And while it may feel like not much has been happening .. There are actually some quiet victories unfolding. Since repotting all of the Phalaenopsis Orchids about three months ago, things have been fairly steady, which honestly is a good thing. The Phals look great and seem quite content for the time being. I do plan on switching out the bark for a mix of bark and moss, but that will wait until spring, likely sometime in April or May. I think they will respond better to that combination rather than straight bark alone.
The exciting news with the Phals is that five out of the nine are getting ready to bloom. Several of them are pushing out bloom stems, and a few look like they could open up in a week or so. I am really looking forward to those pops of color during what is usually a pretty bland and muted winter.
One plant in particular had me a bit concerned because the bloom stem did not fully push through the leaf and started growing back into itself. I gave it about three weeks to see if it would correct itself, but it never did. Rather than risk the plant by allowing a case of bloom stabbing hehe, I gently pulled the stem out with my fingers. I figured if it broke, so be it, but by some small miracle from God it came out cleanly and without incident. Thank God for that. Now it should continue its blooming journey just like the rest.
Now on to the Cattleya Orchids .. Which surprised me the other day in the best possible way. I was checking them over and noticed something red tucked between the leaves of one plant. I leaned in closer and realized she was already blooming. How I missed the bud developing is beyond me. This bloom never fully pushed out from the plant and instead opened very close to the center of the leaves. It is a bit strange and I am not entirely sure why that happened, possibly a temperature related issue. I will have to dig into that a bit more. The good news is that there is another pseudobulb on that same plant with a bud forming, so another bloom should be on the way soon.
On to the Dendrobiums .. Which I also repotted back in October. For these, I used a mix of bark, moss, and pearlite, and I am really hoping they respond well to the change. My goal is that the more consistent dampness around the roots will help resolve the issue of crinkly leaves. I am already seeing a few new shoots emerging, so I will be watching closely to see if they develop normally without that accordion like texture. Maybe, just maybe, I can entice one of these girls into blooming this year. Time will tell.
The Vanda Orchids are being quiet for now .. Which I suppose they have earned. Both of them finished blooming a few weeks ago, so now we wait to see if they feel inspired to send out new blooms or if they want to take a well deserved rest. I certainly cannot blame them either way since they have been blooming almost nonstop for over a year now.
With Huxley and Hazel diligently supervising from their sunny spots nearby. They are hard at work laying in the sun and keeping a close watch over the orchid collection, or at least that is what I like to believe hehehe.
It warmed up to almost 50 degrees (F) today, so I cracked the back door open just a bit so they could enjoy some fresh January air.
