Orchid

Cammomile - I think it was more likely to have been the steam, and possibly not enough watering. Mine get a little each week and a feed every fortnight. I drain off any excess water. They are on a bright windowsill and thrive there. I am guessing that it was a Moth Orchid - a Phalaenopsis, was it?

What a shame not to try again! If you did get another, why not put it in a different room? They are so beautiful. I would be happy to advise you on Orchid care! I've had mine (collection of about a dozen, I think) for years now - and am reviving one that my daughter tried to kill off....really, have another go!

Thank you Spritz for your encouragement, but I knew as soon as I received it that it was doomed!! Perhaps it felt my negativity. They are so beautiful to look at and I know of so many people who have had them and lost them and its such a waste. Perhaps I will try again in the summer.

I referred this to Boss Lady, who is the orchid grower in this house, to see if she had any extra thoughts, Cammomile. She agrees 100% with Spritz that a bathroom is not a good place. an occasional misting with a rain water spray is quite enough. She suggests that you get yourself one now whilst they are very good value for money for Christmas. I saw some this morning in Morrisons at £6.99 or £7.99 for a big one complete in ceramic pot. I think Morrisons is mainly northern based but I am sure you could find one for not very much money. Oh and Jacqui says that it is rather like falling off a bike. Get back on immediately. LOL.

John.

Thank you John and Boss Lady. I don't think I could even attempt to ride a bike - but I may get another orchid as they are beautiful!!

John's very out of date where Morrison's is concerned, Cammomile. Sir Ken Morrison took over Safeway's about 5-6 years ago and so there are stores all over the South now.

YESS! Get another one! SOON!

How dare you say I am out of date. I am just memory recall challenged, it's because they sold the Scarborough Safeway to Sainsburys. It comes with age. Lol.

Have you checked your sell-by date recently? I am not going to tell you where it is probably stamped; however, you will probably need to use a mirror or ask Boss Lady's assistance. LOL.

Isn't it sad when that happens, especially if the plant was a present. My son gave me a Bonsai a few years ago. On Christmas Day it was perfect, on New Year's Day the last leaf fell off! Poor thing would have been happier on the shelf at Marks and Spencers. I'll never have another.

Thank you all for your input. I haven't seen a Morrisons in the area I live in (West Sussex) - I am as memory challenged as the next person (I once found my purse in the fridge) but I do love gardening and shall potter on - as it were.

Hi all It does sound that your bathroom is a little too damp for it, although having said that they do like stemy conditions, i have been growing these in my bathroom for many years, but i rarely water the soil. i think the problem is this type of orchid naturally grow in trees, not soil, they kind of hang from the trees branches and the air roots (silvery grey tendrals that come out from the base of the plant) take in the water, so stem or misting is good for them, however, they do not like, too much light, wet soil or to have water sitting on the base of the plant or where the leaves meet the stem, this is the most likely cause of your problem with it. so if you get a lot of condensation in your bathroom, or have ever had a problem with mould in there, the problem is condensation, that will collect on the base of the leaves and rot the plant. in which case you could just wipe the leaves after each time you have a bath/shower, as the steem it's self is good. Sorry to disagree guys, but i have a friend that is an orchid breeder, and this is a common misconception about them, bathroom is still the best place, if you can avoid collection of condensation in the base of the leaves. if this is to be difficult then the second option would be a difused light sito - not too bright, away from central heating that will dry the air, and frequent misting on the air roots not the leaves. mine do florish in the bathroom but it is well ventilated so although you do get a bit of stem everytime someone has a bath, the condensation does'nt collect on them, which is perfect for them. my white one flowered for 10 months last year, and it is just budding up on a double stem to do it all over again! i hardly ever water this plant from the base, and in this sito it requires very little care and attention, if you hit it right they are easy, maybe it would be worth trying them again, but if your bathroom is very stemy, don't warter them at all, and after shower/bath leave the door open for a bit to prevent build up of condenstion. hope this helps.

Are you anywhere near Bognor Regis, Cammomile?. there is a big Morrisons there. I know this because my wife drags me into it whenever we go down there,

Yes Majeekahead. Most orchids are epiphytes and are happy to live on the nutrition they can get out of the air. It really is amazing. They grow often on trees and just have aerial roots. They don't take anything or give anything to the tree, as a parasite or saprophyte would, they simply use it as a host to cling to. I've got a couple of bilbergias and tillandsias that do the same thing. I agree you cannot water from the base. The potting medium, often just a mixture of sphagnum moss and orchid bark that is what Jacqui uses with a bit of crushed charcoal to keep it sweet, is what is described in the trade as 'loose' in other words it appears to have more air than solid so it would have one heck of a job to take up water by capillary action. Boss Lady plus a couple of friends of ours tried the bathroom thing. Must require an expert because nobody we know succeeded. So well done.

John.

thanks John, i think it is a fine line with them, i have had them in 3 different bathrooms since i have grown them, and found it the best place to grow them, each of these bathrooms have had different conditions and situations in the house, but the key is humidity, but good ventiation, and if you have a very stemy bathroom don't water them at all, and as i mentioned before i know a breeder, you may have herd of Iven's Orchids? well when i used to work in the west end (London) we used to get all of our orchid plants and cut flowers direct from them, and I got quite friendly with one of the brothers and used to frequently pick his brains every time he came to deliver, i do find them so beautiful and facinated, and this guy really knew his stuff. and they are grown under the conditions that i have discribed, one of the tips he gave me is that you know if you have hit it right as there will be lots of air roots, and through my own experince the less you water the base the more of these grow out and take in the stem and moisture from the air. And talking about Bromeliads another of my favorites, a friend of mine did a wonderful display of Phalaenopsis orchids and Bromeliads on a tree branch in her bathroom (much larger than mine lol) and it stood approx 5ft tall, cemented into a large pot, with various different varieties wired onto each side branch (if that makes sence) the only growing medium was some spagnum moss. It was really stunning and sucessful, so it just goes to show that they don't need the soil at all! not too mention light on the roots is also good, if my memory serves me correctly i think this is the reason they are grown in clear or translucent pots. the tree thing i would love to try it, but would'nt have the room not to mention the 'Brooke factor' wanting to swing off it or something! lol and if i remeber righly AndrewR was talking about trying something simular with Bromeliads a while back, if you reed this Andrew and it was you that i was chatting to a while back about this - how did you get on?

Great discussion subject especially in December. Don't panic Cammomile we are not really trying to blind you with science and most of this you don't need. It is just that there is so little to talk about in the garden at the moment that even I am getting involved in something that my wife grows and I, although OK at the theory, don't know fat about the practice. But why not, I have to keep my interest? LOL.

John.

I'm going to weigh in with Majeeka...I've kept my orchids in the bathroom simply because it is the warmest spot in the house...and a nightly misting keeps them happy...they are epiphytes and will grow on a support..tree limb...etc. but for convenience we put them in special orchid pots (shallow, terracotta, with extra large holes for drainage and air circulation) filled with tree bark mulch. If they stop blooming you can "shock" them back to it with a cool period. There are so many different orchids~ if your house is cool perhaps you should look for Masdevallia...they are from a high altitude rainforest habitat. Most common orchids on the market today are the Phalaenopsis....beautiful, sturdy and happy to share our dry houses. they are pretty easy...as demands go... they will bloom for a very long period and then rest...so don't give up...find yourself another and read up...the internet has all points of view...find the one you like and go with that!

Hi, sorry to hear of your loss! Before the leaves dropped off, did they go yellow, black and spotty or black on the end of the leaves? Let me know, because it doesn't sound like overwatering. I water my plants once a week when they have totally dried out. It is more likely that the plant had some kind of aphid (which will infest any other orchids next to them).

When watering an orchid, I've always saturated the plant from the top, careful not to let water sit in the leaves, leave to stand to have a good drink for 10 minutes and then drain off excess water. A daily, light misting in the morning, avoiding the flowers.

Orchids don't like direct sunlight - were the leaves sun-scorched?

Hope I've been some use.