AboutOrchids

Northern gardeners who are enduring a long and snowy winter may take some solace that spring is arriving in San Francisco. The old Japanese Maple in the back garden is leafing out, and the leaves of my Sobralia have turned light green, telling me that the sun is strengthening. We had to endure some chilly temps at the beginning of the season, but otherwise it’s been a mild and rainy winter here. After a stormy day yesterday, the sun is out today. With spring coming by calendar and thermometer on the California coast, it’s time for some orchid chores.

• Move orchids from their brighter winter locales to the shade needed for spring and summer. For most orchids, if leaves are a light green color, then the orchid is receiving enough light to bloom.
• Keep an eye out for new leaf and root growth, which often starts after flowers finish. This is a good time to repot, if necessary.
• For dormant orchids, increase watering and fertilizing gradually. With deciduous orchids like Bletilla and Cycnoches, water new growth sparingly for the first few weeks. Too much water can rot new leaves.
• As always, maintain high humidity and good air movement around plants. New growth is especially susceptible to pests when the air is dry or stagnant.
• For growers in colder climates, continue to watch for pests, keep plants in brighter light, and take heart that the long winter shall pass.

Explore posts in the same categories: Dormancy, Fertilizing, Growing, Problems, Watering

This entry was posted on Saturday, March 13th, 2010 at 4:20 pm and is filed under Dormancy, Fertilizing, Growing, Problems, Watering.

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