On 02/02/2016 16:53, Roger Tonkin wrote:
In article ,
says...
On 01/02/2016 16:29, Roger Tonkin wrote:
Over the weekend the last flower on my phal orchid fell off,
after the single stem (albeit branched) had been in open flower
for 6 months and 2 days. The last flower hung on alone for
about 3 weeks.
Is this a normal flowering period, or short or exceptionally
long?
Interestingly, I've never noted the flowering period of mine except,
perhaps to observe that some go over more quickly than others (still
talking Phals here). Mind you, I have loads of Phals, so keeping a
calendar could become time-consuming! My experience is that the whites
often flower for a long time (months not weeks). If you also keep it
relatively cool (some of my neighbours homes are like ovens), that would
prolong flowering life, too.
This was a pinky one, my white has has been in full flower now
since the 11th Setember.
I try and water them evry 4 weeks (by standing them up to the
top of the pot in rain water for half an hour - to help this
process, I have a little piece of paper under each one, with
the last watering date on, so I just note when it comes out
into flower as well. Mind you, I've only got 2 phals to deal
with.
At the moment, I have 17 phals. I also have quite a few paphs, cymbs
and cambria types, plus one Cattaleya. Well over 30 orchids in all.
This takes quite a bit of care. I try to water mine somewhere between 2
and 3 weeks, remembering to feed as well occasionally. I tend to use a
special orchid 'bloom' feed to encourage flowers, although my cymbs get
a very weak Tomorite feed whilst outdoors in the summer. This seems to
suit them. One of my cymbs had 5 flower spikes, another had 7!! I have
2 others which are not up to flowering strength yet because I had to
divide them.
About five of my phals came to me via an elderly neighbour who can't
look after hers any more. She tended to water hers with cold tea (less
milk!) which she swore was good for them. What it has actually done is
stained the roots brownish-black which means they can't photosynthesise
through their roots. I tried to warn her this was happening, but she
continued with the tea regime. Even now I own them, they all still have
some stained roots and are weaker plants because of it, and I've had
them at least three years! Gradually, though, new roots are replacing
the stained ones.
--
Spider
On high ground in SE London
Gardening on heavy clay