Rick, That's awesome... Hope mine look like that, when they bloom The one's I've gotten, are being treated the same as yours. Outside until the temp get down to 50. Will be in a window, when they come in...
(that will be my challenge)
Ken, Bet those mini's mounted are gorgeous too...
Missy, Your not that far, and have kinda similar weather conditions as Rick and I do (all this lovely humidity). Although your winter may not be a cold. I have to tell you, this is my first time experiencing Orchids, and I'm loving them. And so looking forward to the BLOOMSssss...... May not next year if I can't get them to bloom again, and I've already made one dumb purchase and then another I've purchased off e-bay has been troublesome... (Should have waited for responses from the experienced folks on here before acting..
But I have to say, I got a bunch of Phalaenopsis from Lowe's marked down to $.47.. this spring. I had to trash a few right off the bat. But the rest have come around quite nicely. They appear to be getting ready to put up spikes again. So I'm really looking forward to what colors they will be... Best advise I was given for them was change their growing medium ASAP with orchid mixture for Phalaenopsis, being sure it has charcoal in it. Make sure it's pot is well ventilated. Run water through them for a bit each week so they can get the oxygen they need to flourish, and feed Better - Gro Orchid Plus & Orchid Bloom Booster regularly.... And that's been working really well for me with these.... If you get a chance to get any, I wouldn't hesitate to try them... And they hold their blooms so so long too..
Carol, In talking to local folks about orchids. (which are far and few between, until I get to the spring orchid shows and meet some of the folks in this region that actually have of them. I did reach out to some locals off the internet, but didn't get a response). Orchids don't seem to be so terribly popular here due to our extreme's in weather conditions, unless you have a temperature controlled greenhouse. Some folks I talked to say their orchids do well outside in the summer and in heated sunrooms in the winter. So, for now, I'm kinda sticking with the Oncidiums & Maxillarias (except for the Phalaenopis). From what I've researched they seem to be the most tolerant for beginners and home growing. So, I'm hopeful... Sounds like you have some real challenges out there with the dry air and weather conditions. We had a crazy spring here, my container plants & tropicals really suffered, because I didn't anticipate the continued drastic weather changes.
Ted, I'm really hopeful that the ones I've gotten will do well, we have horrid humidity here in the east. Plants love it though... My challenge will be keeping them going well through the winter, til they can get back outside in the humidity, and bright light... But we wouldn't be gardener's if we didn't love the challenges it brings.
