Orchid Care Tips Blog
This page tells you about the new Orchid Care Tips webpages, and major edits. There are also announcements sometimes, such as when an exciting new orchid species is discovered or I run an orchid photo contest.Jul 11, 2014
phalaenopsis
They came in a transparent pot with what did not look like soil, the pot looks far too small and what am i supposed to grow them in as far as soil is concern.
Jun 11, 2014
Healthy Roots?
It's Jenn again! I was wondering..... Are these roots healthy? She is flowering right now, so I want to wait to repot, but am pretty worried about these
Jun 11, 2014
Took my orchid out of the pot and now cant get it fully back in
Hello, I was recently gifted a phalenopsis orchid with two VERY tall stems each with many blooms on it. It is gorgeous and I would like to do as much as
Continue reading "Took my orchid out of the pot and now cant get it fully back in"
May 21, 2014
Roots
Rec'd a Moth Orchid as a gift. Was encased in a see-thru plastic pot which was in a clay pot. I removed the plastic and now is in the small clay pot.
Jan 31, 2013
What is this beautiful flower and how do I take care of it?
Hello, Any help is much appreciated! I went to a funeral yesterday and the plant that the family gave away was this beautiful mini flowered orchid (I
Continue reading "What is this beautiful flower and how do I take care of it?"
Jan 31, 2013
New Purchase
The flower shape resembales an oncidium but the way they are arranged on the spike reminds me of an epidendrum as well as the thick leaves. it is a releatively
Jan 01, 2013
Please help. I need to Identify this...
The flowers are little and deep purple as you can see, and also came in like some sort of ball shape at the end of a stick. The plant is like 30 cm tall,
Jan 24, 2012
Taking Pictures of Orchids
Everyone likes pictures of orchids! Learn some techniques for doing your own orchid photography.
Oct 16, 2011
Encyclia
Encyclia orchids, relatives of Cattleya and Epidendrum, require somewhat similar care, but drier. Enc. alata is particularly fragrant.
Sep 16, 2011
Haraella retrocalla
Haraella retrocalla is a miniature orchid with attractive yellow-and-red flowers that have a nice citrusy fragrance. If well cared for these plants can bloom almost continuously.
Jul 09, 2011
Orchid Bark
By far the most common type of orchid bark you'll see in potting mixes is fir bark. It comes in three grades: fine, medium, and coarse. The finer it is, the more slowly it dries but the less airflow it permits.
Jul 04, 2011
New Zealand Sphagnum Moss
New Zealand sphagnum moss is widely considered the best sphagnum to use in orchid potting mixes. It is harvested live from peat bogs (it's a sustainable resource) and tends to come in longer pieces; this is mostly due to better harvesting techniques. It comes on a rating scale; AAA grade is what you want to use for orchids. 5 star Chilean sphagnum moss is also a good choice.
Jul 04, 2011
Barkeria
Barkeria orchids are beautiful relatives of Epidendrum and Cattleya. Most have bright purple flowers. They grow as epiphytes, with long, canelike pseudobulbs and thin, attractive leaves. The plants have long roots that like to be open to the air; they should be grown mounted, though they will rapidly grow off of the slab of bark and make a big cloud of leaves, stems, and roots out in the air. The plants come from Mexico.
Jul 03, 2011
Meristem Propagation of Orchids
Meristem propagation is a laboratory technique to mass-produce clones of a particular orchid cultivar. Commercial orchid breeders often want to produce numerous copies of a particularly beautiful plant, so they use this technique.