{"id":2579,"date":"2024-02-14T08:42:16","date_gmt":"2024-02-14T13:42:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/beansproutadventures.com\/?p=2579"},"modified":"2024-02-02T12:08:43","modified_gmt":"2024-02-02T17:08:43","slug":"orchid","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/beansproutadventures.com\/index.php\/2024\/02\/14\/orchid\/","title":{"rendered":"Orchid!"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

About a year and a half ago I found an orchid at our local free-swap shelf. It’s the common kind, Phalaenopsis, and shockingly one of the plants bloomed last year! The flowers last a LONG time — several months — so it’s very rewarding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Last year’s flowers!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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With more buds open.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It seems that the secret to getting Phalaenopsis orchids to bloom is that they have to be somewhat cold for a few weeks, especially at night. “Phalaenopsis are induced to flower when exposed to temperatures lower than 79 F (26 C), particularly during the day. Traditionally, growers use a 77 F\/68 F day\/night (25 C\/20 C) temperature regimen for spike initiation” (Orchid Society document<\/a>). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I did this accidentally (and well below 68\u00b0), because our 1900 apartment doesn’t have great insulation and my orchid is right by the window. But if you live in a well-insulated or very temperature-controlled place, you might have to go to some effort to get cold enough temperatures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you want to avoid the winter chill requirement, you can get Polychilos subgenus Phalaenopsis orchids. I’ve been reading a lot about orchids. The success with this one has been motivating.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In fact, both<\/em> plants are gearing up to bloom this year. One has a head start of a month or so, so we should have flowers for a fair bit of the spring and summer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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This is the same one that bloomed last year. It seems happy!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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This one is blooming for the first time. See the new spike coming in right below the crown? It’s shaped like a backwards C and purplish in color.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I coaxed this orchid to have 4 leaves. Both plants have been aborting the oldest leaf when they grow a new one. I thought maybe they were too dry, so I misted them just about every day. I guess it worked?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Looking forward to more orchids in my future!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

About a year and a half ago I found an orchid at our local free-swap shelf. It’s the common kind, Phalaenopsis, and shockingly one of the plants bloomed last year! The flowers last a LONG time — several months — so it’s very rewarding. Last year’s flowers! With more buds open. It seems that the … <\/p>\n

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