Aug 202010
 

Question:  I have a healthy vanda that flowers freely. Now, however, it is growing two plantlets. How do I remove them and pot into their own baskets? M.H. Starzinger

Answer:  The offsets are known as keikis which means “baby” in Hawaiian. When the young plants have developed roots of their own that are 2 inches or more long, they can usually be broken off the mother plant quite easily. Some growers snap them off, while others sever them with a sterilized blade, taking care not to injure the main stem. Winter is not a good time to perform this operation, however, especially as far north as you are. Rather, wait until spring when you see active new root growth. The plants may then be put into appropriately sized baskets and will quickly establish. Alternately, you may wish to simply leave the keikis attached and allow the plant to form a clump, which will give proportionately more flowers than will the single stem. See our Video Library for tutorials on removing and potting keikis. Ned Nash

Aug 012010
 

Ideally, most orchids do best in the 70’s and 80’s, going cooler at night. During mid-summer, when they receive week after week of 90 degree temperatures, they need a bit of extra TLC to keep them happy.

Misting your plants will help to cool them off. In very humid climates, one needs to mist very lightly so that the plants don’t stay too wet. In a hot and DRY climate, one can mist more heavily to create a bit of humidity. The water droplets on the leaves help to cool off your orchids’ leaf tissue.

Shade your plants heavily during hot summers. Think of yourself sitting in the hot sand at the beach. If you sit in the shade, you feel much cooler. Taking a dip in the water (or misting yourself) will bring down your body temperature. The same holds true for plants.

Back off a bit on fertilizer when extreme heat hits. When it’s 95 degrees plus in the greenhouse, I very rarely feel hungry during the day. Orchids also seem to slow down their growth in extreme heat. Skip a week or two of food every so often during those high heat weeks to give your plants a break from the high nitrogen rush!

Air movement is also a key. Just as I like to stand in front of a fan during a warm spell, our orchids also will benefit from extra air movement.

The flowers on those few orchids that are brave enough to bloom this time of year don’t last very long. This time of year our Phalaenopsis fold after 4-6 weeks, whereas during the cooler winter/spring season they last 3-4 MONTHS. This is why most orchids bloom between Thanksgiving and Mother’s Day. Summer is more of a “growing” season for plants.

Try not to add undue stress to your plants during extreme heat. Usually it is fine to repot throughout the summer months. However, when extreme heat hits, it is best to wait a week or two until things cool off. We usually try to repot our most tender orchids in Springtime (March through May), leaving some of the sturdier varieties (i.e. Cattleyas and Dendrobiums, etc.) for summer potting.

If growing in a bark mix, watch for moldy bark (snow mold) this time of year. It is very common due to the high humidity levels. It helps to use a fungicide periodically during very humid months. Physan 20, Captan, and Phyton 27 all will help to keep mold and rot at bay. If you do see mold in your mix, it is usually best (and cheapest) to simply repot the plant in fresh mix.

Stay cool,

Liese

Aug 012010
 

by Susan Taylor
Originally published in BellaOnline

Foliar Fertilizing
During the peak growing months of summer use a foliar fertilizer of very dilute fertilizer with 1/2 teaspoon per gallon soap as a wetting agent so that the fertilizer will stay on the leaves long enough to allow the plant to absorb the nutrients. Be sure to spray early in the morning before the sun gets to the plants and provide excellent air circulation to allow for rapid evaporation to prevent rots. Be very careful with the crowns of Phals and Paphs.

Seal cuts when you trim plants
You can use melted candle wax to seal the cut when you trim back your orchids after blooming or when cutting off old pseudobulbs or leaves. This will completely seal the cut and prevent the introduction of bacterial or fungal diseases. Other ways to seal cuts are cinnamon (without sugar), Elmer’s Glue, and various commercial products.

Be consistent with staking Staking
new growths is one of the most underutilized growing principals in orchid growing. This is a important element in getting your plants to look good and to present your flowers correctly when they open. Stake when the growths are about half done or for larger plants when the growth is about 5 inches, or 12 centimeters, tall. Continue to train the growth to the stake and then include the inflorescence when it appears.

Attaching to stakes
There are many different ways to tie your plant to a stake. For whimsy, use the little insect shaped clips that come in butterfly, dragonfly or other shapes. They should be large enough to hold the growth to thestake without impeding the growth. If you use a clip that’s too small it will damage the new growth. Twist ties will work as well as raffia which can be used to tie together the entire plant for a nice shape.

Mist in the mornings
Misting is great for your plants, but you must be careful to mist early in the day so that your plants have time to completely dry before nightfall. Fans to circulate air will also help deter the growth of fungus as they do not like moving air and it makes it more difficult for the spores to attach.

Rotate your plants to display blooms
Orchids in bloom need less light than those that are developing new growths or are resting. In fact, too much light will fade some flowers. So, when you have a well-developed inflorescence, move your plant further from the light source and toward the front of your area so you can display it and enjoy the flowers more easily. I often put the pot on top of another pot to lift the plant up so that the flowers are closer to eye level.