Fall Spikes Are Here!

Fall Time is Spike Time

I know it’s been a very long time since I last posted here. Might as well begin all of my blog posts that way.  😛  I tend to post on Instagram more often because it’s quick and easy. Anyway, five of my orchids have begun to spike, and I wanted to share photos of them!

First is the Phalaenopsis tetraspis var. alba x sib that I ordered from Orchids by Hausermann using my birthday gift certificate:

Phalaenopsis tetraspis var. alba x sib spike

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Orchid and Life Update

It’s been a long time since I wrote a post here. To be honest, I’ve been focusing more on my personal blog and my Instagram accounts. But I wanted to write a little update on a couple of my orchids and give a general update on my life.

First of all, I have one orchid in spike! Just one probably doesn’t sound that exciting, but most of my orchids haven’t bloomed in years. So I am psyched!

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Full Water Culture Update + My First Fall Spike!

Well, as per usual it’s been a very long time since my last post! I was waiting to do an update on my full water culture experiment but not a whole lot was happening so I kept waiting…and waiting. Even though I don’t have anything mind-blowing to share, I finally decided to write a post to show the orchids’ progress since I started the experiment in mid-May.

Phalaenopsis currently being grown in full water culture
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First Spike in our New Apartment!

My orchids have, sadly, been rather dormant ever since we moved into our current apartment at the end of last June. The “orchid room” window faces southwest rather than south like it did in our last apartment, so the light isn’t quite as bright here. There has been a fair amount of new leaf, root, and pseudobulb growth, but spikes are another story. So I was thrilled at the end of March to discover a spike on my NOID Oncidium that last bloomed for me two years ago! If you follow me on Facebook or Instagram you might already be aware of this development.

The spike was hiding inside the folds between the leaves and the pseudobulb, and it was a little bent but still totally viable. It was about an inch and a half long by the time I found it.

IMG_2063

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When and How to Stake an Orchid Spike

Fall isn’t traditionally the time of year for new plant growth; fall is the season in which the leaves on many outdoor plants start to turn all manner of fiery colors and drop off. On the other hand, certain types of household orchids, such as the ever-popular Phalaenopsis, often begin to put out spikes in the fall that lead to spectacular blooms in the winter and spring. When left to grown on its own, an orchid spike can become heavy with blooms that droop down over the side of the pot, so I highly recommend staking your orchid’s spike to secure it and to make for a lovely cascading spray of flowers like so:FL_phals

The only materials you’ll need to stake an orchid spike are a bamboo flower stake [paid link] and some flower clips [paid link] or twist ties, all of which are readily available in gardening shops, big box home improvement stores, and online. Oh, and a little patience helps too.  🙂

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