Art, Jr. writes a question and answer column for the Flair section of the Richmond Times-Dispatch. His column appears on various Saturdays during the year. Use the email link above to send him your questions. The three best questions will be answered here and in the next installment in Flair. Click here for the archives.

Flair Column, October, 2007

Question:

I placed several orchids outside for the summer. With temperatures starting to drop, how long can I safely leave them out? Joyce J.

Answer:

Cold weather is nowhere in sight which is good news for the zillions of orchid growers who dread having to bring in their plants at this time of year. Central Virginia offers an ideal climate from June through September but here we approaching November and it is still downright hot outside. At this rate, children will be learning about snow in history books.

Most orchids are happiest between 60 and 90 degrees F though they can tolerate a wider range for short periods of time. Regular night temperatures in the 50's cause these exotic flora to 'stress out' and exhibit yellow leaves and stunted growths. Lows in the 40's result in rotting foliage. 32 ends life as we know it.

The optimal time to bring orchids inside is a matter of personal preference. There is no right or wrong answer but rather a weighing of factors - among them is the degree to which the inside growing environment is plant friendly. Another is the raw availability of window space.

Most growers move their collection when night temperatures are predicted to be in the 50's for a week straight. Exempt from this rule are Phalaenopsis during their 'three week chilling period' and Cymbidiums which can stay out 'until frost'.

Question:

I've noticed clear sticky liquid on my orchid blooms. I even tasted it and it's 'sugary'. What is happening? Marion W.

Answer:

Gosh, I can't say that I have ever tasted orchid parts in an attempt to identify a pest. The traditional scientific approach has been to look at the area in question under a magnifying glass. Most insects are visible to the naked eye - aphids, brown scale, white scale, mealy bugs, and thrips. Even some species of mites, which are tiny members of the arachnid family, can be seen with 20-20 vision.

Sticky liquid on orchid blooms, stems, or leaves is the result of a pest either chewing or sucking or the waste left behind from such an endeavor. Successful treatment, however, is almost impossible once the flowers are affected because there are too many hiding places within the petals and the blooms are too delicate to spray or drench.

The best advice is to cut off the flower stem and deal only with the foliage which is easily accessible and durable. A pyrethrum based or highly refined horticultural oil spray used once a week for a month should take care of any current and future 'sticky liquid'.

Question:

I accidentally broke a healthy pseudo-bulb off my orchid. Rather than discarding it, I put it in a vase of water. To my amazement, it rooted and has survived a whole year. Now what? Gita A.

Answer:

'Amazement' would be the horticultural community's reaction as well since orchids are not generally thought of as propagating in water. In fact, they are mostly epiphytes - i.e. live on trees and need to have air on their roots to grow.

It is possible to propagate an orchid from a single pseudo-bulb to maturity. The process takes many years and may begin with the emergence of roots. The fact that this orchid piece has 'survived' a whole year in a vase is more a testimony to the 'never say die' attitude of the orchid family than to any horticultural miracle.

The suggested next step would be to remove the plant from the vase and plant it in a small pot of moist sphagnum moss. With any luck, a second bulb will sprout sometime in the next 12 months. Then a third bulb, a fourth, and so on until it blooms.

© The Baldwin Image 2003