Short Question

[Adam]

I just got an orchid from my grandmother. it was done flowering, so she threw it out. I adopted it, and planted it in orchid bark. Anyways, i was wondering if the ice cube method works well(3 a week), i will fertilize it, and i cut off the flower stem. indirect light. this is basically correct right?
50% humidity

 

[ellforest]

I have heard people talk of the ice cube method, but I prefer to water my orchids the old fashioned way. This is especially true when I fertilize them. I don't know how you'd fertilize them if you used ice cubes? Anyway, I put mine in a mixture of orchid bark and sphagnum moss. You can use either the fancy blonde "orchid" sphag., or you can just use run of the mill sphag. I think the moss helps because they don't seem to dry out as quickly, and I have had far more leaf growth since switching to this mixture. I water mine about once every 4 or 5 days depending on when they feel dry to the touch, and I fertilize them every 3rd or 4th time I water. Some have to be watered more frequently, and some less... I just touch the top of the potting medium and if it feels dry I run them under some water until the water runs out of the bottom, making sure that I get the whole thing wet. You can cut off the flower spike, but if it is still green you might want to leave it for a while to see if it re-flowers out of the same spike. Sometimes they will grow more flowers out of the same one, and will sometimes re-flower more quickly because they won't have to grow a new spike. Just make sure there are holes in the bottom of the pot so they don't sit in water.

I hope this helps. Indirect light is good, but my Phalaenopsis orchids and some of my dendrobium orchids require bright indirect light.

Good luck, and just remember to be patient.

 

[Adam]

I think its a phalaenopsis. I already cut the "green spike" by mistake. for fertilizer, i'd use epiphyte's delight in a mist. i water with the ice cubes, but fertilize with mist.

 

[herenorthere]

I assume that since you only think is't a Phalaenopsis, it didn't come with a name tag. Can you show us a photo or tell us whether it looks like this (the plant, not necessarily the flowers):

If that's it and it has thick, succulent leaves, than you have what is generally a pretty easy orchid for northeastern growers.

Everybody uses different techniques but, if you're thinking of keeping it outside in the summer, having sphag in the mix can be a problem because you won't be able to control the frequency of watering. It might be helpful for this first winter, but consider repotting it when root growth starts again in the spring. They really do thrive on spending the summer in the dappled light under a tree and you don't want to lose the roots when it rains for days in a row.

Why are you using an ice cube - that's something people growing heat-intolerant plants do to carry them through heat waves. I can't imagine any reason to do it to a Phal in PA in October. As for fertilizing, I wouldn't do it until spring.

 

[tommyr]

Forget the ice cubes.