Orchids last a little longer and the cost is really reasonable these days. I found orchids for as little as $9.99 and I’ve seen them everywhere from the big box stores, garden centres to the smallest convenience stores.
This morning on BT (see above) I outlined some basic info on Orchids. The top 5 things you should know about Orchids.
1. Do not over water and insure water is left off the foliage and especially is kept away from the crown and flowers. Orchids left in standing water will not be happy. The best water is one that is left at room temperature and doesn’t have an excessive amount of salts.
2. Light. There are over 30,000 different types of orchids and each has a different need and wants however most enjoy bright indirect or diffuse light. An east room with a window is ideal.
3. Temperature. Daytime temps of 20-24c with evening temps of 15c-18c. Orchids enjoy a drop in evening temps in the range of 5c.
4. After flowering remove flower spikes back to just above the base of the plant.
5. Humidity. Moth Orchids the most popular are found in tropical climates. Humidity lacks from almost all our homes in the winter. A humidifier will really help the performance of Orchids as they enjoy 70% humidity.
Orchids date back to prehistoric ages, collectors have died looking for them, thousands have been spent on unique varieties and for as little as $10 you can be enjoying them in your home…and for those that don’t know Orchids translated means testicle…I’m not lying.
I’m heading out with my two boys and my partner in Crime Laurie this week for a quick family vacation. Once again on my return I will be blogging about traveling with 2 children under 3. While on vacation I will be tweeting on Twitter (frankferragine) so be sure to follow.
Frankie
About #4……… If you leave flower spike on it will often rebloom. You should only cut it back if it goes brown.
Having several phaleonopsis (8) 3 of them are almost continuous bloomers by not cutting back the spike.
January 31st, 2010 at 12:42 pmSorry you find this weather dreary, Frank ~
The leafy greens that I planted in my ColdFrames are teasing me with the promise of an amazingly early harvest. We ate all we wanted until the big freezes hit, and it will only be a short while until we’re harvesting huge quantities again — long before most people even begin to sow the earliest spring seeds.
Meantime, we pulled up carrots in January that were really sweet because the starches had turned to sugars.
All this in the heart of downtown Toronto, without a greenhouse, without electricity, using recycled materials.
See our community garden’s website for inspiration: http://www.riverdalemeadow.ca
It’s a wondrous thing to sweep the snow off these crazy little homemade wire and wooden boxes, and see greens growing in the garden when it’s white all around.
By March, too, I’ll be solarizing the soil and then within weeks planting peas — probably sooner than seedlings are in the stores…
Cheers!
February 3rd, 2010 at 9:07 amI know I am jumping the gun but I chuckled when you mentioned you will be blogging about traveling with two kids under age three. We just returned (Saturday) from Jamaica (Negril for us) with our one year old twins and our four (almost five) year old daughter. Like you, the vacation was great (Beaches Negril) but the flight poses some challenges. I have actually been dreading the flight for months. A few points on taking two babies – you actuallly have to enlist strangers to help! I let another mother help my eldest daughter get into the washroom and help pull her pants down!!! It sounds awful but I had a baby in my arms. Door was open and she wasn’t visible to any other patrons. When my husband had to use the loo on the way home we were lucky enough to enlist a woman we had met on the trip to hold a baby. Otherwise, you have to set them on the floor of the loo – ewwwww..
February 8th, 2010 at 11:17 amThe man in front of my husband was kicked for 3 hours and 36 minutes. I just acknowledged it and apologized to him. My husband is 6 foot 7 inches so he couldn’t really prevent the kicking. I had better luck. I stood a lot on the way home and let a baby stand on the seat, climb down, climb up – etc. That helped. The way down I was kept busy with diaper changes – I think I did six – but the way home only two – just better planning before boarding. I had also packed food for the flight to keep them entertained – lollipops were good for a few minutes and helped them suck. I have NEVER given the little ones lollipops before so they were happy. I brought toys but we didn’t get out any. It was enough to keep retrieving bottles and snugglies from the people’s laps around us. Best advice I can give is the understanding that you will (hopefully) never see the people around you again!! As for a screaming child, we were lucky this time, ours saved it for the airport limo ride home. More good advice – don’t ask “how much longer”. I did, and the answer was an hour and 20 minutes. Not happy news. I would have done better not knowing.
Anyway, glad you survived!!
I agree Frank, I find these months “gloomy” . Bought a couple of plants but I think the cold got to them from store to car. I am motivated by your BT segment on orchids and want to purchase one, will it survive store to home at this time of year.
February 11th, 2010 at 4:46 pm