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Post by roan on Nov 24, 2007 4:52:24 GMT 1
A couple of years ago we inherited about 80 orchids in pots from an elderly gentleman, they had been his wifes and when she died they had been left to look after themselves. He too became unwell and asked us to look after them at our home. When he subsequently died, his family asked us to keep them as they had no interest in them. What we know about orchids is practically nothing, none of them have names on them anymore, so we have no idea what they are. Here are a few pictures of the ones that flowered in August:      If anyone has any ideas on what they might be, we would be grateful. Also, we have done nothing to the pots as yet, they are overgrown and look like they should be re-potted and perhaps divided. Does anyone have any ideas on how to go about this. We keep them outside all year, under the shade of a large tree and against a trellis of climbing plants. They are kept on a sheet of ridged iron so they don't get wet feet, and we water them with a mist spray system I installed. Any advice would be appreciated dear gardening friends. |
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Post by roan on Nov 24, 2007 18:45:20 GMT 1
Your orchid is fabulous, but quite different to the ones we seem to have. Thanks for the thread link, I will follow that up. |
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Post by maggyd on Nov 26, 2007 18:48:46 GMT 1
Roan your orchids are beautiful and worth an awful lot of money ! so it would be worth buying a good reference book with plates and names to identify them ;D I wish somebody would give me such a lovely collection they are easier than you might think to keep I only have two of the phalanopsis variety like The witch's but I went to an exhibition at one of the garden centers near me and I found it very informative I only wish I had room for more you are very lucky. maggy.
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Post by roan on Nov 26, 2007 18:57:00 GMT 1
Roan your orchids are beautiful and worth an awful lot of money ! so it would be worth buying a good reference book with plates and names to identify them ;D I wish somebody would give me such a lovely collection they are easier than you might think to keep I only have two of the phalanopsis variety like The witch's but I went to an exhibition at one of the garden centers near me and I found it very informative I only wish I had room for more you are very lucky. maggy. Hi Maggy They certainly are beautiful and they flower for such a long time. Good idea about the reference book, we will have a scout around the second hand book shops and see what we can find. Will update the thread as things happen. |
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Post by 4pygmies on Nov 26, 2007 22:58:20 GMT 1
They are sumptuously beautiful aren't they? I would love some but I just have nowhere to house them  Never mind, I shall look at yours and at C3D's and get all the pleasure and none of the work!  |
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Post by roan on Nov 26, 2007 23:03:22 GMT 1
They are sumptuously beautiful aren't they? I would love some but I just have nowhere to house them Never mind, I shall look at yours and at C3D's and get all the pleasure and none of the work! I have found loads of books at the Second Hand Bookshop, so will start studying up on them. We would really like to divide them and re-pot them as soon as we get a chance. |
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Post by roan on Nov 27, 2007 23:02:09 GMT 1
I have found loads of books at the Second Hand Bookshop, so will start studying up on them. We would really like to divide them and re-pot them as soon as we get a chance. ..... in orchid compost. Yes, I fear we will have to buy truckloads of it! |
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Post by roan on Nov 27, 2007 23:16:17 GMT 1
Yes, I fear we will have to buy truckloads of it! Goodness - just how many have you got? About   |
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Post by roan on Dec 3, 2007 20:28:00 GMT 1
We have managed to pick up four Orchid books second hand as follows: A Book Of Orchids by Dr Carl Withner Published 1985 Abbeville Library Of Art Orchids By Frank J. Anderson Published 1981 Orchid Growing For Everyone by Karl Matho Published 1958 Orchids And Their Cultivation by David Sander Published 1932 Armed with them we should make some progress!  |
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Post by maggyd on Dec 3, 2007 22:12:11 GMT 1
Well by the time you have read all them Roan you will be an expert ;D so we will all call on you for advice.
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Post by roan on Dec 4, 2007 20:11:55 GMT 1
Well by the time you have read all them Roan you will be an expert ;D so we will all call on you for advice. never an expert, just an enthusiastic amateur!  |
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Post by roan on Dec 5, 2007 0:54:02 GMT 1
Here's a picture of a few of the orchids that need attention  Bit of a mess aren't they! Hopefully now that we are armed with books we will be able to make them happy and they will say thank you with some nice big spears! |
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Post by roan on Dec 5, 2007 3:42:13 GMT 1
I am pleased to report that some progress has been made! Firstly, the flowers above are all Cymbidiums (you probably knew that, but I'm just learning) and this one appears to be California Cascade.  Secondly, a number of Australian web pages have good information on their care and cultivation. Thirdly, I have found two more books (second-hand of course): How To Grow Orchids - A Sunset Book - Two copies, a 1974 and a 1978 edition. Better Homes and Gardens "A Growers Guide to Orchids". |
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Post by cheerypeabrain on Dec 5, 2007 22:38:52 GMT 1
Smashing Roan....flowers from Mars?
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Post by mickthecactus on Dec 6, 2007 11:44:30 GMT 1
Smashing Roan....flowers from Mars? No CPB. It's chocolate from Mars........... |
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Post by roan on Dec 6, 2007 20:36:21 GMT 1
Smashing Roan....flowers from Mars? No CPB. It's chocolate from Mars...........  |
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Post by maggyd on Dec 6, 2007 21:43:24 GMT 1
Here's a picture of a few of the orchids that need attention Bit of a mess aren't they! Hopefully now that we are armed with books we will be able to make them happy and they will say thank you with some nice big spears! If I remember right Roan this type do better if slightly pot bound!! this way they dont get too much water! and the butterfly one the phalanopsis do better in clear pots so that the aerial roots go back down into the pots and water with rain water dont let them stand in water make sure they are free draining. I would be standing any outside on feet under the pots. |
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Post by roan on Dec 6, 2007 23:29:26 GMT 1
Here's a picture of a few of the orchids that need attention Bit of a mess aren't they! Hopefully now that we are armed with books we will be able to make them happy and they will say thank you with some nice big spears! If I remember right Roan this type do better if slightly pot bound!! this way they dont get too much water! and the butterfly one the phalanopsis do better in clear pots so that the aerial roots go back down into the pots and water with rain water dont let them stand in water make sure they are free draining. I would be standing any outside on feet under the pots. Thanks MaggyD They certainly are pot bound at the moment! We have stood them on sections of old garage doors that are ribbed, so they should be able to drain quite well. Most of the time we just let them get watered naturally when it rains as the water trickles through the tree leaves. However, during the recent dry spell we have been giving them a mist spray every two or three days in an effort to duplicate what they would experience in their natural habitat. A really good article I found on the net from Australia has given us some good ideas on re-potting, so we might have a go at that after Christmas. |
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Post by chickadeedeedee on Dec 7, 2007 1:01:15 GMT 1
Glad you're getting the IDs for your beautiful orchids! I sent a link to your photographs to a lady who has a bazillion tropical plants including orchids thinking she would help with the identifications. Hmmmm. Haven't heard from her. : |
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Post by roan on Dec 7, 2007 1:14:52 GMT 1
Glad you're getting the IDs for your beautiful orchids! I sent a link to your photographs to a lady who has a bazillion tropical plants including orchids thinking she would help with the identifications. Hmmmm. Haven't heard from her. : Thank you for doing that! I have looked at your orchids, but they are all so different to ours. Yours are truly splendid! One day we might see if we can get some of them too, but for now we must attend to the ones we have. It would be great if we could identify them all, as I am sure they originally had names, but they lost them when they weren't looked after. |
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Never mind, I shall look at yours and at C3D's and get all the pleasure and none of the work! 
