Question:
Do I need a special "orchid pot" to grow orchids?
Answer:
Orchid roots need to "breathe" and require both a growing media and pot that have good drainage so the pot itself must have holes in the bottom (This pot may be placed into another container for decorative purposes but be sure to remove for watering). Most pots are made of either clay or plastic; clay tends to dry out quickly while plastic tends to hold water. The clay pots with additional slits in the side (sometimes known as "orchid pots") are quite expensive and unnecessary - there is already enough drainage provided by the holes in the bottom and by the drying properties of the clay. Most plastic pots, on the other hand, can contribute to the rotting of the roots especially if the grower has a tendency to over-water. In general, we recommend regular clay pots for the following reasons: They will not rot the roots, are bottom heavy, are natural, and can be used by themselves as simple decorative containers that do not compete with the beauty of the orchid flowers
Question:
Now that fall is here, isn't this the time to coax Phalaenopsis to bloom by giving them the cold treatment?
Answer:
Yes, now is the time to "spike" Phalaenopsis. The process is easy - leave the plant outside in a shady and covered area (or in a cool room of the house) when the night temperatures drop in the 50's. Phalaenopsis require this chilling period and would not normally receive these low temperatures if kept in the house year round. After several weeks, return the plant to the house and within a month, a new flower spike should emerge from the base of the plant. The flower spike grows slowly but by late January or early February, it should burst forth with as many as a dozen perfectly shaped blooms.
Question:
I have pink lady slippers growing in the woods - are they orchids?
Answer:
Virginia has a number of native orchids including both the pink and yellow lady slippers. These Cypripediums typically bloom in the spring and reside in the pine forests where they receive shady and damp growing conditions. They should not be transplanted or moved in any way, however, as they are protected under the Endangered Species Act. Fortunately, there are other kinds of lady slippers, called Paphiopedilums, which are equally beautiful and are commercially available. These tropical "Paphs" are not grown outside but rather indoors under low light.