Hi All.

For the first time, we just bought some orchids about two weeks ago. They
are floweing and look absolutely gorgeous. We live in Southern California
and I have them by the kitchen window. I have not done anything with them
so far other them water them occasionaly.

Reading a few of the posts here, it appears that I need to mist them every
now and then and fertilize them every week or so.

Would any of you pro's care to share some Orchid maintainence 101?

Thanks.

Ray

Ray Chirayath wrote:
Hi All.

For the first time, we just bought some orchids about two weeks ago. They
are floweing and look absolutely gorgeous. We live in Southern California
and I have them by the kitchen window. I have not done anything with them
so far other them water them occasionaly.

Reading a few of the posts here, it appears that I need to mist them every
now and then and fertilize them every week or so.

Would any of you pro's care to share some Orchid maintainence 101?

Thanks.

Ray



Rule one: They are just plants, if you start treating them special
because they are 'orchids', you are bound to do something you shouldn't.

Rule two: Don't overwater!! (Consequence of failing to obey rule one)

Rule three: There is no rule three

Rule four: Pay attention to what your plants are telling you. If the
appearance changes substantially, seek advice. It is easier to fix
problems if you catch them early.

Other than that, there are so many different kinds of orchids which
require so many different conditions, and it is difficult to give
general advice.

Rob

--
Rob's Rules: http://littlefrogfarm.com
1) There is always room for one more orchid
2) There is always room for two more orchids
2a) See rule 1
3) When one has insufficient credit to obtain more
orchids, obtain more credit

Misting can create a lot of problems. Some people swear by it, other swear
at it. IMO, misting does not do very much to raise the humidity in the air
around the plants for very long but this is often cited as the reason to do
it in the first place. *If* you mist, do it sparing. Try not to soak the
leaves and stems of the plant, but mist the air around it. In my opinion,
this does not do much good.. Make sure the leaves are dry by the time the
sun goes down. Get some small fans and put them in the area to move the air
around the plants. You don't have to blow them over with them; gentle air
movement around the leaves is very good. You will be glad you got fans
because this decreases the bad effects of misting; it reduces the chance of
spreading fungus and bacteria. The spores can not settle into damp places
on the leaves if the air is blowing them around. Gets some fans and use
24/7 even if you don't mist. They act like treadmills for your orchid's
metabolism anyway by increasing the transpiration stream of water into the
roots and out of the leaves which also helps to dry out the potting media
quickly.

A pro is somebody who has killed more orchids than they would ever admit. I
really, really really agree with these rules. Most people pester their
first few orchids to death and excess water is generally involved in the
crime. That potting media that looks like chunky mulch that water runs
right through requires some mental adjustments for the average person.
Depending on factors I can not see from here, the potting media stay damp
enough longer inside than they look to from the outside. Sometimes it is
helpful to use relative heaviness of the plant to decide when to water: pick
up the pot before and after you water to get a feel for how much it can
change.

There is a rule number three, but we enjoy keeping it from Rob. And we
maintain hope that he will figure it out on his own one day.

Since we don't know what kind of orchid you have in your window, people
can't really say much with any certainty.

Except for paragraph three, these are just my opinions.

"Rob" wrote in message
...
Ray Chirayath wrote:
Hi All.

For the first time, we just bought some orchids about two weeks ago.
They are floweing and look absolutely gorgeous. We live in Southern
California and I have them by the kitchen window. I have not done
anything with them so far other them water them occasionaly.

Reading a few of the posts here, it appears that I need to mist them
every now and then and fertilize them every week or so.

Would any of you pro's care to share some Orchid maintainence 101?

Thanks.

Ray

Rule one: They are just plants, if you start treating them special
because they are 'orchids', you are bound to do something you shouldn't.

Rule two: Don't overwater!! (Consequence of failing to obey rule one)

Rule three: There is no rule three

Rule four: Pay attention to what your plants are telling you. If the
appearance changes substantially, seek advice. It is easier to fix
problems if you catch them early.

Other than that, there are so many different kinds of orchids which
require so many different conditions, and it is difficult to give general
advice.

Rob

--
Rob's Rules: http://littlefrogfarm.com
1) There is always room for one more orchid
2) There is always room for two more orchids
2a) See rule 1
3) When one has insufficient credit to obtain more
orchids, obtain more credit

Hi, Ray,

Try these sites:

www.firstrays.com
www.orchidweb.org
www.jborchids.com

Lots more out there. And if you tell us what kind of orchids you have
purchased we can be of more specific help.

Best,
Diana

At the risk of being repetitive, we really do need to know what kind of
orchids you have in order to give you good advice. Actual names would be
great (ideally, there should be a nametag in each pot), but short of that
even the general type, such as Cattleya, Dendrobium, etc., would help narrow
it down. Your current question is akin to "how do I grow a tree?" If you
ask that one, you will undoubtedly be asked what kind of tree ... because,
just for example, maples and palms require very different care and
conditions.

On the topic of misting, I'm not a proponent. As dangerous as it is to
generalize, I will say that almost all orchids should be watered
_thoroughly_, when you water, then allowed to dry to varying degrees. The
drying part is where one of the big differences comes into play -- some need
to get bone dry, some shouldn't.
--
Kenni Judd
Juno Beach Orchids



"Ray Chirayath" wrote in message
om...
Hi All.

For the first time, we just bought some orchids about two weeks ago. They
are floweing and look absolutely gorgeous. We live in Southern California
and I have them by the kitchen window. I have not done anything with them
so far other them water them occasionaly.

Reading a few of the posts here, it appears that I need to mist them every
now and then and fertilize them every week or so.

Would any of you pro's care to share some Orchid maintainence 101?

Thanks.

Ray