most of my orchids bloom twice a year (and can be in bloom for up to 3 months).

If the leaves start to turn yellow and fall off, you have over watered it.

Sometimes you'll get a "dud" or tempermental orchid, and it just won't rebloom for you. Give it a year then toss it is my advice.

Hope that helps.

 

[Rita]

bdc63, Thanks for the care instructions!

The nursery I work at is going to start carrying a few orchids this spring and none of our staff has grown them before so we have to research them.

Anyone else grow them and have anything to offer? Heck, maybe I can do all my research on SoWal.

.

 

[DD]

bdc63, Thanks for the care instructions!

The nursery I work at is going to start carrying a few orchids this spring and none of our staff has grown them before so we have to research them.

Anyone else grow them and have anything to offer? Heck, maybe I can do all my research on SoWal.

.

that's what i say...who needs google when you have sowal?

 

[bdc63]

glad it was helpful, rita. you are going to love working with orchids.

 

[Rita]

glad it was helpful, rita. you are going to love working with orchids.

I hope so ......

One thing is for sure. We're going to have to keep our fellow that waters away from them! He's always overwatering stuff.


dd - I've been SoWoogling for some time now!

It's the best source of "experts" I've found - Quick to respond and saves me time searching the net.


.

 

[InletBchDweller]

Thanks for the advice. I think right now I need to re pot them. I bought and "orchid pot"? it has holes all over it. I also need to get some planting medium. I googles growing orchids and found alot of info but not as much in it as SoWal's. If there is one thing I AM going to do is keep all my mom's plants alive. She has had one since 1987 . I will let yalll know about the orchids........R~

 

[Mango]

IBD, this site was helpful to me when I started trying to maintain orchids.
Geographically, we have a lot less humidity here, so I have some success with some, and not so much with others. This site tells you the different types of orchids, temperature and light preferences, etc.
Depending on the type, if it likes cool winters, you could put them outside at night. Here I can't, but you can. ;-)