My Phalaenopsis !

[mikey4444]

I have bought may of these orchids in the past, but have never managed to get them to re-flower again. But a very cheap one, I bought from Home Bargains earlier this year, has now produced this marvellous 6 inch flower spike, despite all the neglect that I have shown it.

So, I am not sure what I have done right this time, but whatever it is, it seems to have worked !

[NoMercy]

A friend bought me an orchid for my 40th back in January. I scarceley ever do anything to it and yet it contines to bear flowers. It just sits on the kitchen windowsill looking down the garden.

[mikey4444]

Nomercy....this has produced a wonderful show of white flowers until a couple of months ago. But only a week ago, it started to show this new flower spike, just like the text books say they should !

I am so proud....like a new father !

[Hazi-Hammenuhoth]

Congratulations Mikey... I am in a similar boat when it comes to cultivating flowers- perhaps its just down to pot luck!

[EcclesCake]

I've killed my orchid in the bathroom due to the propellant in an aerosol I have been using.

I'm hoping if I cut back the flower stems I'm hoping it will recover in time.

[malagabob]

I've had my "cheap" one a while. Tip I was told is to snip off flower stalk after flowering.

[Hazi-Hammenuhoth]

By the way, thats a good excuse to get out of doing the gardening....sorry darling, I would do but my phalaenopsis is playing up again- perhaps I need to go for a lie down?!

[Tilly2]

I don't like all the dusty looking roots. I groan inwardly when someone buys me one of those types of orchid. They are very difficult to kill off!

[mikey4444]

Bob....that is exactly what I did, when the flower spike was going yellow....maybe that is the secret !

[EcclesCake]

See my tip above on how to kill a phaelenopsis Tilly.

I can assure you it works :-(

[zebo]

I have a couple that were given to us as house warming gifts 7 years ago, they seem indestructible as I let them dry out and so on but still they flower. I do cut of bits after flowering and I have repotted them twice as one actually split the pot it was in. I also have a Christmas cactus that's about 20 years old, it's looked terminal a few times through being too dry or wet but it's fine now.