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loveofbostons

PA growers..

11 years ago

Looking for people who grow orchids in PA? Any out there?

Comments (8)

  • 11 years ago

    http://info.aos.org/AFinfo.aspx Is a link to finding American Orchid society affiliate societies. Give it a click...

  • 11 years ago

    I do! I'm a window sill grower and have Phals, Mini Phals, (1) Dendrobium and (1) Vanda. I probably have about 15 and right now 6 are in spike with many flowers and a couple that are starting to set buds. I have no idea what I'm doing LOL, but mine do very well (knocking on wood,here).

    I'm outside of Pittsburgh.

  • 11 years ago

    dakota01- I grow mine in the window too. I have 12 phals and 1 Cattleya. 6 of my phals are in spike now some starting to open. Lol you've got to be doing something right if you have them in spike. What do you grow them in?

  • 11 years ago

    I use a bark mix from Repotme.com. I do soak it before potting up. I also put a few extra holes in my pots. I use clear plastic pots. I probably have to water more frequently, but I think it helps me not overwater. I use Magna-grow as a bi-weekly fertilizer. I've thought about switching to a fertilizer specific to orchids, but since mine do so well, I'm afraid to change anything. I also wipe my leaves weekly. I typically water every week, if the ones the are blôoming and further from windows andout need watered as quickly, I spritz the aerial roots till they need a full watering. I also rarely not cut off the spike when it's done blôoming, I'd rather have many huge flowers less frequently than scrawny flowers from getting it to rebloom on the same spike.

    I know it's suggested to put them outside in the summer, but I am deathly afraid of bringing in bugs and infesting all my plants.

    how does your Cattleya do? Does it bloom for you? I doubt my Vanda will ever bloom, especially if I don't move it outside, but the roots look healthy and that's ok by me.

    If you have 6 blôoming now, you also must be doing something right! What are your growing habits?

    I have one with a good 10-12 huge purple flowers, yet when I look at the roots there is hardly no bark and it's super root bound. i should probably repot once she's done blôoming but I hope I don't hurt her in the process.



  • 11 years ago

    Currently i'm using better-gro bark mix. I haven't tried the mix from repot me yet but I keep looking at it. All of mine are in clay pots. Clay works better for me, every time I've used plastic it didn't turn out well. I have been using better-gro orchid fertilizer and occasionally use Jack's classic fertilizer. I fertilizer weakly weekly.

    All of mine I rescued from death carts from various places. When I got them not one of them had a spike left. For the ones that are currently in spike they have anywhere from 3-6 buds. Only one standard orchid spiked and that's the one with 3 buds. 2 of the flowers opened and they are small. The others are minis and they have more buds and are doing well. For all the others that did not spike, they are growing new leaves and roots so that's good enough for me. I don't know if they are smaller because they were rescues or if its this weather that is messing with everything.

    I don't put mine outside either. I have thought about it but PA weather is too unpredictable anymore and I agree with you about the bugs!

    My Cattleya is doing ok. I don't think it's at blooming size. I tried something different with that one and put it in a vanda basket. I had thought with more air circulation it would do great, but I guess time will tell. I love the look of Vandas, can't find them around here. It was a freak chance I found a Cattleya.


  • 11 years ago

    I haven't tried clay pots as I like to actually see how my roots are doing. I will saw my blooms are very large and I usually get 9-12 blooms. Luckily, I have not had bloom blast on any of them.

    I rescued a dendrobium and the first year I got beautiful blooms, this year it has sent up a new bulb, but no spike yet.

    I also do not use my tap water because I have a softner, so I buy bottled spring water for them. If they are especially dry, I will let them soak for a few minutes and I think the added holes help.

    I have some Jacks fertilizer, maybe I'll try it next time.

    I also have purchased a few rescues, and they have bounced back with strict care and getting them out of the moss.




  • 11 years ago

    In the fall I had 2 spike for me and they blasted. I use spring water for them too. I don't like the moss. At least your dendrobium is still growing. Maybe it's the mix, but i still like to blame the weather :)

    For my clay pots I drill holes all around the bottom and then I drill holes into the sides of the pot. I should experiment with one and try putting it into clear plastic to see which will do better.

    Do you keep yours in the window all year long?

  • 11 years ago

    I do pretty much keep them on the window sills or a few inches away all year. Once the temps start to drop I put them in a room above my garage that is cold - to get them to set a spike. Then they go back to the window sills. Once I get a few blooms that are starting to open - I move them further away from the windows. Though, they still get a fair amount of bright light - just not as intense.

    I found two clearance Cattleya's at Lowe's yesterday. I have never seem them at Lowe's before, so I scooped them up. I'm not sure if I will end up having the right growing conditions, but I'm going to give them a try.

    I think with our weather and seasons, growing in clear pots helps with the photosynthesis that orchids need.

    In another post, I mentioned Magna-grow as my fertilizer, it's actually Dyna Grow.

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