Archive for the 'Problems' Category

Spring Forward

Saturday, March 13th, 2010

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 [...]

Ice Cubes

Friday, January 15th, 2010

People often ask me whether to water their orchids with ice cubes. While I know using ice can work for some orchids, I advise against it. Cold water can damage flowers, leaves, and roots. Most commonly sold orchids originate from the tropics, where they never experience anything close to freezing temps. Even orchids that come [...]

Winter Orchid Care

Sunday, December 27th, 2009

There’s no better reminder than the harsh winter weather that many orchids have entered a dormant season. Corresponding to a dry season in the wild, members of these common orchid families are resting like a bear in a cozy den. Resist the urge to water until you see their pseudobulbs start to shrivel. Do your [...]

Wrong, Wrong, Wrong

Wednesday, October 28th, 2009

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, [...]

Autumn Orchid Chores

Saturday, September 26th, 2009

Depending on your local climate, autumn brings shorter days, cool temperatures, and some corresponding autumn chores. As temperatures dip, you’ll need to bring warm growing orchids inside.  Take the opportunity to clean off dead leaves and weeds. Check for pests, paying attention to the undersides of leaves and the potting media. Although I try to [...]

Orchid Post Mortem: Sedirea

Monday, July 20th, 2009

A major emphasis of this blog is demonstrating that orchids are easy to grow and flower, but we’re all human, and mistakes are always going to be part of the process. Many mistakes can be fixed, but unfortunately some may be fatal. These photos show my Sedirea in happier times, before it died a few [...]

Reading Your Orchid’s Leaves

Wednesday, June 24th, 2009

Orchids need healthy leaves to survive and thrive. If your orchid’s leaves look unhappy, take this list of common problems as a starting point to your diagnosis. Notice that some symptoms appear several times for different causes. For instance, certain signs of overwatering and underwatering are the same.
It helps to pay attention to the look [...]

Late Spring Garden

Thursday, May 28th, 2009

Our late spring garden is full of great sights and smells, and even tastes and sounds. Orange nasturtiums are common sights in California gardens. Their flowers and leaves are edible, with a peppery flavor. However, the snails make a feast of them much more often that we do. The pink roses have a beauty and [...]

Stinking Hot

Tuesday, April 21st, 2009

Spring is in full swing with a heat wave here in San Francisco, setting record highs yesterday and today. While yesterday we reached 93F (34C,) today there are some high clouds than are keeping it down to a more manageable 87F (31C.) Since most people here, including me, don’t have air conditioning, stinking hot is [...]

Zygopetalum

Saturday, April 18th, 2009

When you think Zygopetalum, think purple. There are dozens of Zygo species and hybrids, and every one I’ve seen has great purple color. The hybrid Zygo in these pictures has a spectacular purple lip, but that’s not its only distinction. The 3 inch (8 cm) flowers can last for months, and  have a strong fragrance. [...]