A new hobby for me – purchasing and taking care of Orchids.
My Florida Orchid
I started to say growing Orchids; however I’am not growing them. Should I wish I were? Many years ago I grew African Violets. I had several of them and grew new plants from leaves of older plants. I had a unique grouping of windows with perfect lighting conditions, that helped them prosper. I haven’t been so lucky growing African Violets since moving to Colorado. I have one plant and I am glad to report she is doing well.
While traveling this past winter, I fell in love with my sister-in-laws Orchids. For many years she has had Orchids. Living in Florida and enjoying its mild and humid weather her Orchids are hung from tree branches and decorate their pool side patio in beautiful pots. She has several different species and they are all gorgeous!
During our visit to Florida, I purchased an Orchid telling myself that I must be crazy – “what am I doing taking a moist loving plant to a non-moist environment?” If you have ever visited Colorado, then you know what the humidity levels are! What the heck I told myself, I want one.
I can’t say this is my very first Orchid, because MANY years ago my sweet hubby gave me one as a gift. I don’t remember what happened to this special Orchid.
The Orchid I purchased in Florida, was from one of the many speciality grocery stores that sell them. I can’t remember exactly which store. The flowers on my Orchid were a beautiful orangey, rusty color (my favorite) and they lasted several months. When we got home, I repotted my lovely Orchid and it is doing well. It has since lost its flowers, but new, dark green leaves are sprouting out and the root system is growing fast. It is looking good and I will be so excited when, yes when, it blooms again!
Being back home, with lots more room to have house plants, I purchased another Orchid. This time a beautiful dark, pink color, which is still blooming. I repotted this one as well.
My second Orchid
A week or two ago, while along for the ride with hubby, I purchased yet another Orchid from Lowe’s. Whenever we go to one of the big hardware stores, I like to browse the garden area. Well on this particular day, I came across several lovely Orchids that were on Lowe’s clearance rack. Actually, there were quite a few. I felt very bad for all these Orchids, which I knew would probably be thrown away. I selected one that looked healthy and left the rest with a heavy heart. I have the room at home, but not so much when we begin traveling again in the coach, otherwise I would have taken more home with me.
The flowers on this one are white with reddish centers. I repotted it and she looks happy, happy, happy! So now I have three. Will I leave home with three? {grins}. I think it is sad to see what type of container these Orchids are put in to sell. I know it makes monetary sense, but I am betting some of them don’t survive.
My third Phalaenopsis Orchid
Not long after my first Orchid purchase, I began looking for a book to read on how to care for them. I found and purchased a book by Bruce Rogers called “The Orchid Whisperer”. I enjoyed reading this book and will keep it, in my iPad book library for future reference.
After reading this book, I choose to repot my Orchids using a coarse blend of bark. You will notice, I am trying out different types of pots – one is clay, one is a ceramic Orchid pot and one is a ceramic pot.
Orchid Potting Mix
My three Orchids are Phalaenopsis Orchids and I understand that they are the most common, and are the ones sold at grocery, hardware and other type stores. People claim they are easy to maintain and that they produce gorgeous flowers twice a year. They come in many different colors and are commonly called the “Moth Orchid”.
I have placed my three Orchids, along with the African Violet, in a north facing window in my bathroom area. They receive plenty of light and hopefully some moisture. All four plants appear healthy.
A great resource for not only learning about Orchids, but educating yourself about Orchids is the American Orchid Society.
They are so beautiful! I also saw them in the north window when I was leaving the other day. Hope dear Kloud is getting better by the day! Good luck tomorrow on stitch removal. TTMB
Hi Gale! Glad you at least got to see them from the driveway! Thanks again for visiting and bringing gifts. Howard and I enjoyed the flowers and the girls enjoyed the treats. Kloudy, gets her stitches out on Wednesday! She will be so glad to get the “cone” off her head.
Hi Gay, I so hope to see my Florida Orchid bloom again. I wish I would have taken a few photos of it when it was blooming. Glad we like the same colors! Kloudy is doing well and we will see what CSU Oncology has to say on the 10th of August!
Hi Sylvia, you live in the perfect environment to grow these beautiful Orchids! I bet yours is doing thriving! And, I hope this note finds you and family doing well!
Your orchids are beautiful! I have only had one orchid in my life. After the flowers fell off it lived for almost five more years without blooming again before it finally gave up about a month ago. I’ve been wanting to get another one but don’t want to kill it, too. I’ll check out your link to the Orchid Society and who knows? A new orchid may be in my future.
Beth, I also see beautiful Orchids in your future and I SO hope that my Orchid blooms again! WOW, five years without any flowers. Glad you liked the post and the link! Chat with you soon!
When I had orchids, I bought a fertilizer or food or something for them. Check out a nice garden center, they should be able to direct you to the right thing to help them bloom again and again.
Thanks, I will check it out. I will be happy, happy to see them bloom again! I will keep you posted on how they do!!! Give Kathie a hug from me and my gang!!
I love your orchids! They are such a beautiful flower and every time I go to a store that has them for sale, I’m tempted to buy one. I know I don’t have the right lighting for them, so I don’t ever buy one.
Annie, you never know you just might have the perfect spot for one.
Can you believe that Lowe’s was selling the white Orchid for $3.00.
In the book I was reading the author stated that he purchased a rare Orchid and hung it in his shower, It lived until he had to move from his current house to another and the Orchid didn’t like the new space and died.
Thanks Pam. I sure hope they do well; I would love to see them bloom again and again. I told hubby for the several months they bloom, for $3.00 I can receive a lot of pleasure! Cost less than a Starbucks! For years, I would stop most morning on my way to work for a latte! So now I just spend it on Orchids and maybe a Microbrew!!
You are making me MISS my orchids! When I lived in San Diego I started collecting them, and had a bunch. Yours are just beautiful. Someday I’ll have more. 🙂
Hi Barbara, it is SO wonderful to hear from you!! Living in SD, I bet you had some beautiful Orchids. I think this can get addicting. Oh my.
I wanted to tell you PLEASE be careful going out at dusk, as you know it is when the rattlers seek the warmth of the pavement. We have them here where we live. A neighbor was bitten and spent three months in the hospital. Not meaning to scare you, but they can make you very ill. I hope you get lots of Orchids again!!
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They are so beautiful! I also saw them in the north window when I was leaving the other day. Hope dear Kloud is getting better by the day! Good luck tomorrow on stitch removal. TTMB
Hi Gale! Glad you at least got to see them from the driveway! Thanks again for visiting and bringing gifts. Howard and I enjoyed the flowers and the girls enjoyed the treats. Kloudy, gets her stitches out on Wednesday! She will be so glad to get the “cone” off her head.
Orchids are so pretty…good luck! Yours do look so healthy. I hope you will post pictures of the orangy bloom as that would be my favorite color too.
Hope this finds Kloud making a remarkable recovery…
Hi Gay, I so hope to see my Florida Orchid bloom again. I wish I would have taken a few photos of it when it was blooming. Glad we like the same colors! Kloudy is doing well and we will see what CSU Oncology has to say on the 10th of August!
Hope you are having a good week!
Good luck with your orchids. I live in Florida, and have one tied to a tree, which is doing really well. 🙂
Hi Sylvia, you live in the perfect environment to grow these beautiful Orchids! I bet yours is doing thriving! And, I hope this note finds you and family doing well!
Your orchids are beautiful! I have only had one orchid in my life. After the flowers fell off it lived for almost five more years without blooming again before it finally gave up about a month ago. I’ve been wanting to get another one but don’t want to kill it, too. I’ll check out your link to the Orchid Society and who knows? A new orchid may be in my future.
Beth, I also see beautiful Orchids in your future and I SO hope that my Orchid blooms again! WOW, five years without any flowers. Glad you liked the post and the link! Chat with you soon!
When I had orchids, I bought a fertilizer or food or something for them. Check out a nice garden center, they should be able to direct you to the right thing to help them bloom again and again.
Thanks, I will check it out. I will be happy, happy to see them bloom again! I will keep you posted on how they do!!! Give Kathie a hug from me and my gang!!
Thanks for the tips,
I love your orchids! They are such a beautiful flower and every time I go to a store that has them for sale, I’m tempted to buy one. I know I don’t have the right lighting for them, so I don’t ever buy one.
Annie, you never know you just might have the perfect spot for one.
Can you believe that Lowe’s was selling the white Orchid for $3.00.
In the book I was reading the author stated that he purchased a rare Orchid and hung it in his shower, It lived until he had to move from his current house to another and the Orchid didn’t like the new space and died.
See you soon!
Good for you:) I love orchids and can look at them for hours. I hope all goes well with your new hobby. Keep us posted:)
Thanks Pam. I sure hope they do well; I would love to see them bloom again and again. I told hubby for the several months they bloom, for $3.00 I can receive a lot of pleasure! Cost less than a Starbucks! For years, I would stop most morning on my way to work for a latte! So now I just spend it on Orchids and maybe a Microbrew!!
Hope you are enjoying your travels. Be Safe!
You are making me MISS my orchids! When I lived in San Diego I started collecting them, and had a bunch. Yours are just beautiful. Someday I’ll have more. 🙂
Hi Barbara, it is SO wonderful to hear from you!! Living in SD, I bet you had some beautiful Orchids. I think this can get addicting. Oh my.
I wanted to tell you PLEASE be careful going out at dusk, as you know it is when the rattlers seek the warmth of the pavement. We have them here where we live. A neighbor was bitten and spent three months in the hospital. Not meaning to scare you, but they can make you very ill. I hope you get lots of Orchids again!!