need advice on raising orchids.?

Question

I have two orchids and they never bloom. They have green roots and leaves and have been that way forever. The stalk has turned brown. They are planted in a mixture of dirt and lava rocks. my mom treats her orchids exactly the same and hers are beautiful and seem to always have blooms. what am I doing wrong? i've tried moving them to different locations around my house and on my patio. I water them about once a week.

Answer 1

   Orchids are fairly easy plants to care for, in fact they are some of the easiest to maintain. The problem usually results from the fact that there are many different species of orchid and each one has a very specific set of cultural requirements. If these are not met, the plant will usually suffer and eventually die.
   For example, the most commonly purchased orchid, Phalaenopsis (or moth orchid), does not like hot sunny places. Put this in a window with a southern exposure where it gets a lot of sun and it will fry. Other species are the exact opposite. The single biggest mistake that people make when selecting an orchid is picking one based on flower alone without regard for the conditions in which it will be placed.
   There are three things you can do to increase both the chances of your Orchid remaining healthy and it's likelihood of reblooming for you.
   First, never ever water it with water straight from the tap. Let the water sit for at least 24 hours at room temperature. This will get rid of most of the chlorine found in tap water. Chlorine is not good for orchids.
   Second, use a well known name brand orchid fertilizer. Follow the instructions exactly. Using too much can and will damage your plant by causing excess salt buildup in the potting mix your orchid is planted in.
   Third, identify the species of your orchid. Hopefully it has a tag with the name written on it, Phalaenopsis, Dendrobium, Cattleya and Miltonia are common species. Research the species online to see what it's cultural requirements are, learn about your plant and what it needs to survive. Orchids do everything slow. They grow slow, they bloom slow (therefore long), and they die slow unless you've really screwed up. Don't try to make the plant do something it wouldn't naturally do.
   Websites like http://www.orchidweb.com/index.asp can be a great help. The "Cultural Info" tab on the left side of the page will take you to a listing of Culture Sheets for many orchid species. These will tell you a lot about what your orchid needs. Good luck.

Answer 2

Your mix of planting material sounds right, however if you water them frequently they will die. Orchids need very little attention, love a somewhat humid climate, and filtered light. Miracle Grow offers an entire line of products exclusively for orchids, from planting material, to plant food. Don't let this bug you, since orchids are a bewildering plant, and have been known to cause their owners a grand case of "tohellwithit". I have been very lucky dealing with orchids, and currently have a dozen of them in a green house which makes for a tropical environment for them. If all else fails, try another variety of orchid to grow, as some are hardier than others. Just remember not to over water, or fertilize them, for this can cause the loss of blooms, and a sick plant.

Answer 3

Orchids are weird plants. I once was given one for birthday and it was so pretty I loved the plant, but soon it began to die. After trying everything I could I threw the damn plant outside in the crust of an an old humid tree in the yard, and forgot about it. Later it grew back and now its a huge beautiful orchid. I don't even touch it, I just look at it...

Answer 4

My orchid did the same thing. Flowers fell off and now I have a very healthy green stalk. I love orchids but I give up trying to own them.

Answer 5

living in fl. my wife and i grow nothing but orchids and bromeliads,
sounds like u r not doing to much wrong.orchids can be finicky and some times will grow in one spot and not another,sometimes moving them only a few inches makes a amazing differance.usally when u buy orchids they come with a tag that tells u how to care for them.instead of spending lots of money on "orchid products"try the simple home remedies used by many growers ,belive it or not they do work!instead of exspensive foods and fertilizers i use epsom salt,mixed 1 teaspoon to 1 gal water,have been using it long time.

Answer 6

What makes you think of that's loss of life? If the plant life are fading and falling off, then that's a organic ingredient. If the leaves are wiling or turning yellow - that's yet another ingredient. See source for greater advice on starting to be phalaenopsis orchids on your place.

Answer 7

TELL ME WHAT KIND OF ORCHIDS THEY ARE!!!!