Orchids Are a Beautiful, Mysterious Species

Orchids are a beautiful, mysterious species. They are found on every continent except Antarctica; over 28,000 species of orchids have been found! You can enjoy orchids in your home with these top 10 orchid tips:

1. Orchids love long periods of indirect light. The best growth activity occurs when the orchid receives 10-16 hours of indirect light. A good test to see if the location in question is adequately lit for your plant is to hold your hand up and check the shadow. If the shadow is blurred, you’re good to go. If it is more distinct, the light level is too high.

Several air roots are a good sign that your plant is actively growing. If possible, do not trim air roots back unless they are dead or rotten. Trimming roots can cause growth stunting.

When growing up, our family would regularly enjoy a spirited game of bowling. Although I have never a great bowler, I’ve enjoyed the game all the same.

My dad taught us the game and was quite an avid bowler. He would often share helpful tips to keep our ball from regularly gravitating towards the gutter. Although the tips were meant to teach us the game, it was the last thing you wanted to hear after a gutter ball.

3. Be sure to wait until the orchid is done blooming before repotting. Choose a pot with holes around it for air root growth.

4. Keiki are daughter plants that are grown at nodes on the flower spikes of the mother plant. Basically, the orchid is self-propagating. If your keiki is already producing its own leaves and 2-3 roots, you can trim it off and plant it in its own pot.

5. Although most do not realize it, many orchid types have spikes that are a temporary flower structure. They exist as long as the plant is in its reproductive life cycle. Once the plant has finished flowering, its flower spike dies. New flower spikes produce the new flowers in the future. This is why spike trimming is necessary after the flower dies.

6. Many types of orchids can stay vegetative (non-flowering) for years if they do not receive the right environmental signals to flower. Try moving your plant to a north or east-facing windowsill

During winter break, I took my grandson’s bowling. They have been bowling a handful of times, but it’s still a special treat and a novelty for them. I tried to wait a few moments after the dreaded gutter ball, to share my bits of wisdom, “try to keep your wrist straight,” was my best advice.

We typically play Scotch Doubles, but we didn’t have an even number of players. The game consists of teams, with two bowlers that bowl on the same scorecard under one name. You and your teammate alternate every single throw throughout the game. It takes the pressure off of younger bowlers and is a lot of fun!

Although our bowling game could have used improvement, we enjoyed our time at the bowling alley. Picking out cool colored balls, making up funny names, and watching the minion graphics on the in winter months to trigger a new flower spike. scoreboard was amusing.

7. Do not get discouraged, Orchids can remain non-flowering/vegetative for 6-9 months before producing a new bloom. Patience is key!

8. Phalaenopsis orchids need a period of cool night temperatures for 4-5 weeks before initiating flower spikes. Temperatures near 65° F at night are a good place to start for home growers. This can be as simple as placing the orchid near a north or east-facing window in winter months.

9. Light and food are key when trying to achieve blooms. If you are struggling to obtain flower spikes, you may try to increase the length of indirect light your plant receives during the day. This does not mean that you need to increase light inten sity, but rather the amount of time your plant receives light. The best way to feed & water your orchid is to put Schultz Orchid food in a couple of inches of water in your sink. Set the orchid in the sink for about 15 minutes.

I also shared some family bowling stories. They were shocked to hear that Great Grandpa is a great bowler. They also loved hearing about Aunt Jeanne and Uncle Dan’s love story, which began on a bowling league.

The boys got a kick out of some of the bowling lingo, such as: Sleeper - a pin that is directly behind the pin in front of it, which is hard to see. A Split - pins left standing on both sides of the lane. Their favorite term that my dad coined, “You got robbed,” which he would say when all pins fell over except one. Next time you’re looking for something to do, lace up your bowling shoes and enjoy an entertaining game of bowling with family & friends.

10.After the orchid drops its last flower, you should trim the flower spike. You can trim it back in one of two ways depending on your plant’s situation. If the spike is still green, it means that your plant potentially has the energy to push out a new flowering spike from the current spike. It speeds up the process of re-blooming to simply cut the spike back one inch above the highest node, or bump, on the spike. For unhealthy, brown spikes, cut all the back to the base of the plant.

Pictures and Article from National Garden Bureau and Rachel Blodgett, Wedel’s Houseplant Expert