Best Orchid Supplies

What is the best orchid supply website?

This is my favorite orchid supply website! I absolutely…love rePotme!! They are so nice and if you email them questions…they email you back!! I have learned so much from them!!

These are my MUST HAVE products from them!!!

1. Feed Me fertilizer

2. Wash Me leaf wash

3. Get Off Me for the nasty pest

4. Physan 20 for fungus

6. Oxygen Core Dual Clear Pots….. Best ORCHID POTS EVER!!

7. Their orchid mixes …. Feel free to ask me which will work the best with your orchids.

 

They just built a new place in Delaware. Here is a pic and description of their Eco friendly building!!

photo copyrighted by rePotme.com from this page

This is the statement they released on their new Headquarters… “We are pleased to let all of our terrific customers know that we are now shipping from our new headquarters in Georgetown Delaware. We are located approximately 20 miles from the Atlantic Ocean. We thought you would like to see where your orders ship from and learn a bit about our construction project.

As we grew over the years, we needed more space to continue offering our products to an expanding universe of customers. A few years ago we purchased this 20 acre farm and began planning the construction of the new rePotme. We knew we had to keep a continued focus on rapidly filling orders with the finest products while being able to carry more products for all sorts of orchids, bonsai, african violets and the wide variety of other plants our customers have. The building itself is over 12,000 square feet and allows us to move great quantities of material and products in and out at the same time. This is critical to our operation because we have large trucks bringing in supplies daily even as your orders are heading out to domestic and international destinations.

Our internet presence is powered by wind turbines while our heating and air conditioning is delivered by geothermal energy. Electricity for our operations comes from a co-operative. All rainwater collected from the roof is directed into into two ponds that are regularly visited by a wide variety of birds including recently sighted eagles and a blue heron! The farm is primarily meadow lands graced by a 100 year old barn. By coincidence, our street name is Paradise Road and this wonderful rural farmland is appropriately named. When we are not filling your orders, we take in all that mother nature has created around us.”

Buy from them!!

Hope that Helps,

Hannah

Feel free to leave comments or questions.

 

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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

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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Sphagnum Moss

What mix should I pot my orchids in?

 

I love, love, love Sphagnum moss for my Phalaenopsis orchids! It is so easy to tell when they need to be watered because when the moss gets dry it gets “crunchy.” What I mean by “crunchy” is that, to the touch, they actually make a crunch noise….like a dry sponge. I know when to water my orchids by touching the moss. If it feels wet like a wet or damp sponge I know NOT to water it. I wait till it feels almost bone dry. Orchids are use to times of abundant water and then dry spells. They don't like to be watered all the time.

When you buy most orchids they have bark on top, which makes it hard to tell when they need to be watered. It is very helpful to have sphagnum moss plus the right clear pots in order to solve this problem.

Note: If you choose to use bark that is perfectly fine – I just prefer moss. And in most places it's hard to find premium moss so if this is the case go ahead and get bark. Bark is not bad – I just like moss better. Also when switching between any type of mix (bark to moss or vice versa) it may shock your orchid a bit so don't be alarmed if the leaves look a bit droopy at first. Give it time to adjust.

What I use:

I started with this Classic Orchid Mix. This mix was especially useful to me, as a beginner, because it is so easy to use! This moss is also good for weak and recovering plants. I now use Imperial Orchid Mix (which is just a simple upgrade) once I got the hang of caring for my first orchids. I love them both but it's good to start with the most simple mix because you get a real “feel” for your orchids.

Background on Sphagnum Moss by my favorite site, rePotme: “It comes from bogs and is harvested, compressed and imported for use in the floral industry. There are many graded levels of sphagnum moss. The quality of sphagnum moss is relative to the length of the strands, how fluffy each strand is, and how much debris is packaged in with the moss. Lower quality moss obviously costs less. The sphagnum moss that is used by the floral industry to line hanging baskets and package seedling plants for transport is typically of a much lower grade than we would choose for use as a media to grow orchids in.

In the growing of orchids we are looking for top quality sphagnum moss with long, fluffy, open strands and good capillary action for moisture. In Taiwan, the largest exporting country of Phalaenopsis orchids, virtually all Phalaenopsis are grown in Sphagnum moss. In cooler climates and in cultivation in the home, sphagnum moss can present some challenges with overwatering. The good news is, sphagnum moss as an orchid medium is highly adaptable. Packed tightly in a pot it will retain a lot of moisture. Packed lightly in a pot it will dry out rapidly. But here is where the quality of the moss really comes in to play. Standard floral-quality sphagnum moss, available from nurseries and box stores and even sometimes advertised as 'orchid moss' is not suitable for growing orchids. Orchids grown in this lesser grade of sphagnum moss will not thrive as they could in a higher grade of moss as this moss compacts and quickly becomes sodden in all but the most arid environments.

For orchids we recommend AAA New Zealand Sphagnum Moss or 5 Star Chilean Sphagnum Moss only. The quality of the two is fairly comparable though many hobbyists feel that AAA New Zealand Sphagnum Moss is fluffier. These two products will be labeled as such, the lesser grades of sphagnum will be labeled as 'orchid moss' or simply 'sphagnum moss'.

It is important to clarify the difference between sphagnum moss and sphagnum peat moss, also called just 'peat moss'. Sphagnum peat moss is not the same thing as sphagnum moss. In a sphagnum bog the sphagnum moss is the living moss that floats on the top of the bog. Sphagnum peat moss is the dead moss that falls to the bottom of the bog. Upon harvesting, the top layer of live sphagnum moss is taken first and then the bottom layer of peat moss is harvested. Peat moss is then processed into a soil amendment that is also a valuable media for orchids but it is markedly different in appearance and texture. Most of the sphagnum moss and sphagnum peat moss we see here in nurseries and big box stores comes from Canada.”

Hope that Helps,

Hannah

Feel free to leave comments or questions.

 

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