Tom Perlite of Golden Gate Orchids' top 10 FAQs
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The orchids that go to new homes from the San Francisco Orchid Society's annual Pacific Orchid Expo at Fort Mason have much in common with the dyed Easter chicks we used to see in pet shops: We wonder how many will survive. More than 150,000 orchids - just about every variety imaginable - will be on display Thursday through Sunday. Expert Tom Perlite of Golden Gate Orchids will be there, showing and selling plants and answering questions. Here he responds to the 10 questions he hears most:
Q: How often do I water my orchid?
A: In general, once a week and thoroughly. Orchids with thin leaves and fine roots, like cymbidiums, miltonias and odontoglossums, like to stay moist and should be watered every four or five days. Orchids with thick, leathery leaves, like phalaenopsis and cattleyas, prefer to dry out slightly and should be watered every seven to 10 days. Orchids planted in sphagnum moss need water less often than those planted in bark.
Q: A friend told me that three ice cubes two times a week is good for watering my orchid. Correct?
A: No. Be generous, and be sure that the whole pot is watered. This moistens the roots and flushes out any salts and fertilizers accumulated in the pot.
Q: I have a place in my bathroom where I would like to grow orchids; the humidity from the shower will be good for them. Good idea?
A: If the natural light and temperature in the bathroom are sufficient to grow and flower your specific variety of orchid, that's fine. The humidity is just a bonus, not the first consideration.
Q: What fertilizer do I use - the green, yellow or blue?
A: The easiest and most effective way to apply fertilizer is to use a balanced (20-20-20 or 18-18-18) fertilizer regularly. Romeo makes a good one. Any group of orchids will be in different stages of development - growing, spiking, blooming - and a balanced fertilizer provides all the nutrients necessary for all these. A good rule of thumb is to water one week and fertilize the next.
Q: Why isn't my orchid blooming?
A: Usually, because it is not receiving enough light. A southern exposure is ideal, with sunlight most of the day. Cattleyas, dendrobiums, oncidiums and vandas like very bright light, while phalaenopsis, odontoglossums and miltonias like medium light. Paphiopedilums prefer semi-shady conditions and require the least amount of light.
Q: I bought an orchid, took it home and, within a few days, the buds turned yellow and fell off. Why?
A: Moving a plant from a bright greenhouse to a store and then to your home may affect small buds on the flower spike; most orchid buds need bright light to develop. If the plant is subjected to extremes - too dark, too cold, too hot and dry - the buds turn yellow and fall off.
Q: My cymbidium orchid is growing in my house, and the leaves look good, but it isn't flowering. Why not?
A: Cymbidiums flower best in a sunny location outdoors and need cold winter temperatures (below 50 degrees) to set flower spikes. They will tolerate temperatures down to 32 degrees, though that can damage buds.
Q: Are there other orchids I can grow outside?
A: In the immediate Bay Area, odontoglossums, masdevallias, Australian dendrobiums, sobralias, coelogynes, pleurothallis and sarcochilus can all be grown outside, if protected from the occasional freeze.
Q: What is the best (most ecologically sustainable) potting medium?
A: Most orchids are planted in bark or sphagnum moss. The bark is derived from fir or pine trees farmed for wood. Sphagnum moss is grown and harvested much like lawn grass: The upper growth is cut while the plant below continues to grow, to be harvested again. The highest grade of sphagnum is sustainably grown in New Zealand.
Q: What orchid pests should I look out for, and how do I control them?
A: The most common pests are mealybugs, scale insects, aphids, slugs and snails. Mealy bugs and scales usually appear on the underside of the leaves or on the flower spikes. Aphids appear on the flower spikes and buds or tender new growth. All can be manually removed, or controlled with insecticidal soaps. Slugs and snails will chew on tender flower spikes and buds of orchids outdoors. They can be controlled with Sluggo.
Golden Gate Orchids: (415) 467-3737. www.goldengateorchids.com
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