The Orchid Garden

don't turn plants when blooming?

Question:

I know that most orchid flowers naturally twist (what’s the term? supinate?) while spike is growing and blossoms are opening. Have read it’s not good to turn plants while they are blooming.  Plants on are windowsill, no extra lighting, so most light is from one side. I was turning the pots regularly, like ‘normal’ <grin houseplants — but now my paph philipenense is blooming for first time (hooray!) and my b. nodosa has new growth that may be flower (I can’t tell yet). Should I quit turning them until after they’ve bloomed? Thanks, Deborah

Response:

We at Windsong don’t recomend turning orchid plants period.  Ours are all grown facing the same way their whole life.  Sort of just like in nature. Buzz Windsong Orchids

Response:

I think turning some plants like phalenopsis is really necessary for windowsill growing.  They tip over on their sides over time.  I generally resist moving the plant while a spike is developing.  Sometimes with Phals I let the spike nearly reach the glass, then do a 180 degree rotation. Sometimes this looks pretty nice as in a nice white I had last year with a perfect cascade of 18 flowers.  I think the occasional turning of  Paphs is important for nice even growth.  I generally don’t move while the spike is emerging though.  

Response:

I think the occasional turning of  Paphs is important for nice even

growth.  I generally don’t move while the spike is emerging though.   I think you’re right in this … I’d tried turning my paph while the spike was still extending, and it started to twist practically within hours, so I turned it back — and posted my original message  Since then, the spike’s up apparently all the way and the blooms are opening. Turning it at this point doesn’t seem to be affecting the blooms, and it’s nice to get a little more light on that side of the plant. Thanks. And thanks to all who posted and e-mailed me about this.  What a friendly, helpful group! Deb P.S.  Does anybody besides me see a rather spooky resemblance between barely opened paph buds and the extraterrestrial, meat-hungry plant in the movie "Little Shop of Horrors"  … or am I spending waaaay too much time staring at my orchids?! <grin

Response:

P.S.  Does anybody besides me see a rather spooky resemblance between barely opened paph buds and the extraterrestrial, meat-hungry plant in the movie "Little Shop of Horrors"  … or am I spending waaaay too much time staring at my orchids?! <grin

        Actually, my fiancee thinks all Paphs look like Audry 2.  I don’t know why, I think they are cute.  She is coming around, slowly, but she still gives me funny looks when I am trying to show off my latest blooms…  I don’t think she will ever appreciate them as much as I do, but I don’t spend as much time watching musical theater as she does.  *grin* Rob  Rob’s rules to live by:                          | Send me seeds! Will flask    (1) There is always room for one more orchid.  |  for food.    (2) There is always room for two more orchids. |    (3) There is no rule 3.                        | Don’t go to grad school!     (3a) When one has insufficient credit to buy  |            more orchids, obtain more credit.        | Future Starving PhD. http://pubweb.acns.nwu.edu/~rhalgren              | Why yes, I am a molecular

Response:

: P.S.  Does anybody besides me see a rather spooky resemblance between : barely opened paph buds and the extraterrestrial, meat-hungry plant in the : movie "Little Shop of Horrors"  … or am I spending waaaay too much time : staring at my orchids?! <grin I always thought that paphs (especially P. glaucophyllum) looked kinda like they belonged in War of the Worlds. They should shoot laser beams out of that central disk thingy (I get enough terminology in my plant systematics class to earn the right to call it a thingy). -j

Response:

Filed under: Orchid Plants

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