Lillian, type "Miss Orchid Girl" on your Google, it will come up a couple of sites talk and advice how to grow this orchid. I have one too but last summer the sun was so hot in my sun room (27, 28 degrees Celsius) blasted off all the buds and almost died. I still try to nurture it back to health and hope it will live and give me flowers this spring. Good luck!

Tanie

Thanks Tanie,

I watched a couple of videos... At least I feel a bit better now that I've seen a few people say it's a tricky orchid! I'll persist a bit longer. Not sure if I can have much more patience with it... Or if I should find it a better home ;-)

I'm trying it in a different spot in the house and will see if that works. It's been moved to a spare room with filtered west light that stays quite cool. Low to mid 20's. Although as we head into autumn and winter will have to keep an eye on things.

Best of luck with yours!

Don't give up yet Lillian. If you can make it happy (which I did before last summer!) it bloom for you beautiful and you'll love the fragrant. It blooms about 2 times a year and last bloom it lasted for me almost 2 months. So, research, research, talk to friends who has experience growing them.. I noticed that they like a bit cooler tempt than phals. So when it's getting too hot (over 25 degrees Celsius) bring it to a cooler area in your home and give it some artificial light if there's no bright light there. I am trying to safe mine too. Good luck to us both!!

Here was first rebloomed for me last April, nice and healthy!Here's second rebloomed in July with the heat over 26 degrees. It has been struggling to live. Then another 2 spikes after this in Sept. even though the weather was cooled of but it was already a bit late. At the moment, it's trying really hard to live. Giving out new shoots and all that but is not as healthy as the first picture I post here.

Tanie

Thanks for the advice Tanie. I really appreciate it. Your plant looks lovely to me. We are coming to the end of a hot spell here so I hope it will pick up. I hope it will get stronger soon. It's trying hard to recover. So many new little growths. But none have formed a bulb at the base so it looks very strange! Also it seems to like a surprising amount of water! I've been so afraid of rotting orchids I actually think I under water them! So a terrible combination for this particular orchid. I will keep reading. Unfortunately most of my friends have limited interest in orchids and I'm well hooked!

I don't think I will even dare to hope for flowers it is in such bad condition.... A healthy plant is my first goal.

We are heading into autumn and winter here... In winter temperature indoors can go down to 12C overnight. How do you think I should deal with this? Move it to the bedroom where there is heating at night but will be low light and coolish during the day 17-20? Or leave it where it is now to have good light but cools days and nights? Just after your opinion. Not at the stage where I can think of artificial lighting yet...

I will let you know how I get on.

Many thanks

Hi Lillian,

I don't think I am experienced enough to give advice but I will tell you what I think and know from the one I have last two years. Mine is giving out new shoots too and don't have any bulbs (yet)! I think it will come when it's more mature. As you said, we want to have a healthy plant first. So, if I were you, I would move it to somewhere a bit warmer than 12c. I saw the youtub the other day the "orchid girl" says this plant likes bright light but not sun light. Not even morning sun. How about bring it in your bathroom and have the light on for it during the day? I heard some people say they put their orchids in the bathroom and it works because it has humidity and if you don't mind give it a light in there just to see. Just make sure to give it some air moment sometime like open door or even a small fan turn on sometime for it? I hope that is not too much for you to do. Mine is in my little sunroom, some nights it goes down to 10 c. I don't know for sure if that is good for Nelly? I am still experimenting it. My orchid book says keep this plant moist at all time. Not wet. Miss Orchid Girl also says Nelly doesn't like to get thirsty. I give water to it whenever I feel the top of medium start drying out. (doesn't mean drying underneath though). So, about every 3 days or so. Your plant beside the crinkled leaves looks healthy enough. I looked at the pot of your plant and don't see any holes? Do you have holes around and on the bottom of the pot for drainage? If it doesn't, you need to make some holes by slit around the pot. I take the pointy scissors poke it through, push and turn the scissors around to make round holes or slit and cut whatever, as long as it has holes for air for the roots. Who knows if you "accidentally" make it a happy plant, you will be so happy to see it happy and rewards you with beautiful flowers...Again, good luck to us..

Tanie

Hi Tanie,

Thanks for the pointers. I've just put it in the bathroom. I've got a frosted window and have put it in that windowsill. I will leave it there over the end of summer and autumn but move it before winter temps get too cold for it. The pot does have holes though the sides and bottom but is hard to see in the picture. Will keep an eye on it and see if I have to make the holes bigger.... As it's been so hot here in the last few weeks I've had to keep it quite wet surprisingly. Will cut back as temperatures drop.

Thanks again... Hope the little girl picks up for me.

I am so glad you are trying! I hope it helps. Just keep a watchful eye on it to see if any changes for good or for bad.

Tanie

The problem with this orchid is probably the Miltoniopsis ancestors which contribute slightly more than 50% of the genes.

Not often seen at the orchid shows around these parts because you have warm the plant up in winter and keep it cool in summer.

All you can do is try various growing spots and see how you go.

Yes, will give it a go. At least now I have a better idea how to care for it. I'm afraid I didn't look after it properly when I did first get it. I bought it at an orchid show here in Auckland. I followed the care sheet that came with it!!! I mistakenly believed that it would be easy in a home environment. It does show signs of improvement but slow to say the least.

You make very good points Arthur. Not sure I will buy anything like this in a hurry again. Unfortunately probably got a bit overexcited at the last orchid show! Will try to be more sensible at the next.