Orchid success

I'm purring. I bought two Cattleya (I think) orchids last year, in flower - and wondered if I would be able to get them to flower again. Nine months later, one has, and the other is looking promising. Now if my cymbidium shoots a flower spike - I'll be chuffed to bits.

As I am normally death to all indoor plants except xmas cactus, and african violets - its magic

 

What a beautiful orchid Fran, how did you get it to flower again? I have some Phalaenopsis orchids that I have managed to get to flower again, I have read conflicting ways of doing it thought, I just cut off about 2" of the flowering stem to a node, one flowered just below the node and the other one sent up a completely new shoot, I have also read that you cut the flowering stem right back to soil level (Monty Don's advice I think!!!)

 

Lovely picture fran - I am encouraged when you say you are usually death to indoor plants, so am I, but I think its because I prefer to be out than in so don't spend the time that I should on them.

I have had some lovely bulbs on the go all winter and I am having a go with my pleone orchid. Wouldn't mind trying a few more.

 

Well done Fran

 

With a success like that i'm sure the cymbidium will be on it's way

 

Thanks.

Re cutting dead orchid flowers - each seems to have its own rules. With the Cattelya - the flowers appear to be produced in the heart of each new leaf, so I removed the dead stem down to the leaf. With Cymbidium, the flower spike comes from a shoot at the base, and instructions say cut back to 10cm - but as I haven't had another flower spike yet can't comment - nor on any other orchid - I would hate to get it wrong.

 

Nice going Fran!

 

any advice on dendrobiums, anyone?? All the info I've found says to keep in a cool, moist environment - and it's certainly happy enough like that - but it's getting a bit big for its pot. Do they prefer to be pot-bound, or should I pot on?? I can't find the info, so help, please, folks!! :rolleyes:

 

Not grown any myself so cant speak from experience, I have a book which lists about thirty or so different kinds, some requiring warm conditions and some cool.
It does say that most are epiphytes or lithophytes so they probably manage on a pretty poor diet. So just guessing I would think that being potbound to some extent would help flowering.
But it is just a guess.

 

that is so gorgeous
i must invest in one sometime