Cattleyas
With warmer temperatures and the sunlight increasing spring
cannot be far away. This is when many cattleyas bloom. And
as you know, cattleyas are the known for their fragrance.
On some of the plants you may see a yellow sheath which is
protecting some of the buds. This sheath can be removed to
allow the orchid to bloom. Be careful when it is removed so
the bud isn’t damaged. You will be rewarded with a wonderful
flowering orchid.
Light in the spring will play tricks on us. It is nothing to
have bright days following a day of rain. With the bright
days comes a chance for the plant to become “sun-burned” and
damage the looks of the orchid. It is advantageous for the
cattleya to have some partial shading so this can be
prevented.
With the days getting longer this means the plants will
require perhaps more watering and also will need more
fertilizing. It should be done every week with a weak
solution of fertilizer. What is meant by weak? Instead of
following the directions for full strength, cut the
fertilizer used in half. This gives you a half-strength
solution which can be used weekly.
Once the season has past for the winter bloomers you should
re-pot if it necessary. For orchids re-potting need only be
done every 2-3 years.
To see some examples of these orchids go to:
http://orchid-store.orchids-plus-more.com/Cattleya-Orchids.html
Phalenopsis
This is the month you will see your phals be at their peak
for blooming. There are wonderful displays of wide arching
phal and the blooming can go on for over a month with the
flowers staying for 2-3 months. Now is when you will need to
do some careful staking of the spikes. It will not only help
the plant but will display it so the flowing arches looking
fantastic.
Remember again, more water and fertilizer are needed during
the blooming season. The plants metabolism really revs up
during this budding time.
Diseases are another potential during the blooming season.
Especially, mealy bugs and scales. This may be spotted by
the slimy exudates they leave on the branches. Treat these
early so they don’t destroy the flowers or the treatment
doesn’t harm the flowers.
Paphs / Lady Slippers
For our paphs, especially those that are summer bloomers, it
is a good time to see if they need to be re-potted. Also,
check for disease on these orchids. Mealy bugs are the most
frequent visitors. It is great time to treat the plants.
Most plant lovers set up a time, usually weekly or monthly
to thoroughly look at the orchids for any sign of disease.
If you do this on a regular basis your plants will certainly
be able to treated early and easily.
The longer light of the day gives more energy to paphs. You will see the spikes develop and the buds start with the help of longer days. It’s great to see how these wonderful orchids grow in front of your eyes.
ZZZZZZ
