My white Phal however; is currently in the ICU. A few weeks ago I had them soaking in the tub for their weekly watering. My kitchen timer was broken and my husband was home with me; so I ended up forgetting about them and they spent over an hour the water. Upon realizing what I had done I ran out of the room mid sentence. I pulled them out of the water with the same fervor as back in my lifeguarding days. I put them back in their window and was too guilty to visit them for several days. Thats when I noticed one of them was not doing very well. That prompted me to buy the smaller pots and I repotted them all, this time adding a good heaping to pearlite to the sphagnum moss. I was terribly nervous when I examined the crown of my poor white Phal. The roots were terrible, most were hollow and the intact ones were rotted. I was on the verge of tears when I noticed a new plump, healthy root growing. My Phal had the will to survive! I sprinkled some rooting powder on the crown in hopes of encouraging some new growth and I am hoping for the best. I have noticed that the leaves have become more turgid and it definitely looks more perky. Also the new leaf that had started poking out but stopped growing is now growing!
Friday, February 4, 2011
Almost Killed an Orchid
Now winter has come and with no gardening to do outside I have focused all my attention to my houseplants. It has almost been a year since I brought home my first one; from Ikea of all places. After weeks of bugging my husband every time I saw the orchids in Home Depot I saw them at Ikea for half the price so I bullied him into buying it. I stupidly bought a 8 inch pot for it, thinking it would need to grow into it. This was my first houseplant as an adult, besides a moss terrarium. It was such a lovely Phalaenopsis, white with purple spots, and I loved it so. I would sit and stare at it for minutes on end, admiring it's elegant curve and it's exotic flowers. All the while patting myself on the back for my selection of the large minimalist gray terracotta pot I planted in it. Now it's blooms have long since faded and I am waiting for a new spike to grow this spring. My love for it spurred me to pick up two more at the Depot after getting a BOGO houseplant coupon from their garden club. I got a pure white one and a green one. My puppy ate the green one, thankfully they are not toxic. It was replaced by a lovely white and pink blushed one with yellow lips. Realizing my previous ignorance I have recently repotted my three orchids in smaller pots.
My white Phal however; is currently in the ICU. A few weeks ago I had them soaking in the tub for their weekly watering. My kitchen timer was broken and my husband was home with me; so I ended up forgetting about them and they spent over an hour the water. Upon realizing what I had done I ran out of the room mid sentence. I pulled them out of the water with the same fervor as back in my lifeguarding days. I put them back in their window and was too guilty to visit them for several days. Thats when I noticed one of them was not doing very well. That prompted me to buy the smaller pots and I repotted them all, this time adding a good heaping to pearlite to the sphagnum moss. I was terribly nervous when I examined the crown of my poor white Phal. The roots were terrible, most were hollow and the intact ones were rotted. I was on the verge of tears when I noticed a new plump, healthy root growing. My Phal had the will to survive! I sprinkled some rooting powder on the crown in hopes of encouraging some new growth and I am hoping for the best. I have noticed that the leaves have become more turgid and it definitely looks more perky. Also the new leaf that had started poking out but stopped growing is now growing!
My white Phal however; is currently in the ICU. A few weeks ago I had them soaking in the tub for their weekly watering. My kitchen timer was broken and my husband was home with me; so I ended up forgetting about them and they spent over an hour the water. Upon realizing what I had done I ran out of the room mid sentence. I pulled them out of the water with the same fervor as back in my lifeguarding days. I put them back in their window and was too guilty to visit them for several days. Thats when I noticed one of them was not doing very well. That prompted me to buy the smaller pots and I repotted them all, this time adding a good heaping to pearlite to the sphagnum moss. I was terribly nervous when I examined the crown of my poor white Phal. The roots were terrible, most were hollow and the intact ones were rotted. I was on the verge of tears when I noticed a new plump, healthy root growing. My Phal had the will to survive! I sprinkled some rooting powder on the crown in hopes of encouraging some new growth and I am hoping for the best. I have noticed that the leaves have become more turgid and it definitely looks more perky. Also the new leaf that had started poking out but stopped growing is now growing!
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