I'm new to orchids

[Lizzette]

Hello,
My name is Lizzette, I live in Miami, Florida. You see Orchids here for sale on the side of the road, grocery stores etc. I love the beautifull flowers and have about 8 of them, and I just received another one for mothers day. I really don't know much about them, only two of my orchids have bloomed..the one I attached to a tree, and another that I repotted a few months ago has started to bloom it has a spike about 8 or 9 inches long. I was looking for a web site that would have some growing tips and I found this site, I look forward to learning alot. One thing I do notice is that ants seem to love my orchids, are they harmful? They are very tiny but the are taking over, I really don't know what to do? As I water they come out by the hundreds... My plants are outside because we have the AC on all the time, I'm not sure thats good for the orchids. Please, any suggestions would be appreciated.

[jerrymeola]

Orchids will do excellent outdoors in Miami. They need a lot of water in our winters when it is very dry and can be almost ignored in our summer rains.

The ants can be chased away but they are harmless. They live off the honey type sap that is on flower stems and buds. They do not actually eat the stem or bud. Try sprinkling with Cinnamon as it is harmless to animals and children. It seems to chase a number of different ants away. I like to avoid poisons as a general rule not just with orchids.

Welcome to the forum. Take some time and browse through the Newbie section. Read the questions and answers that interest you and seem to apply to your plants. Then when you have a specific question --- ask.