Dyed Orchids

Orchid naturally bloom in the most beautiful colors! Which is why injecting orchids, or any other plant, with dye may be one of the worst crimes to plants EVER! I don’t understand why anyone (mostly florist and orchid sellers) would take an already gorgeous plant and dye it? What makes me so frustrated is that as orchid consumers (and mostly beginners) we are buying these orchids without knowing they are dyed. We see a pretty orchid and buy it for someone or ourselves and then are left with the consequences of some experienced grower that is knowingly selling them. If you own one and stumble upon this post – I want you to know that this is not your fault!!

The most common color orchids are dyed is blue. There are naturally blooming blue orchids… but they are really hard to find. Below is an example of a DYED blue orchid.

This “blue” orchid is really pretty but is basically poisoned! I explain this below…

The reason I am posting this at all, is that I had a really sweet girl email me, on my blog, the following question;

“I got a died blue orchid and all the leaves fell off and now it’s seeping liquid out of all the nodes. It is still in bloom but what do I do?”

Below our pictures she sent me of her dyed blue orchid…

Pic of beautiful orchid leaves that fell off

Pic of the dye on the bottom of orchid leaf… Can you see it – at the bottom?

Pic of dyed liquid seeping out of orchid nodes

To be honest….I had no idea what was going on with this orchid. I am normally pretty good and answering questions from viewers (based on all the helpful advice I have gotten) but this one stumped me. First, I did not understand how every leaf could fall of an orchid and it could still be alive! Second, I have NEVER seen liquid seeping out of orchid nodes!

So I asked my orchid guru at Garden Heights Nursery, Barb Giblin. The following is what she said in a nut shell –

This is a technique some of the growers have come up with to make the plants sell better because they look so different. We haven’t seen evidence that it hurts the plants (until NOW), but the reality is that the blue color will not reappear in future blooms. The flowers will return to their natural white color in the future. No special care is needed, but try to avoid getting the dye on you! It is hard to wash off apparently (which is a strange thought because if it’s hard to wash off, then how is it good for an orchid?).

She said whatever they dyed it with, they either used too much or it was toxic. This is probably the cause of the leaves falling off (leaves typically fall off if an orchid if it is over watered and/or if water pools at the top of leaves and it rotted) and the reason it’s seeping liquid. The plant is literally expelling extra toxic dye in an attempt to save itself!!

She said there is hope for these plant if you want it to try to revive it.

Do this;

• Cut the blooming stem off, at its base. This will save its energy.
• Repot it immediately in straight charcoal to pull all the toxics out of the crown and roots. If you don’t have charcoal then repot it normal orchid mix.

I hope this post helps if you are in a similar predicament and if not maybe it will discourage you from buying dyed plants in the future. If you want a blue plant then buy a naturally blooming blue plant (like a Hydrangea) please don’t knowingly buy one that has been basically poisoned!

Please feel free to leave comments or questions.

Hannah

 

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My Rockstar Orchid #5

I have a total of 18 Orchids, which is a lot I know! But once I started this blog everyone kept giving me their dying orchids! Which I love..but I have to keep track of them somehow. With so many orchids it is hard to remember when I last watered, fertilized and treated them. I found that taking notes on them is the easiest way to stay organized.

Number 5 is my ROCK STAR! I found this Phalaenopsis orchid abandoned in a friends house and had no idea the last time it was watered or the shape it was in. Its leaves were a bit droopy and I was nervous to see its root system. Also I had no idea what color its blooms were, since it’s blooms had already fallen off.

– I repotted it on Aug 17, 2011. I went up a size in pots. It was in good condition and had healthy roots.
– I detected a spike on Sept 15, 2011 and a 2nd root on Sept. 29, 2011.
– On Oct. 4 and 8, 2011 I set a bigger stake on spike because it was growing so fast.
– On November 11, 2011 a 2nd spike shot off from 1st spike!

Here is a picture on January 5, 2012

 

It has 15 little blooms off it, including a second spike that sprung from another node. I can’t wait to see what color it’s blooms will be!

Here is a pic of it on January 10, 2012…it’s beginning to open!!

 

It looks to be white with a bit of dark pink on it…

 

Here it is on January 13, 2012 … First bloom is fully opened, it is the one in front.

 

Here it is with a few more blooms!! On January 23, 2012

 

And here it is fully bloomed!

 

 

Email me with any questions in regards to how I got this orchid to bloom. And remember that orchids DO NOT bloom for many reasons. Don’t get disheartened if your orchids fail to bloom. Just take care of them and most likely they will bloom next year!

Hope that Helps,

Hannah

Feel free to leave comments or questions.

 

 

 

 

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Monopodial vs. Sympodial

What's the difference between monopodial and sympodial orchids?

Monopodial Orchids

Monopodial orchids grow as a single upright “stem” with one leaf following another on opposite sides of the center. Monopodial orchids are repotted in the center of the pot as they will grow straight up. Common monopodial orchids are Phalaenopsis (shown above), Paphiopedilums, and Vanda (shown below).

• Orchids with this characteristic pattern of growth do not contain water reservoirs (no pseudobulbs) apart from their leaves and thick roots, thus should be watered just as the medium in which they are potted in dries out completely.
• At the base of monopodial orchids are small nodes that lie dormant, often for a very long time. Occasionally, however, monopodial orchids will multiply by starting a new shoots at the base of the plant and in this way develop into sizable specimen plants. The new plant is called a “basal keiki.”

Sympodial Orchids

Sympodial growth is defined as an orchid that does not grow from a single vertical stem but from a stem that is more or less horizontal. They have the appearance of looking like flower bulbs but they are not. Their real function is to store water. These kind of orchids can go for prolong durations without water until the medium dries out because they store water in their pseudobulbs.

• Sympodial orchids grow new pseudobulbs from the base of the previous pseudobulb and over time develop multiple growth leads along a single horizontal stem. This horizontal stem is called the rhizome. From the rhizome roots will grow. Most orchid genera are sympodial such as the Cattleya, Cymbidium, Dendrobium and Oncidium.
• A pseudobulb refers to and individual “shoot” of a sympodial orchid which has a chunky base to hold water topped with leaves. Sometimes the pseudobulb is small and the leaves are long (as in Cymbidiums, shown at above, 1st pic above). Sometimes the pseudobulbs are long and thick (they look like leaf canes) and the leaves are small (as in Dendrobiums, shown above, 2nd pic above). Bloom spikes usually come from where the outermost leaf meets the pseudobulb. To assist in anchoring a sympodial orchid in the pot, a clip can be placed across the pot and between the pseudobulbs to secure.

Here is a helpful picture that further explains the difference

Photo copyright, American Orchid Society newsletter

 

Hope that Helps,

Hannah

Please feel free to leave comments or questions.

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Orchid Blooms: Bud Blast

Why are my orchid blooms shriveling and falling off BEFORE they bloom?

A few days ago my orchid that I repotted last year was about to bloom! It had four little buds and they were growing super fast. The first bloom opened halfway and quickly died! And then the next bud turned yellow and FELL OFF! I was so frustrated!! So I did some research and found this was called, “bud blast.”

Here is a picture of bud blast…

Here is a normal healthy picture of buds…

 

Bud blast IS anytime a developing orchid bud starts to look shrunken, wilted and/or dry. Bud blast is NOT when an already bloomed flower naturally falls off. Bud blast is extremely frustrating because you are waiting so patiently for your bud to open and then it turns yellow and/or wilts and then falls off. So why does this happen?

If you experience bud blast, in an orchid you just bought, this is probably not a result of anything you're doing. The most commons trigger of bud blast is a change in environment. Orchids are naturally grown in a jungle environment. This environment is reproduced, here in the states, in green houses and the shock of changing this environment can be upsetting to them (click here on how to create a jungle environment in your house).

As your new orchid is adjusting to its new environment it may drop some of its buds. This has happened to me quite a few times. Bringing a plant home from a nursery or greenhouse is a MAJOR change in environment. Even the car ride home, if the car is really hot or cold, may shock your orchid. And just think of the massive change in environment if you had an orchid shipped to you!

Unfortunately once bud blast begins to happen, there is little you can do for that single bud. It can't be revived….but you can stop the rest of your orchid buds from experiencing bud blast by figuring out what is causing bud blast on your plant and then adjusting their environment (And don't be concerned about your whole orchid dying…it's just the bloom…not the whole orchid).

There are other reasons why your orchids may experience bud blast. Any major change in the orchid's environment can shock your orchid, like moving orchids around your house. For instance let's say you want to change windows and the new window is over a heat vent or near a really drafty cold window, this may shock them. Orchids are pretty durable but they don't like major changes in air temperature, light and water. You must stay consistent in where you place them. Find a good spot and keep them there.

Here are the most common reasons for bud blast….outside of bringing them home.

1. Temperature change

* Too high: Your orchid may get too hot in direct sunlight. It also may get too hot if it is placed close to a heating vent.

* Too low: There may be a sudden drop in temperature that makes the buds experience “frost.” For example being too close to a drafty window or too close to an air conditioning vent.

2. Light

* Too much: orchids can get too much light. They need dappled shade and can experience “sunburn” in lots of direct light. A good way to tell this is to feel their leaves and if they are warm to the touch, they are in too direct of light.

* Too little: orchids need light. Many people keep orchids in offices or places in their house where there is no indirect light from a window…this will stunt their growth.

3. Water:

* Not enough: If an orchid has been too dry between watering it will withdraw moisture from the buds killing them.

* Too much…. The worst thing you can do is give an orchid too much water. Orchids are not normal houseplants! Click on the this link to see why.

4. Dry air, particularly from nearby air conditioners or heating vents. This follows up on the temperature point but what I mean here is that orchids need humidity. Click this post to see how to create humidity trays.

5. Being too close to fruit or other ripening plant matter – as plants age (and decay) they release ethylene gas, which causes the nearby orchid blooms to age and decay as well, or just shrivel. So be careful with orchids in your kitchen.

6. Repotting an orchid while in bloom will cause bud blast because the orchids is getting use to the new environment.

If you are having trouble with your orchid not blooming at all, click here.

Hope that Helps,

Hannah

Feel free to leave comments or questions.

 

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Orchid Blooms: Dying Naturally

Why are my Orchid blooms falling off?

A lot of people ask me why their orchid blooms are falling off? Most likely your orchid was in bloom for awhile before you got it. Orchids drop their blooms after a couple of months. Most orchids bloom once per year, for an extended period of time. The flowers are falling off because they are done blooming. Also at this time the bloom stems dies back as well.

If this is your only concern – then your orchid is fine. It's not dying… it just preparing for next years blooms by growing new roots and leaves once all the flowers have dropped and the stems have died back.

Cycle of Orchids

My orchids are on a natural cycle – meaning I have had them all for many years now and they bloom regularly on the same natural cycle. Normally this is between Thanksgiving and sometime ending near March/April. If I were to buy an orchid from lets say April thru November…in full bloom…it would have been forced into bloom by a nursery. Nurseries can do this because they create a moderated environment that reproduce nature cues synthetically thus forcing them into bloom year round. Once the orchid they forced into bloom actually blooms they sell it. That orchid will not normally bloom again for one year.

Orchids only bloom once a year because they are in a cycle. This cycle goes like this…

1. bloom
2. blooms fall off
3. orchid grows new leaves and new roots to support upcoming bloom season
4. spikes starts to grow
5. it blooms.
6. Repeat.

Orchids work in this balance because they are constantly switching their energy from one cycle to the next.

Here is my link to orchid cycles, which further explains this.

This is what I would recommend doing to your orchid now…

1. Wait to cut the stem back until all the flowers have fallen off.
2. I would then repot it to give it fresh new mix:)

Here are the links on cutting the stem back and repotting.

Hope that Helps,

Hannah

 

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Orchid Blooms

Orchids are gorgeous and once you get the chance to watch one that is about to bloom, you will know how exciting it is! You will get a chance to see it, day to day, slowly open and the final product is amazing!!

Orchid blooms are initially sealed, protectively, with three sepals (as shown in the picture above). Sepals are the outer covering of the bud and are normally green (sometimes they are a dark maroon color) and then change color upon blooming.

As the bud slowly opens the sepals fold back to show the inner petals of your orchid. Inside the three sepals are three petals. These three petals are not all the same size. There are two large petals on the top left and right and a smaller petal at the bottom forming a lip. This bottom petal is special in that it forms a unique “lip” shape and often has a lot of different colors on it.

• Below is an illustration of a Phalaenopsis sepals and petals.

Notes:

Orchid blooms take time to open. Be patient when waiting for them to bloom and never force them to open!

A common yet frustrating experience is called “bud blast,” which is when you are waiting for you buds to open and instead they shrivel, turn yellow, and fall off. Click on the above link for my post on this subject.

When changing from one potting mix to another your orchids may change color from one year to the next. Many times I bought a pink or yellow orchid and the next year it bloomed white. This is normal and is due to different nutrients in the soil.

Hope that Helps,

Hannah

Please free to leave comment or questions.

 

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Misting Orchids

Should I mist my orchid(s)?

photo copyright rePotme.com from this page

I wanted to write a quick blog about my favorite Haws copper mister (shown above) and realized that the topic of misting an orchid is super controversial. Apparently there is a huge debate, “to mist or not to mist?” People seem to think that getting an orchid wet will kill it…

I want to start by asking a question, “What is the natural environment of an orchid?” Answer, “A jungle, a RAIN forest.”

I have never been to a rain forest but I have scene enough Discover Channel shows to imagine what they are like; humid, hot and um rainy… So I imagine that these orchids can't dodge the rain and moisture that daily surrounds them. I have never seen my orchids move but maybe mine are just sluggish:)

Orchids are naturally designed to have their leaves funnel rain and humidity down to their roots. Based on this information, if orchids were indeed killed by getting wet then we would literally have no orchids in the wild.

There is no difference, in the actual plant, from an orchid being grown in the wild and in our homes. I think that we should look to nature when growing plants. We should ask what their natural environment is and give them the closest thing to it.

My orchids love a good misting, especially on hot summer days and dry winter days!!

Note: make sure that water does not pool in the base of the leaves while you are misting them. This can cause rot. You can take a dry paper towel and dip it in the leaf base to soak up any pooling.

Back to the my favorite mister you can get it at my favorite site, rePotme (click here) and it's not that expensive ($28.15). In their words, “Our spectacular looking Haws-built brass mister is as functional as it is good looking. Small in size, but amazing in the mist punch it delivers. We like to mist our orchids and houseplants generally, but those on mounts and in baskets really cry out for regular treats of fine mist and humidity on their roots and leaves. This high quality misting tool does the job efficiently and easily without being too heavy when full and without requiring constant trips to the sink for refilling. Until you use it, it is hard to explain how far a tank goes on the relatively small (light) reservoir of water it holds. The pump action is smooth, the spray pattern is full and the atomization is perfect. Comes complete in a handsome gift box and is ready for use right out of the box. Beautiful brass makes it a conversation piece when not in use!”

Mist on….

Hope that Helps,

Hannah

Feel free to leave comments or questions.

 

 

 

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