On Friday, February 19, 2016 at 7:50:18 AM UTC-8, David E. Ross wrote:
On 2/18/2016 7:28 PM, Hypatia Nachshon wrote:
On Thursday, February 18, 2016 at 7:39:32 AM UTC-8, Hypatia Nachshon wrote:
I received 3 Trader Joe-type orchids for my
birthday party, and would like to combine
them in one container for a sort of orchid "forest".

Have never dealt with orchids before,
so wonder if my plan is even feasible.

Would like to remove them from their original
(small) pots and transplant them together in one large,
handsome, SHALLOW pot.

Questions:

1. Can this kind of TJ orchid take transplanting?

2. If so, how far apart must 3 plants be?

3. How deep must soil/orchid mix be? Ideally, the
look I want is shallow, but would this work?

4. Should I add (good) garden dirt to the orchid
mix from original pots?

Any wisdom, links, etc. gratefully accepted.

HB

Thanks to all for generous helpings of wisdom.

My harebrained scheme for a shallow "forest" is a non-starter, which I could have figured out by measuring the 3 ceramic containers. Pots are 4.5, 5, and 6" high. One is 5" wide, one 4, and one 3".

Unless I find a majestic container with high enough walls to contain all 3, the "forest" will have to exist on the wide glass "platter" where it is now.

*Two are Phala; the 3rd has no ID. Is it safe to conclude it's also Phala?

**I had some very old orchid medium out in back, but maybe I should get new?

***Don't understand David's comment: "The roots need access to air." Do you mean access from ABOVE via planting medium? How else would roots get air if pot is sitting on [surface]?

****Tag says, Continuing ca "After the last flower expires, cut the spike above the node from which the 1st flower appeared. A new spike can branch off within weeks.

Alternatively, remove the flower spike entirely to allow the plan to recover and form a new spike in 3-4 months."

DUH?!

This might be a steep learning curve g

Tx to all

HB


Soemone else -- not me -- said "The roots need access to air." However,
that is true. That is why my Phalaenopsis are planted in bark chips.
When you water them as I earlier described and the water drains away
into the sink, air penetrates the planting medium.

--
David E. Ross

While many tributes to the late Supreme Court Associate Justice
Antonin Scalia now fill the news media, his legacy was not
necessarily positive. See my "What Price Order, Mr. Justice Scalia?"
at http://www.rossde.com/editorials/edtl_scalia_wrong.html.

David, what is the difference between bark chips and the planting mix sold for orchids for watering? From what I see, the planting mix is coarse enough to allow passage of water.

So, 2 questions:

1. Which "grade" of bark chips do you use--from fine to coarse?

2 Your comment above refers to "plantng medium". Do you mean JUST bark chips, or bark chips on top of orchid planting mix?

Sorry if this was obvious; am trying to do the best by these newcomers.

TIA

HB