Now this orchid came to me without flowers or buds.  It had two large leaves and a little stalk.  Now I love flowers, but don't like to fuss over them too much.  I want beautiful plants without a lot of tending.  I wanted it to bloom, quickly and long lasting.  I wanted the giver of this gift to see that I treasured it.  So I placed it in  my lanai.  I learned that orchids need some sun to bloom.  So the lanai filters the sun!  Perfect!!!!  Now how do I make it bloom?  I bought some orchid food!!  I tried it, but after several weeks it didn't produce any flowers.  One day while watering this orchid, I noticed that a metal container in my yard was filled with rusty water!!!! I thought, this is iron, let me feed it to my orchid.  WOWZER!!!!!  Quickly my plant grew buds and many flowers followed.   Then it grew new shoots/stalks!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Well, so excited, my orchid donor, Mom, gives me another orchid.  I figured my first one is doing great and I will nurse this one too!!!!  And so be it!!!! I did the same thing again.  What a surprise, more beautiful buds, then flowers that has lasted for months!!!!!!!!!!! My 2nd orchid donation below:

My third adopted baby below:

My orchid donor decides to give me her last orchid. Complaining that it doesn't bloom for her.  Apparently my step dad cut the shoots, thinking this would speed up new growth and flower.  He had advised me to do the same, he swore this was the thing to do.  After all he saw it on some gardening channel!!!  I thought, no way, the spikes are alive, I won't cut mine!!!!  I am not an expert on orchids, mind you, but that advice did not apply to these babies.  Anyway, I adopted mom's orchid.  Set it in the same location as her sister orchids, in the lanai.  Started to give her some nature-made iron.  Wowzer again!!!!!!  It blossomed beautifully, quickly!!  Now it has new buds, new shoots and still flowering since late Summer!!!!!!  The purple/pink orchid at the top now has many stalks, covered with tiny buds again!! Soon it will bloom, probably by March.  I will photograph it again.  I can't resist!

I have become the rescuer of orchids.  Yes, look out you garden centers.  If you have a lame looking orchid, with pricing slashed, I'm coming for you!!! I refuse to pay the high prices they charge!! If I did, I wouldn't be able to afford anything else for my garden!!

1st  TIP: I use the  'free iron formula' once every two weeks.  (Caution iron can stain your flooring surface)

2nd TIP:  Filtered sun is a must. Be sure not to let  your orchids dry to a brittle state.

3th TIP:  If it's cold out, bring them inside or at least cover them!!! (Use a light blanket or you can damage their shoots)

4th TIP:  If you want to keep your orchid inside, be careful with the 'too sunny spot' on the window's ledge. During the Summer months it can burn them.   

I will give you some tips on bromeliads next time.  Bromeliads are the backbone of my yard.  My bromeliad motto:

A shady yard in deed, bromeliads are a need!!

Contact me with any questions,

maria@babiessoreal.com

The brownish white orchid above smells like chocolate!!!