For a few years now I have been bemoaning the fact that my two orchids refused to reflower.
I have read anything that I could find, watched YouTube videos, sought advice from people successful in getting orchids to flower year after year and followed any advice to the letter.
I decided to pop them on a south facing windowsill over winter with the intention of moving them in summer. As summer never really got going I left them only moving them out of the window on the few days when the sun through the window was hot.
I thought orchids shouldn't be placed on a south facing windowsill and only placed them there in a last resort do or die attempt to get them to flower but look what has happened.
I'd forgotten what the flowers looked like but wasn't disappointed.
They do say good things come to those who wait and it has certainly been a long wait.
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What lovely blooms. I guess they will see more of your south facing window now.
ReplyDeleteThey will. Daphne but I dare say that if summer had been better it would have been too hot for them
DeleteStunning! The great thing is, the blooms go on for a long time too.
ReplyDeleteAfter mine were spent, I lost two but one kept the leaves and eventually, after a couple years of pure neglect {I decided to 'care' for it as if it was in the wild} I was rewarded. Unfortunately, that one has also passed over the Great Compost Bridge in the Sky
Oh dear, Debs that is a shame at least mine stayed alive
DeleteWow! They look fabulous.
ReplyDeleteIt reminds me why I didn't give up on them, Jessica
DeleteThey are beautiful! I think that a lot of gardening is about trying new things - even "you're not supposed to do that" sorts of things. You were obviously rewarded for doing so!
ReplyDeleteIt is Margaret what works for one person often doesn't for another
DeleteOh my-those are stunning. I guess the south window it is!
ReplyDeleteIt is Sue until they let me know otherwise
DeleteThey're beautiful. Well done for getting them to flower again.
ReplyDeleteThanks it's been a long time coming so I muse have been doing lots wrong
DeleteBrilliant, so now we know the secret. They've done really well in the end. And no doubt the flowers will last for months.
ReplyDeleteI hope so CJ but it may well not work another year, They may be playing with me
DeleteThose orchids are beautiful Sue x
ReplyDeleteThanks Craig good to see you're back
DeleteWell there you go! Now we all know what to do.....they certainly are worth the wait!xxx
ReplyDeleteThey definitely are Dina
DeleteMy goodness, that’s a lot of flowers! Patience is a virtue :-)
ReplyDeleteMy orchids are happier here in my new house than in my old, 2 of them have started flowering since I arrived in May and another one has buds. In my old house I only had a small windowsill and the kitchen counter to keep orchids, here I have two big windows, one facing north-west and one south-east, it seems perfect for houseplants of all kinds including orchids.
We have windows directions Helene and I thought that south would be the one that they liked the least
DeleteOrchids really earn their place as a houseplant, because once flowering the exotic looking blooms can last for months . I hope your orchids continue to perform for you.
ReplyDeleteI have had some success following Alan Titchmarsh's advice to keep the orchids in flower all year - year round regular feeding and also cutting back the freshly finished flower spike half way up the stem to get additional new flower spikes to form from the cut end of the stem (when it works they form flowers a lot quicker than the stems from the base of the leaves which still carry on too).
What feed do you use S and D and thanks for the tips
DeleteI use Baby Bio liquid plant food but, as orchids only need a weak feed, I make it more dilute than the instructions on the bottle. So I use 5 drops in 1 litre of cooled boiled water (instead of 5 drops in half litre of water). We have very hard water & boiling removes some of the scale (which orchids don't like apparently), or 'clean' rain water can be used. Baby Bio also produce a more expensive liquid orchid food, which is exactly the same as the ordinary food, but more dilute, so it is the same as my homemade mixture. I water the plants approx once a week, but decide according to the colour of the thick tendril roots in the pot (I see you also have clear pots, which according to many is essential for orchids), when they look less fresh green, then I water generously from the top of the pot and let them drain completely. Feeding orchids is well worth the bother as it makes the leaves a good green colour and the flowers are bigger and last longer.
DeleteThanks for the advice SandD
DeleteOh well done Sue - you must be delighted. My mum has a fabulous collection of orchids many of which have overwintered for years but I'm afraid I've not inherited her magic touch.
ReplyDeleteVery delighted Anna.
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