The Garden Community for Garden Lovers

How to care for a 'moth orchid'?

Nottinghamshire, United Kingdom Gb

Carol spotted this in the bargain bin at B & Q today at just £1 and brought it home. Now it's down to yours truly to keep it alive. It appears to be growing in bark chips? and I assume this means it only needs very little water. The roots are circling around the pot (it's transparent) so Again I assume it is going to need re-potting?
In other words HELP ! ! !



Picture_035

Answers

 

That's pretty Ian but I wouldn't have a clue what to do with it.

9 Oct, 2009

 

LMSO Tulsa, thats what I said except you missed the bl**dy out. :~))

9 Oct, 2009

 

Ian there is lots of info on looking after phalaenopsis just do a search if you need more. Don't repot it will be fine you can hide the clear plastic pot in a cache pot. Water very, very sparingly and never allow the orchid to stand in water - it grows in the trees in its native habitat so only gets wet when it rains. Keep reasonably warm but not in direct sunlight. When the flowering spike has finished flowering cut back to one of the lower points on the branch where you can see and axil. If you really want to spoil it you can buy orchid food, the tub of powder works out much cheaper in the long run than the liquid version.

9 Oct, 2009

 

Thanks Moon Grower, I have just been doing exactly that. There is loads of info on GoY about them. Now I know its name I can read even more closely at what I should be doing. :~)))))

9 Oct, 2009

 

Its very pretty but really looks like a moth
(shudder)
good find Carol

x x x

9 Oct, 2009

 

Don't you like moths then Jen?

9 Oct, 2009

 

NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

eugh make me scream like abig jessy, cold sweats, feeling sick,shakes... pretty much the same with butterflies but these are worse

:o(

x x x

9 Oct, 2009

 

Ooops sorry. :~)))))))))

9 Oct, 2009

 

hahaha

no worries
just a lala really
one of those phobias that just came from no-where!! bizare
x x x

9 Oct, 2009

 

:~))

9 Oct, 2009

 

What does LMSO mean I'm still learning.

9 Oct, 2009

 

laughing my socks off
bit more polite than LMAO!!

X X X

9 Oct, 2009

 

Mookins please send me a pm i 'm good for a laugh .

9 Oct, 2009

 

sent you onemaybe Ian will know where the blg was with all the versions like this on

x x x

9 Oct, 2009

 

Hi Tulsa, I have had a look but I can't find it so it wasn't one of mine. :~((

9 Oct, 2009

 

mmmm will have another look round

x x x

10 Oct, 2009

 

A little tip, Ian. Don't cut the stem back until the very last flower has dropped off. A new stem should grow either from the old one (the little axil or flap that Mg said), or from between the leaves.

If this doesn't happen, then take the pot into a cooler room - 5-8 degrees lower is about right. Leave it there for 3 weeks and then bring it back. You'll find that a new stem has begun to grow.

By the way, be ready with a small cane and a clip to support the new stem - they grow at funny angles!

10 Oct, 2009

 

Thanks Spritz for pointing this out - you are the expert on these orchids for which I am grateful xxx

10 Oct, 2009

 

I'm grateful to all of you as I didn't have a clue what to do.
That sentence sounded like a line from a 1970's song from sweet. Blockbuster. LOl :~)))

10 Oct, 2009

 

The red car and the blue car had a race!!.....

x x x

11 Oct, 2009

 

Thanks, Mg - what a lovely compliment! :-))

Ian - you're welcome. I hope it thrives for you!

11 Oct, 2009

 

Mookins, were we in the same asylum? Lol
Spritz, Thank you. :~))

11 Oct, 2009

How do I say thanks?

Answer question

 


Not found an answer?