Orchestrating orchids

I'm going to lead off with a confession: I know nothing about orchids other than they are a plant. I know, not an extensive knowledge at all. I figured I'd better set the bar that low in case someone piped up with a question or two which I'm so utterly not able to answer. I'm not saying you can't ask, just suggesting you should lower any expectations you may have of getting an answer that makes even the least little bit of sense.

A while back a good friend of mine, who knows a lot about orchids, gave me three plants and whilst I told him I'd kill them he seemed inclined to believe in me more than I did myself. I accepted the challenge gift and promise of assistance and put them into a long white pot and proceeded to forget about them other than some water once a week or so, being careful not to over-water them of course. OK, I did a bit more than that.

Although I was confident I'd ultimately destroy the plants I placed them in a bright location, on my dining table actually, which has three large bay-windows around it and faces to the west. I added some orchid fertiliser each week, some magical stuff that was supposed to be good for them, and that's about the extent of it.

I watched them. And watched them. And watched them and...After an annoyingly long bloody time I started to see some flower buds forming. After some more watching and waiting and watching and waiting and watching and waiting...Sorry, got myself all looped up there...The buds began to open up and orchids happened.

Hmm, it seems the old G-dog did something right.

When I repotted them I selected a soil that permits for drainage and allows the roots to breathe the key to great orchids apparently. I also stayed away from fertiliser heavy in urea as orchids don't like that. I went for a popular brand of orchid-specific fertiliser and used a weak dilution of it weekly. Not too little, not too much.

Orchids are also quite sensitive to humidity meaning they like it, although having sopping wet roots is not not so good. Who wants a sopping wet root after all? I tried to keep the humidity level and air flow correct and ensure they weren't too wet. The pot I chose for them helped and I set it in a humidity tray as well which they seemed to like.

I'm not right into orchids or anything so didn't go with an artificial light however ensured adequate natural light and at one point clearly didn't have quite enough, hence the move to the dining table. After that they perked up and seemed happy again. I also sang them some Ricky Martin songs like, Livin' la Vida Loca, which there really got into.

Anyway, it all seemed like hard work and those damned orchids monopolised my time - People think I quit my job a month ago to take time for myself. Nope, it was to care for these demanding orchids! (Just kidding of course.)

I've been enjoying my orchids for a little while now and wanted to post some images. I would have done it sooner but I was afraid people would ask me questions I wouldn't know how to answer. Today I decided to just put it out there that I'm a complete orchid novice but somehow managed to orchestrate some orchids. This way people know not to expect intelligent answers to their possible questions.

When my friend gave me the orchids he told me what they were called but I completely forgot what he said. I could call him to ask, and will at some stage, but in the interim I've named them myself. There's three of them and their names are Pinky, Purply, and WhiteyPinkyPurply. I know, lovely names right?

I'm pretty pleased with these orchids and that I managed to get them to flower. It's been a long road of watching and waiting and watching and waiting and watching and waiting...Sorry, got myself all looped up there once again...All that watching and waiting payed off, along with some tender loving care and advice from my friend. I'll admit that it was a glorious moment when messaged him with some images as they first began to flower. Now? well, I'm the orchid-meister!