Orchids

I was so scared of trying to grow orchids that it took me a while to get the nerve to buy one. Now, although not the expert Barry is, I do OK with them. What I have found out is that they do actually like water, just not to sit in it. So I don’t mist, I water them. Two to three times a week, I take them out of their “pretty” second pots and put them all out on the walkway and water them with the rest of the garden. When they have drained, I put them back.

As for sun, they do not like direct sunlight but prefer the dappled sunlight they would get under or in a tree, au naturel, so to speak. I keep mine on the front porch; they get a little early morning sun and nothing else. I do fertilize about once every 6 weeks or so and always put them out when it rains. There is nothing like rain water.

I keep mine in a first “plain” pot and in a bark mixture. I do not repot until really necessary, when the roots have taken over the pot. In doing so, I soak the roots and what of the potting mixture is still attached in water until pliable. During this time, I take the chance to trim off any dead roots. Then use the bark potting mixture, filling the new “plain” pot ½ ways. I place the roots into the prepared pot and hold in place whilst filling the pot the remainder of the way with the mixture. After this, I place the stick that will hold blooms grow in place, as I think needed.

In clipping the dead bloom stalk, in general I clip way back when the last bloom has died. All orchids of course are different, so I look at all internet sources I can for the variants.