# Orchids



## suzy (Oct 12, 2003)

Hi,
I was bought an orchid in a pot for my birthday eight months ago and it was in full flower. It lasted for ages, then all the flowers died and it was just a stalk with leaves at the bottom. Now its sprouted buds again and looks like it might flower any time soon. The thing that worries me is that its covered in bit of white fluff. Anyone any ideas? I live in a warm climate and its usually 21-27 degrees in the kitchen which is where its kept. 

Would really appreciate any advice from anyone who knows more about orchids


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## custard (Jan 20, 2006)

Hi there!  Is it a phaleonopsis?  That's the most common kind.  The white fluff might be botrytis (grey mould).  How often do you water your orchid?  They are well adapted to living in a centrally heated house, but if they get too much water they can rot off.  I suggest cutting down on the watering and aiming for once a week max.  Also, don't leave it sitting in water.  Let it "drink" from the saucer for an hour and then throw away any water that hasn't been absorbed.  Orchids usually need a loose free-draining compost as well.  Can you describe what type it's in?

Hope that helps.
Love,
Jen


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## AmandaB1971 (Feb 19, 2006)

Wow Jen

I'm well impressed with your knowledge hun!! 

Axx


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## suzy (Oct 12, 2003)

Me too Mandy 

Jen - do I just wipe the mould off ? Its a bit like cotton wool. And the orchid's not in compost, its in a pot full of little stones. Have no idea what type of orchid it is, but its flowers are a creamy colour. Its not a centrally heated house, its Australia and its very hot in the summer ie. now - about 30degs today, 28 inside unless I"m in, then its airconditioneed!

Love,

S


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## custard (Jan 20, 2006)

Hmmmm.  I'm just guessing here!    The fact it's in stones and not compost is good (hopefully there is some bark or coconut husk or something below the stones.  That goes with the need for it to be free-draining so that's fine.  To be sure about the fluff I'd have to see a picture.  Any chance of uploading a digital piccy, then I can give a more sure answer.  Central heating / warm due to weather both should be fine!

Hope that helps!
Love,
Jen


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## DizziSquirrel (Feb 15, 2005)

I'm impressed too - I now know why mine died  

Keep looking at getting another . . . . 

~Dizzi~


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## *kateag* (Jun 20, 2006)

Wow! Knowledge!!

I have an orchid plant, the flowers died of (lasted ages though) and now I just have the green "pointy" leaves. Do you think it will flower again?? 

xxxx


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## custard (Jan 20, 2006)

Yup, it is possible to get them to flower again.  Try to describe the plant a bit more and I'll work out what it is and then tell you what you need to do.  Could you post a picture?

Hope I can help  

Jen


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## flamingo (Aug 3, 2005)

Helloooooooooooooooooooooo

Can I add my little bit of knowledge?

I have 3 orchids in the house now and seem to be doing ok with them.

I heard the following on a gardening prog once and mine are still going after 4 seasons of flowering.

water - an ice cubes worth every 2 wks - I must admit to doing a little more often than this but as Jen says never leave standing in water - they hate that.

after flowering - I always cut mine down to two nodules, the first always being quite close to the bottom of the stem.

repotting - don't, ever.

Hope this helps?

good luck

Flamingo
xx


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## *kateag* (Jun 20, 2006)

Ok they are purple flowers with sort of black specks on them. (I've no idea if all orchids are the same plant wise!) but they have Pointy green leaves sort of like aloe vera plants. With 2 stems in there for the flowers. 

I've cut the stems right back and they have gone brown and twig like, but the green leaves are still perfect. 

I only water it a tiny amount every 2 weeks and its on my table so not in direct sunlight but gets some, if that makes sense!

Such a beautiful flower and really expensive so dont want it to die!!!

xxxx


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## custard (Jan 20, 2006)

OK.....  What happens at the base of the leaves?  How many leaves does it have?  Are they long and thin (say 3 cm wide and more than 30 cm long?) or are they wider and shorter and dark green?  Do the leaves come straight out of the compost?  Or do thy come from a swollen stem thing?

Ooooh, it's hard to describe these.....  I have a better idea, I will google for some good pictures and then post you links to look at.  There are hundreds of different types of orchid (but luckily only a few make good houseplants!) but the few that you are likely to have do have different requirements.

I'll be back in a min....

Jen


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## custard (Jan 20, 2006)

Just wrote a great reply and lost it 

OK, we'll start again. To save time, I think it sounds like a cymbidium (I have a strange feeling in my waters  ) so look at this first....

Third picture down on the right hand side. http://www.napavalleyorchidsociety.org/repot.asp?Subject=6
Do your leaves and specifically the bases of them look like that?

Here is a picture of the whole plant: http://www.flowers.org.uk/plants/calendar/lush_delight.htm

If not a have another few ideas 

There are hundreds of different types of orchids, but luckily there are only a few that make really good houseplants. Of those, however, the different types do need different care. Oh, and you should repot orchids, but you need to use special orchid compost easily available at homebase or garden centres...

Hope to help soon, and sorry for being a pain!
Jen


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## *kateag* (Jun 20, 2006)

Nope its neither of those!!  Strangely enough I have a pic of it, but im not sure how to attach it! erm.... help!!

its ok, got it covered  its not a great pic, but can you tell what it is?


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## custard (Jan 20, 2006)

It's hard to see the base of the leaves, but from the picture I'd say it is a cymbidium.  They come with all sorts of different coloured flowers and there are a few different sized plants as well.

The following advice is based on it being a cymbidium and obviously I can't take any resposibility if it curls up and dies    You've already cut back the flowering spike which is good.  Now just keep watering it as before until the chance of frost is past.  It depends on where you are in the country, but for most of us you're safe by May.  At that point put the plant outside, somewhere in dappled shade and not too windy.  If it is dry for a long period water it, but generally ignore it for a few months.  Once the weather turns colder again bring it back in.  If it is starting lift itself out of the pot, there are too many roots for the size of pot and you'll need to pot it up into a bigger pot using some orchid compost from a garden centre.  If you have to do this just google repotting orchids and you'll get lots of advice.  You can feed your orchid with 1/2 strength houseplant feed i.e. make it up as instructed and then dilute again with the same volume of water.  And you should usually water it with rain water rather than tap water.  It all sounds more complicated than it really is!  I have two cymbidium orchids and one of them is about to come into flower again and the other I will have to be patient for!    I hope that helps.  Let me know how you get on.

Love,
Jen
xxx


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