ID and care Q

[thomaii]

Hi, I just found you gents and ladies and would like to thank you all for the use of this wonderfully informative site! I have a couple Orchids, one of whom I have no clue as to its species or care. I'm sure its nothing unusual as I found it at a local nursery here in Northern California. What I'm not sure of is if I should transplant the Mystery Orchid, or the Paphiopedilum for that matter. They are in a 4" pot and I have a 5" pot, a bit of bark and some coir handy. The blooms are so beautiful, it would be a shame to lose them unnecessarily. So I come to you.
I have been feeding them with a medium mixture of bloom ferts, some enzymes and gave them just a dash of Mycorrhizae. Some liquid seaweed/kelp and humic and fulvic acid is in the glass, if you will, for next watering in~4-5 days. They chill it in a kitchen window whose temperature fluctuates between 28'c and 22'c and relative humidity from 45% to 65%~roughly (I live near the ocean, on the other side of the dunes, and get a good bit of fog when its right). Thank you, any help would be greatly appreciated and I love looking at all your pictures!

Oh, how much sun will my Cymbidium tolerate? They are native to this aria and I wasn't sure what would be the best. thanks again!

All the best

[pikevi]

Hello thomaii, welcome to the forum.

I cannot answer your question and I am sure someone elso would , soon.

[fred]

hi thomaii

welcome to the forum

I hope that you enjoy your stay here with all of us orchidgeeks

the first 3 pics look like odontoglossums ( useful link 1st one )

the other 2 are paphs ( slipper orchid ) ( see link 2nd one )


http://www.orchidgeeks.com/forum/orc...ure-notes.html




Orchid Care for Phalenonopis & Paphiopedilum Orchids

I hope this helps you.

thank you for the pics they are very nice.

[thomaii]

Thanks for the welcoming and quick replies, you all rock!

[sandra]

Hi Thomaii. No, don't repot the Paphiopedilum until after the flower's died away. I was told that the potting mix to use is different than that typically used for most orchids...still am not quite sure what the difference is but that's something also you may want to consider when you get around to it. All your orchids are quite beautiful. I was partial to Lady Slippers until I found my latest cattleya! I'm fickle...what can I say?

Enjoy your beautiful orchids.

[kmarch]

Dear Thomii and welcome ot the forum.

As a rule always wait until after a plant has finished blooming to repot. When you repot you dont' necessarily have to increase the pot size. Do that only if it is absolutely necessary to accomodate the roots. I grow mostly Paphs (your second pic) and often repot them back into the same size pot.

Regarding the difference between the potting mix used for Paphs and the mix used for, say, Cattleyas, Paph mix contains more moisture retentive materials. The Paph mix I use consists of medium bark, medium charcoal, medium perelite, medium coir chips, chopped sphagnum, peat, and it I have it available, shreaded oak leaves and a bit of washed sand.

[thomaii]

Hello,

Sandra those blossoms are lovely! Are the Cattleyas fragrant?

So after reading about the Odontoglossums I think my kitchen my not be too happy of a place for her. I have some fluorescent lights should i try to create an environment where the temp would drop more at night? Right now it seems to be staying rather warm in my house. If I opened a window it would be cooler but I think the Paph would suffer.

Kmarch, I am not sure I understand the reasons for transplanting if not to give more root zone.

All the best

[kmarch]

Thomaii,

The main reason for repotting is to give your orchid fresh mix. Most orchids like a clean fresh environment, including their potting mix. As old mix breaks down it holds more moisture which can lead to root rot. It can also harbor harmful fungi, bacteria, or insects.

Some orchids require repotting more frequently than others. Paphs, for example, should be repotted every year. In a year's time a Paph may not have grown enough additional roots to warant a larger pot.

[thomaii]

Right on, thanks for the info. Would you clean around the roots or just replace the mix that falls away and is left in the pot?

[kmarch]

thomaii,

You may get a few different viewpoints on this one. But here's mine: I would not risk damaging roots by pulling off bit of mix that is stuck, especially with Paphs. Paphs have fuzzy roots that stick to bits of mix. I don't think a few bits of older mix here or there will do any harm. Also, if you have many plants, meticulously cleaning every root will just take way too much time.

Some orchids, like my Cymbidiums (I hate repotting these - fortunately it's not necessary that often) form hefty root balls and not much mix falls away when you pull the plant out of the pot. Once I had to cut the plastic pot off one plant. With these sometimes you have to work to get rid of the old mix. Fortunately Cymbidiums grow lots of strong roots so damaging a few won't hurt much.

To sum up my ramblings I guess I'd say 1) do a little research and learn what your plants' roots are like - ask other growers, especially those that specialize in those types if you can't find anything, and 2) when possible try to not damage roots.

Hope that all isn't too incoherent.....suffering from a bit of a head cold today...head isn't firing on all cylinders.

Cheers

[sandra]

Originally Posted by thomaii

Sandra those blossoms are lovely! Are the Cattleyas fragrant?

Incredibly, extremely, heavenly, positively fragrant thomaii. I wish I could bottle the fragrance!

[DDS2007]

hi and welcome to the forum !

i hope u enjoy ur stay with us. to tell u the truth i learned from the guys and gals here in a month more than i can learn in a lifetime by myself

take care

[thomaii]

Sandra, do all Cattleyas have a nice fragrance? What Orchids are good for beginners that are also pleasing to the foreman at the old olfactory factory?

Im not new to other plants, flowers and veggies. I used to work in greenhouses and organic farms maybe 5-10 years ago. Orchids have just always seemed so daunting.... It looks like I have found the right folks to talk to, however!

All the best!

[sandra]

[quote=thomaii;16302]Sandra, do all Cattleyas have a nice fragrance?QUOTE] Now that question is a little too academic for this head thomaii. I've just begun researching cattleyas because I intend on adding mostly these to my collection although whatever else catches my eye in my search will find a spot in my corner of the world too.

Working in a greenhouse and organic farm thomaii? I've always wished for a hands on, physical labor type of position and now that I'm in chapter 2 of my life, I have entertained the notion of getting my hands dirty, working in a tropical nursery not far from home. In my life prior to this I was a Playboy Bunny..........NOT!!!..........No really, I was a Playboy Centerfold......NOT!!! I was a bloodsucking attorney who caved in and sold myself to the devil ....You could say that I got my hands dirty then too but that kind of dirt was just too difficult to clean! I walked though and never looked back!

All the best back atcha thomaii!

[kmarch]

Thomaii,

Some orchids are delightfully fragrant. In northern CA I bet you could grow Zygopetalum quite well. Many Zygo hybrids smell like hyacinth and can perfume a room. Here are some more:
Rhynchostylus
some Angraecum
Brassavola nodosa - called "Queen of the Night" because it onlyreleases its fragrance at night.
lots of Cattleyas, Laelias of course
Mormodes sinuata smells like peppercorns
some Paphs are fragrant
Encyclia alata has a nice fragrance
Vanda denisoniana and its hybids

I'm sure that for every one I have listed there are 50 I am overlooking.

Some orchids have nasty, nasty fragrances. For example, many Bulbophyllum are polinated by flies and so they smell like dung or rotted meat....eeeeeeesh....