Please help me with my new orchid

maman

I was given an orchid for my birthday two months ago and it's still going strong! This is a first as all those I've had previously died on me.


I've kept it in a north facing window away from heat or strong sunlight and watered it from below when the compost felt a bit dry.


Is this right? Should I be doing anything else?


What I wanted to ask was whether I can/should repot it? It came potted in what seems to be no more than a plastic drinking cup and it's very tightly packed in there. It will only stand upright in the plant holder because I've wedged it into some gravel. Does it need to be tightly packed in the pot like this?


All advice welcome.


TIA

wallbash

nd it's very tightly packed in there.

Yes, they all are.We manage to 'restart' our blooms year after year.
Leave them alone and get back to us after they have flowered, dropped their petals .

Biggest problem is normally to grow the leading shoot straight. We now have a glass stake with loops , where we train the reluctant stem.

maman

wallbash wrote: »

Yes, they all are.We manage to 'restart' our blooms year after year.
Leave them alone and get back to us after they have flowered, dropped their petals .

Biggest problem is normally to grow the leading shoot straight. We now have a glass stake with loops , where we train the reluctant stem.

Thank you so much. I'll be back when the flowers drop.:)

maman

wallbash wrote: »

Yes, they all are.We manage to 'restart' our blooms year after year.
Leave them alone and get back to us after they have flowered, dropped their petals .

Biggest problem is normally to grow the leading shoot straight. We now have a glass stake with loops , where we train the reluctant stem.

The petals have almost completely dropped off.:(


What should I do now?:)

wallbash

Cut the stem hard back, wait for a new stem to grow.
And try to train the stem to grow straight, its fairly flexible.When about a foot high allow to bend
Don't over water.
Don't worry about overcrowding roots , thats normal

tanith

Before you cut the stem off check that there isn't a new shoot growing out of it as mine often sprout a new flower stalk from the old one. I feed mine with orchid food about once a month and wipe the leaves with a slightly damp cloth to keep the dust off. good luck

jules-2005

I don't do house plants normally as I kill them, but I was given one as a moving in present 5 years ago and its doing well considering I neglect it for months at a time. I occasionally remember to water it but don't do anything else and it flowers time after time. I have got a new flower shoot showing off an old stem. I did think about cutting it back but forgot lol

wallbash

nd its doing well considering I neglect it for months at a time. I occasionally remember to water

Orchids, the flowers for us lazy growers!

maman

wallbash wrote: »

Cut the stem hard back, wait for a new stem to grow.
And try to train the stem to grow straight, its fairly flexible.When about a foot high allow to bend
Don't over water.
Don't worry about overcrowding roots , thats normal

Thanks so much for getting back to me.


So when you say 'hard back' does that mean cut it back to just above where the leaves are/coming out of the pot?


And then I water it only when it's really dry? And is it best left where it is on the cool window sill?

System

I have 4 orchids at home atm, one I have had for around three years and its still flowering really well.

Like the others have said, the pot is fine.

As for cutting back, don't cut back too far down. That is a mistake I have made previously and it never grew back. You see the little nooks all the way up the stem? Most people suggest cutting just above the lowest one however, I'd go one above that. Like one of the others said, just double check that there aren't any new shoots already developing before you chop away.

It will take a while before a new shoot begins to grow.

They like a lot of natural light but not direct sunlight. I water mine once every two weeks with probably half a cup of water. I've never actually fed mine before either until just recently for a plant which has a new stem growing. x

Marg

Just read all the advice on here - Thank you

I was bought an orchid as a gift and when the flowers dropped I cut the stem back to the node just below where the flowers had been - now I think that might have been wrong and I should have cut lower down?

The stem wound 'leaked' for about a week and there is no sign of any more flowers on the way but there is a new healthy looking leaf growing at the base so I presume the plant is OK.

So......should I leave well alone or cut the stem further down?
And what sort of food would be appropriate please or none?
I am watering about every 10 days.

TIA