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Post by chickadeedeedee on Jul 21, 2008 19:15:13 GMT 1
Shade. Shade. Shade! Dappled sunlight is ideal. If you put them outside in straight sunshine they will burn. You also need to consider what species are out there. The Phals. and Phrags. and those guys should stay in the shade / dappled sunshine. The Oncidium, Cats. and those kind can gradually be transitioned to full sun. If they're in the full sun you'll need to water several times a day. In the shade they'll need it only once or twice daily.
Somewhere I have a photo of my set up.
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Post by chickadeedeedee on Jul 21, 2008 19:26:37 GMT 1
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Post by floweringcherry on Jul 23, 2008 0:06:56 GMT 1
I have 5 Cymbidiums, that have been outside since, early June. They are in the shade as C3D says, (I love the swing set up), just get a bit of evening sun. My Phals I keep indoors, but stand out when we get a mild rainy day, to wash the leaves and give them a breather  |
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Post by floweringcherry on Jul 23, 2008 13:05:03 GMT 1
I have 5 Cymbidiums, that have been outside since, early June. They are in the shade as C3D says, (I love the swing set up), just get a bit of evening sun. My Phals I keep indoors, but stand out when we get a mild rainy day, to wash the leaves and give them a breather What a good idea, I must remember to do that at least - do you still put them out if they are in flower FC? I don't put them out with open flowers, but when dormant or in bud. I think the rain may spoil the flowers. I might experiment to see. |
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Post by chickadeedeedee on Jul 26, 2008 13:22:31 GMT 1
Sure it will flower again! Leave your Phal outside for the summer in semi shade / dappled sunlight. As Autumn approaches and there are more fluctuations in day/night temperatures ... this will help trigger the formation of new flower spikes. Your orchid may be blooming by Christmas!  If the temperatures are going to fall into the low 50s or below F. bring the orchids inside. |
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Post by maggyd on Aug 12, 2008 16:38:00 GMT 1
It will be fine The witch ! it will throw up a new flower spike I did the same thing when I first bought mine I have three either in bud or flower at the moment I put the three in my bathroom basin with the plug out when I went away and left a large container of rainwater with instructions to only water every other visit and the have survived I was afraid the family would overwater them.
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Post by Sleepy on Aug 13, 2008 8:48:24 GMT 1
Thanks Maggy - I won't give up hope yet then ;D I bought a mister a couple of weeks ago and now spray every morning - using rain water of course. ;D It would be a 'mister', wouldn't it? The witch, you are incorrigible!!! |
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Post by maggyd on Aug 14, 2008 15:47:11 GMT 1
Thanks Maggy - I won't give up hope yet then ;D I bought a mister a couple of weeks ago and now spray every morning - using rain water of course. ;D Mine only get misted when I have a shower ;D mind when I first got mine I used to stand it in the shower cubicle and turn it on luke warm!!!!!!! then when I went to that orchid exhibition they said not to get water in the cup at the top of the leaves : oer!! well it didnt seem to do it any harm I counted over 40 flowers at one time. |
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Post by chickadeedeedee on Aug 15, 2008 0:28:52 GMT 1
If water is allowed to sit too long at the base of the leaf ... where it attaches to the crown .... it may promote fungus and rotting of the crown. One is supposed to dab the base of the leaves with a paper towel to remove the extra moisture. This is especially important for Catts and Phals. This always perplexed me though. Orchids naturally live in a high moisture region. Lots o' mist, rain, cloud forest thingies. Why don't they rot there too? Is it life in a container? Not enough air circulation / breeze?  |
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Post by maggyd on Aug 15, 2008 21:14:49 GMT 1
Thats my thinking to C3Ds I think its a load of twaddle  Ive only ever had to remove one leaf and it was a lower leaf. |
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Post by maggyd on Sept 27, 2008 16:59:19 GMT 1
I tried in vain to buy small pieces of chopped bark to repot my phal; I repotted it a few months ago and I dont think it likes the orchid compost that you buy from G.C. one of the larger leaves is turning yellow and Ive removed one that was past redemption! anyway I have taken some forest bark and washed and microwaved it mixed it with vermicullite and some of the compost and repotted it. Keep your fingers crossed.Oh and Ive moved it away from the window as I think it was getting too much light it is west facing but gets the sun in an afternoon Ive read that this is wrong!!I need some of that window dressing that C3Ds has got.
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Post by chickadeedeedee on Sept 28, 2008 13:40:58 GMT 1
Are you really using bark chunks from the forest? Please be careful! You might bring in a fungal disease with that. I'll use slabs of bark from the weeping willow to mount orchids and rinse the wood with a dilute bleach solution and then rinse, rinse, rinse and let dry thoroughly before using them. I've had times when orchid mix was unavailable. Seems to be somewhat seasonal. Orchids will naturally have leaf loss. The larger older leaves will yellow and die. As long as your plant is making new leaves, you're doing great. My kitchen window faces North but gets the late afternoon western sunshine. If I want my Phals., Catts., Epidend. and others to start blooming I move them near the front door, which is mostly glass, and gets the western sunlight. |
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Post by maggyd on Oct 16, 2008 15:25:54 GMT 1
I have a very sickly looking orchid  Ive tried repotting it with less compost and more bark with a bit of vermiculite added as the leaves are turning yellow and soft! I took it off the windowsill to see if the problem was too much light  What do you think??   |
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Post by chickadeedeedee on Oct 16, 2008 16:43:19 GMT 1
Oh oh.  When you re-potted him did you have a look at the roots? I suspect the plant was overwatered and the roots may have rotted. If you can take the plant out of the pot and swirl the root system around in a bucket of warm water to remove as much bark as possible looking at the roots is easier. Any black, sofy or rotted roots should be cut away. Save any white thick or green roots then dust the whole root system with some ground cinnamon. It acts as a fungicide and replant in fresh orchid mix. As horrible as this will sound ... if you want to improve the chances of saving your plant, the flower spikes have to be cut off.  They suck a tremendous amount of energy from a plant. Place the plant in a large clear plastic bag to increase the humidity and place the whole thing away from direct sunlight for a few weeks. The plant ~should~ start having crispier leaves within that time. |
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Post by maggyd on Oct 16, 2008 20:42:42 GMT 1
Im suspecting that it didnt have the right treatment when I went away for 6 weeks!! I placed all three orchids in my bathroom sink with the plug out and they were out of containers, I asked the family to only water every couple of weeks as I thought drought would be better than drowning. The other two are smaller and they are fine but they are in their original plant pots which are much smaller. I repotted this one earlier in the year in a clear container with orchid compost as it was falling out of the front of the pot and the roots werent holding it in. When I noticed this yellowing I tried about three different garden centres looking for the bags of orchid bark as I thought this compost was holding too much water! I couldnt get it so that was why I tried emptying it out and substituting half the compost with vermicullite and forest bark that I had sterilised. Ive waited so long for it to flower so I think I will wait and take a chance : when it has finished Ill do as C3Ds has recomended cut all the stalks of and the bad leaves and put it into a bag! but thinking about it they arent many white roots left on it so maybe it has had its day  I can only but try one last thing to save it. |
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Post by maggyd on Oct 16, 2008 20:47:45 GMT 1
Thanks girls for your help.  |
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Post by chickadeedeedee on Oct 16, 2008 23:18:27 GMT 1
Great idea! Like The witch suggested, you can pull your orchid out of the pot and place him in a large saucer with some stones on the bottom and just use a spray bottle to mist the leaves and roots. This way the roots will be able to breathe but can also start drying off and recovering until he's done flowering. He might recover but it will take some time. Phals. are probably the most forgiving orchids. I've done the same to some of mine. : |
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Post by mickthecactus on Oct 17, 2008 9:02:16 GMT 1
Isn't tap water bad for them C3D?
I don't have rainwater but use cold boiled tapwater.
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Post by mickthecactus on Oct 17, 2008 10:08:00 GMT 1
Great idea! Like The witch suggested, you can pull your orchid out of the pot and place him in a large saucer with some stones on the bottom and just use a spray bottle to mist the leaves and roots. This way the roots will be able to breathe but can also start drying off and recovering until he's done flowering. He might recover but it will take some time. Phals. are probably the most forgiving orchids. I've done the same to some of mine. : Oh - mine are standing on the gravel in their pots C3D. I only use rainwater Mick - can't you tap into your house fall pipes and feed the water into a barrel using a rainwater diverter? www.screwfix.com/prods/27866/Plumbing/Square-R-water-Syst-Black/Rainwater-Diverter-Black-70mmI could The witch but frankly I can't be a***d... ;D |
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Post by chickadeedeedee on Oct 17, 2008 13:16:32 GMT 1
I suppose tap water would be bad if there's a lot of chlorine and ~schtuff~ added to it. I've always been lucky enough to be able to use the tap water. I add a little liquid plant food to the water also. Rain water may be very acidic ... depending on where you live. Do what works for your plants and only change if things go sour. |
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Post by mickthecactus on Oct 17, 2008 14:18:12 GMT 1
I use tap water for the cacti but always add a small amount of vinegar - makes all the difference.
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Post by maggyd on Oct 17, 2008 14:57:26 GMT 1
Im O.K. for rainwater I fill a large bottle and stand it in the boiler cupboard so it is luke warm and I added a small amount of orchid fertilizer, as my other two are fine and look very healthy I suspect its this pot Ive got it in it was a quality street perspex one that I burned holes in the bottom as I couldnt find a larger clear plantpot, but maybe it is too big! Im wondering about the pebbles and maybe spagnum moss! Ill have to get creative! whatever I do Ill have to anchor it somehow wont I ? ? Im just thinking out loud here I have a terricota square thingy in the greenhouse that the previous owner left! I always wondered what he used it for, if I can get some pebbles ( there is plenty on the beach!! but I will have to steep them to get the salt off!! AND WHERE CAN I PINCH SOME BARK FROM!!  Watch this space!!! |
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Post by mickthecactus on Nov 3, 2008 14:33:48 GMT 1
I could The witch but frankly I can't be a***d... ;D I guess you're not on a water meter then Mick. Oh yes I am. And my monthly bill has just reduced to £15. |
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Post by mickthecactus on Nov 3, 2008 17:52:34 GMT 1
Oh yes I am. And my monthly bill has just reduced to £15. Is the meter faulty? ;D We just don't wash much.... |
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Post by chickadeedeedee on Nov 3, 2008 20:18:15 GMT 1
Wouldn't want to over water the Cactus family! ;D
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Ive tried repotting it with less compost and more bark with a bit of vermiculite added as the leaves are turning yellow and soft! I took it off the windowsill to see if the problem was too much light 
What do you think?? 
When you re-potted him did you have a look at the roots? I suspect the plant was overwatered and the roots may have rotted. If you can take the plant out of the pot and swirl the root system around in a bucket of warm water to remove as much bark as possible looking at the roots is easier.
They suck a tremendous amount of energy from a plant. Place the plant in a large clear plastic bag to increase the humidity and place the whole thing away from direct sunlight for a few weeks. The plant ~should~ start having crispier leaves within that time. 
I can only but try one last thing to save it.