What kind of orchids are you talking about. In the summer you should be able to leave most plants outside and let the rain take care of the watering. Maybe keep them in a more shaded area in case is gets very hot or very dry while you're away.

suzabanana, Will your plants be inside or outside? If outside, I can tell you what I do, but if inside, I'll pass, other than to say that if you water them all good the day you leave, I can't believe they won't all be ok for two weeks....thirsty, but ok.

We have gone for as long as 4 months with all our plants outside. Most are not orchids, but all are grouped together on the open back deck under shade.

I hire my youngest son to watch our grass, and cut it when needed while we are gone. He lives 40 miles away, so I have my neighbors call him if we get rain and the grass grows faster than he can get by to check it. He and his family check it on an irregular schedule, when one of them comes by this way they stop in and check the house. If the grass needs cutting, they come back later with he mower and cut.

When he comes to cut the grass, I tell him if it has not rained, or rained very little since he last cut the grass, to water everything on the deck heavily. If it has rained, and everything is wet/damp, to just leave it alone. I've lost a few regular plants potted in small pots, but nothing in large pots, and none of the orchids have apparently suffered from this treatment.....after all, there's no one to watch out for them hanging in the trees in the jungle..... ☺, and they really are tough old things.

Bill

Everything will be inside in my sun room. It was 45F last night, so I can never be too sure about night temps outdoors. Plus, I don't have a spot outdoors that is safe (away from squirrels, chipmunks, raccoons and a voracious groundhog) and shaded. It's also quite windy in my location, so I'm certain most of them would blow over.

What kinds of orchids? I have at least a dozen Phals by now, but I'm not worried about them. The ones I'm concerned about are:

Vasco Pine Rivers (currently in bloom)

Phrag Eric Young (currently in spike)

Maxillaria tenuifolia

NOID Miltoniopsis (currently in bloom)

Paph Niveum "in charm" (currently in bloom)

Coel. Usitana

Neofinetia falcata "shutennou"

Lc. Fire Island "Fiery"

NOID hard cane Den. (currently in bloom)

NOID Onc.

NOID Brassia hybrid (currently in spike)

NOID - but I think it's Bllra Tahoma Glacier Sugar Sweet

First choice would be if I had a trusted a willing neighbor. On the willing part you can influence your neighbor with favors. Any food growing in your yard. Garden or fruit trees? I pass out bananas and avocados. Or a big xmas present.

There are nurseries that will care for them. Some will pick them up and bring them back for a fee. Money can make anything happen.

Some have created automatic watering but they are outside. Inside a water problem could be catastrophic. Have a nice vacation. Bring back a new orchid...

Don't really know the neighbors, but our babysitter/former dogsitter/housesitter follows directions well...but I know she doesn't have much of a green thumb. I have yet to find a nursery within a 30 minute drive that has any orchid other than Phals :( Even my florist friend who dumps her past-bloom Phals on me has no clue about other species.

I'm hopeful that there's not too much damage that can be done in 2 weeks. We'll be in Croatia on vacation visiting family - doubtful that there are any native species there...anyone know?

No epiphytes, but surely lots of terrestials. There is probably absolutely no way you could get one back here legally though, and culture would be a real challenge..

Have a nice vacation.

Bill

If you call a local orchid society the members may know of resources...http://info.aos.org/AFinfo.aspx give it a click...

When growing inside, I left them twice a year without water. Watered the heck out of them the day before leaving and the day after I returned. I was growing under lights so, instead of 4 bulbs on I pulled two out and only left two on with a timer. When using a window sill (many years ago), I'd pull them back from the window and give them less light. They always, did just fine. Now I have a greenhouse and leave for 3 to 3 1/2 weeks at a time but have a neighbor come in and water once a week. I did however take two trays of recently deflasked seedlings with me last time. Go on vacation and have fun and don't worry about your orchids.

Google wick watering. You need long strong cotton thread ( like kitchen thread) and one end goes into the pot and the other end is in a large water container. I would do it in a sink that gets some diffuse light. Th water gets drawn up the thread into the pot from the large container.

For years (when I had about 60 orchids, now I have about 200 and fortunately I found a neighbor that looks after the cat and agreed to water the plants) I put my orchids individually or in small groups in ziplock bags for our 3 weeks of summer vacation. It always worked out perfectly fine. I soak them the day before they go in the bags and I leave the zipper somewhat open to allow for some air exchange. The ones outside I put in a shady place that is covered by the sprinkler. Unfortunately neither of those methods works well on blooming orchids, you will most likely loose the flowers.

Good luck and have a great trip!