Wrong, Wrong, Wrong
Ok, maybe that title is a little harsh, but I do get frustrated with orchid advice that misses the mark. In today’s sound-bite culture, oversimplification is a perennial problem, and this video clip produced by a local San Francisco TV show (video no longer available) is a good example. While they give generally accurate info, some of their advice could be fatal to your beloved blooms. For instance, the gardening expert in the video says to water your orchid every 7 days when in bloom, and every 10 days when out of bloom. That’s fine if you have a Cattleya, which likes to dry thoroughly, but if you try that with a Masdevallia or Miltonia, which need daily water, you might as well toss them in the trash. I don’t want to use this post to pick apart a well-intentioned news piece, but I will warn you to beware of one-size-fits-all orchid advice. Remember that there are tens of thousands of varieties of orchids, and the perfect growing conditions for a Moth Orchid will kill a Vanda. So how do you know who to believe? Well, AboutOrchids of course! Also, do some reading, check out orchid shows, and visit your local orchid society. You can still enjoy the pretty orchid pictures in the news.
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October 30th, 2009 at 7:47 am
Great advice, and a very funny post! Thanks.
November 6th, 2009 at 4:11 pm
i happen to think that the news makes far worse mistakes. at least there’s some justice for orchids on your blog.
November 9th, 2009 at 9:25 pm
LOL! Did you get them to take down the video?
November 12th, 2009 at 4:18 pm
It just goes to show that news is really entertainment, and should never be taken seriously!
November 20th, 2009 at 8:54 pm
Its never too late to fix your mistakes. They show should do the video again with the right facts.