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  #21  
Old 05-25-2018, 07:57 AM
Mountaineer370 Mountaineer370 is offline
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Do you not have another window? To put a console table against? Or some other piece of furniture?
There are other windows, of course, but none that could be utilized for plants, with the exception of a small north window where my few African violets do well sitting on top of a low file cabinet. It's a small house and there is no extra space for anything, anywhere.
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Old 05-25-2018, 08:43 AM
Dollythehun Dollythehun is offline
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Default Rethinking furnishings

Cheri, my husband says I live to spend his money. We also have a very small home. I have found it is extremely easy to have too much/too large furniture. We don't even have a sofa anymore, just chairs and a loveseat because of space.

I digress. What about a smaller table, if you hardly ever use it, why not downsize? Wayfair.com can give you lots of good ideas! Then you might have room for a slender rack.

As I type, I'm already suspecting your reply...but, really, every problem has a solution, if we think outside the box.
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  #23  
Old 05-25-2018, 10:25 AM
Mountaineer370 Mountaineer370 is offline
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You have all been very kind and thoughtful, and I really do appreciate all of your ideas and suggestions. I'm weighing a lot of options in my mind. Some may work, others probably not. I will say I am not giving up on orchids entirely. I'll still be around the board. Maybe compact Phals will be what I end up with going forward. Time will tell.
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Old 05-25-2018, 03:00 PM
malteseproverb malteseproverb is offline
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In answer to your original question, I really have no one to rehome orchids to so I keep them until they die. When a plant continues going south even after I've tried various changes I do eventually stop caring and often throw it out. Sometimes they become vectors for bugs and are better off in hell. If they are chugging along but never blooming, however, I don't lose interest, I just keep trying new things because that's the fun part. Are your phals still putting out new leaves or are they declining?

I found that it took me around 3 years of growing to get my orchids to bloom regularly. It takes a while to get a feel for everything required to bloom an orchid. It took me a while to understand, for instance, that oncidiums need so much more water than the others I had and that they need cooler temps to grow properly. Or that I chose a few plants that were just stupidly impossible in my indoor conditions.

I've grown mainly in windowsills and could bloom most high light plants including vandas and cattleyas without putting them outside. Though you are farther north than I am I grow in an east-facing window and still have managed to burn my plants. I keep them as close to the window as possible and don't use curtains. I mentioned in another thread you started that keeping your house the same temperature all day long, every season, will probably prevent blooming. I did not realize you were growing mainly phals; I find that phals are especially particular about needing temp changes to bloom. I don't think they need to go outside though. Just keep them by a drafty window in the fall, or open the window when temps are around 60 outside and leave them there for a few days. That has worked for me in the past.

But if you are losing interest in these you might as well try other plants instead. What's the point?
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  #25  
Old 05-25-2018, 03:58 PM
Dollythehun Dollythehun is offline
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Your house is a constant temp...maybe it's that!
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  #26  
Old 05-26-2018, 08:54 AM
Mountaineer370 Mountaineer370 is offline
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......Are your phals still putting out new leaves or are they declining?......

......But if you are losing interest in these you might as well try other plants instead. What's the point?
I apologize if I gave the impression I was losing interest in my orchids. Quite the opposite, in fact. I did say I was getting discouraged with having such a hard time getting anything but two of my Phals to rebloom for me. Neither the Phals nor any of the other orchids are declining. Just the opposite, really. I get lots of new roots, new leaves, new pseudobulbs, etc. Just hardly ever any blooms.

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Your house is a constant temp...maybe it's that!
Yes, I'm also thinking it could be the constant temps, it could be the humidity, it could be the daytime lighting, it could be the "night light" on the garage......and so on and so on and so on, lol. I'll have to work on the ones that I can.
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Old 05-26-2018, 09:51 AM
Orchid Whisperer Orchid Whisperer is offline
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I appreciate all of the replies and suggestions. I'm somebody who is very reluctant to put my orchids outside. Other houseplants that are potted in soil, yes, but the orchids being potted in such loose and airy material, I'm afraid any number of bugs and pests will take up residence down in there and come inside when I bring the plants in.

Carol had asked about putting minis in the windowsill. The horizontal surface of the sill is only two inches wide, and then the solid wood frame extends up three and a half inches above it before the glass starts. Even if I could find something small enough to fit there without being knocked off, it would be the equivalent of being next to a tall wooden privacy fence, lightwise.

Thanks for all of the advice and insights. Many of the parameters here are just not changeable. Unfortunately, I think I know what I have to do.
I think with a few of your non-bloomers, you should seriously consider growing outdoors part of the year. Learn how to do that gradually in terms of light intensity. I think you will find that more plants move into the "bloom" camp.

Pests that might happen can be managed. Just about any bug taking up residence in the pot can be evicted by flooding the pot in a bucket. I get more bugs when my plants stay indoors for long periods. Bugs in nature seem to be naturally controlled by other critters in most cases.

Last edited by Orchid Whisperer; 05-26-2018 at 09:57 AM..
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  #28  
Old 05-26-2018, 11:10 AM
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Phalaenopsis are a group of orchids that do require a seasonal change in temperature to bloom. If you are intent on growing Phalaenopsis, but are limited in space, why not try something like Phalaenopsis bellina, Phalaenopsis violacea, or Phalaenopsis cornu-cervi? They are much smaller than the hybrids out there, but are bigger than mini-Phals. Phalaenopsis pulcherrhima is a smaller species of Phalaenopsis that the majority of mini-Phal hybrids get part of their heritage from. Maybe Phalaenopsis (Kingidium) chibae, Phalaenopsis (Kingidium) deliciosa, Phalaenopsis lobbii, or Phalaenopsis parishii might be easier to accommodate by way of size.

Cattleyas and some Oncidium need pretty bright light to bloom.

Have you thought about growing certain Pleurothallids such as Pleurothallis hemirrhoda, Pleurothallis grobyi, Pleurothallis gelida, or some of the easier/warmer growing Masdevallias such as Masdevallia floribunda? Perhaps a Platystele orectoglossa would be something you might like...these are in bloom the majority of the year, do not grow large, do not require temperature fluctuations in season, nor do they need terribly bright light. Plateystele stenostachya are also in bloom the majority of the year and they are sequential bloomers.

Maybe some of the Jewel Orchids such as Ludisia discolor or Macodes petola might work?

You are not limited by choice of orchid. There are 1,000's of orchid species and hybrids to choose from.

With Jewel Orchids, you are not even limited to space. You can set up a small terrarium or mini-greenhouse for them pretty much anywhere in your house.

If you know how to grow Dahlia, maybe some of the easier to grow tuberous terrestial orchids can be tried, such as Cynorkis fastigiata or Stenoglottis woodii, Stenglottis longifolia, or Stenoglottis fimbriata. Want more color? Maybe Habenaria rhodocheila, Habenaria xanthocheila, or Habenaria erichmichaelii might be something you could be interested in.

Some miniature orchids can put up a show. The flowers are just much smaller. I highly recommend you make another post asking for suggestions on orchids that fit your growing style instead of sticking to this one. I think you've already been told all you can be told regarding your current batch of orchids so far.

The possibilities of orchid growing are endless.
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Last edited by King_of_orchid_growing:); 05-26-2018 at 11:45 AM..
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  #29  
Old 05-26-2018, 01:04 PM
shadytrake shadytrake is offline
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I believe we all have space challenges at one time or another. Even with my 14'x16' greenhouse, I purge plants regularly. I find that it is part of my makeup to share plants so that others can try to grow ones that they may not otherwise attempt.

With regard to your cultural conditions, there are several challenges you face with growing inside. Caveat - this is in general.

1. Light - your cattleyas and oncidiums will have issues blooming without a decent amount of light over time. It is not the bright light necessarily, it is the bright light over time. In general, most of these require 4-8 hours of bright filtered light per day.

2. Humidity - most orchids need some consistent humidity otherwise they will abort blooming.

3. Temperature swings - most orchids including your Phals need a 15-20 degree temperature swing to induce the blooming period. For example, commercial nurseries will take Phals into a separate greenhouse and drop the temperature down for about 2-3 weeks to induce bloom spikes.

4. Water & Food - when orchids don't get enough light, the water and food just goes into vegetative growth. There is no reason for the orchid to induce propagation (i.e. no stress to reproduce).

I know you mentioned you are adverse to putting orchids outside, but this is one of the easiest solutions. Additionally, you can look at orchids that will grow outside year round. May I suggest that you look at Cymbidiums? They can be grown year round outside in your area and if it is really cold during winter, you can shelter them in a garage. Additionally they do really well in a thick mix including a manure rather than a fast draining bark. I wish I could grow them here as they have long-lasting blooms, lots of blooms, and they get nice and big fast.

The other suggestion that I have is to research the background of your cattleyas and oncidiums. By learning about the species origins and cultural conditions, you can estimate what will be needed for your hybrid. I have OrchidWiz, but you can use the RHS website (free) to research the origins. And of course as an AOS Associate Judge, please become a member of your local society and the American Orchid Society. There is a wealth of information on the website and in the Orchids Magazine. I also recommend this website Orchid Board (priceless) and Orchid Digest magazine. I am attaching a link for cattleya blooming and repotting seasons. http://staugorchidsociety.org/PDF/Ca...onRogerson.pdf

Last edited by shadytrake; 05-26-2018 at 01:09 PM..
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  #30  
Old 05-26-2018, 01:47 PM
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Forgot...night lights are inconsequential to affecting orchid blooms unless they are so bright that the orchids’ chloroplasts start photosynthesis. There is a threshold of light that must be surpassed for this to happen and it is different for each orchid.
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