Indoor orchids

[Deleted User]

Hi I have in the past few months been given two of those indoor Orchids one pink and one blue I kept them in my conservatory and now the flowers have almost finished and dropped off but the base of them seem to be thriving and have quite big leaves.

A. do I cut the main stem that the flowers have been on down and keep the root and large leaves (they look a bit like rubber plant leaves

B. would you just bin it as the flowers have obviously finished It seems a shame to throw out two seemingly healthy plants but I really don't know what to do with them

peter_the_piper

A) yes
deffo not.
Cut flower stem down to the base, gently water and sometimes feed. Keep out of strong sunlight and in a few months they may well flower again. OH has 2 and both have flowered at least twice in the last 12 months, one is now throwing up 2 shoots. Very good value for money as each stem can last nearly 6 months.

[Deleted User]

peter_the_piper wrote: »

A) yes
deffo not.
Cut flower stem down to the base, gently water and sometimes feed. Keep out of strong sunlight and in a few months they may well flower again. OH has 2 and both have flowered at least twice in the last 12 months, one is now throwing up 2 shoots. Very good value for money as each stem can last nearly 6 months.

Thank you so much for your answer, I hate the thought of binning a perfectly good plant. Although in my conservatory its quite nice and warm but doesn't get direct sunlight.
I had the blue one in February, and the last of the flowers have dropped off now but the leaves are a good size, and the pink one I was given at the end of March and it still has a few flowers left on there

Should I wait until all the flowers have fallen off before cutting down to the base.and is Tomerite OK to feed it with ?

JackieO

Flick216

I have two indoor orchids in my office that have been there for 3 years! They are flowering beautifully at the moment.

They seem to last forever and even if they look as if they will never flower again, they will.

harrys_nan

You can cut the flowering stem just above a bloom node and you may get a new stem growing from there. I have had my orchids for years and always get new flower either from a completely new stem or from one that grows from the old one. Most people start off with a moth orchid.
This link may give you some tips

https://www.justaddiceorchids.com/just-add-ice-orchid-blog/bid/81436/how-to-trigger-reblooming-of-your-phalaenopsis-orchid.

[Deleted User]

Gosh thanks everyone I am so pleased and the link is terrific harry's nan its brilliant I am so pleased I didn't biin them. I look forward to getting new blooms eventually, what a brilliant lot of replies

JackieO xx

theoretica

Your blue one will have different colour flowers next time, probably white, they will have had dye injected into the stem.

Silver_Queen

Orchids are my favourite flowers! You can trim the stem just below the little crook in the stem closest to where the last flower was (the node) and it might grow a new little branch from there and new flowers. If the stem dries up, you can trim it at its base. The plant will go into growing mode and probably grow some new leaves and shed some of the older big ones. Take a look at the roots, if it looks like it has a relatively healthy system with a lot of green or silvery roots it'll be perfectly fine. Don't water it too much! They don't like sitting in water because it'll make the roots rot. Just water it when the roots are silvery by sitting it in some water until the roots are greenish, then let the water all run off. Don't water it again until the roots are silvery again, usually about 1 week! Hope you enjoy your orchids

ed1178

Agree with all above. An occasional feed is beneficial, you can buy orchid food at any garden centre although baby bio is probably fine too.

Orchids can Ben fussy about watering. It is recommended to use rainwater, but I always use tap with no problems. My preferred method is to water once a week. Fully submerge the pots in water upto the base of the leaves for ten minutes, then stand on the draining board until all the free water has drained out before putting back into whatever outer decorative pot you are using. In a conservatory where the air is very dry, you may want to do this every few days rather than every week, use your judgement- just don't keep them permantly wet- a couple of dry days will do no harm where as permanent moisture will cause eventual rot.

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

FIL (orchid fan) says you've got nothing to lose, but to remember they have been under a massive amount of stress, having been coddled and coaxed into flowering, then transported, then stored, then transported, then stored, then transported and then put on sale for a long time, then bought, transported and then brought home, so they're more likely to die if indulged and fussed over than just generally given a rest.

He also says that they don't get as much water as most people assume in their natural habitat - it's more drips and occasional rainfall, as the canopy of other plants tends to stop it all going near them, together with a regular misting of the air around them.


His flat is absolutely chokka with orchids, both common and rare, some grown from seed - but none of them get much fuss.

LadyDee

The blooms like an occasional spray with tepid water too - reminds them of home!