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Orchids Flowers

Keith Butler2Keith Butler2 Posts: 53
in Plants

My wife has an orchid which was given as a present, for me she seems to neglect it but the two stems were full of flowers and lasted for about 3 months, it flowered for three years then the stems died off, she wanted to through it out but it was still growing ok, two years latter there is two new stems growing but are growing horizontally and are coming from under a leaf, the question is how does she get the stems to straighten up vertically if trapped under a leaf?

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  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,131

    It's sometimes hard to tell the difference between a new aerial root and a new flower spike - there's some info here which should help http://www.justaddiceorchids.com/Just-Add-Ice-Orchid-Blog/bid/90358/Identifying-New-Orchid-Growth-Is-It-a-Root-or-a-New-Flower-Spike 

    image


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • Keith Butler2Keith Butler2 Posts: 53

    Double checked with the link above and attached a picture of it, it is defo a stem, how would I get the stems vertical?

    image

     

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,131

    Gentle training with small canes (or those wooden BBQ skewers) - start off with the cane at an angle and ease it upwards in stages image


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • Keith Butler2Keith Butler2 Posts: 53

    Would it be a bad idea to cut the leaf that's in the way?, all the orchids I see don't seem to come from under a leaf.

  • hogweedhogweed Posts: 4,053

    You have only got 3 leaves on it so don't cut the leaf. As the flower spike grows you will be able to clip it to a stake.

    'Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement' - Helen Keller
  • Orchid LadyOrchid Lady Posts: 5,800

    I wouldn't cut leaves off unless they are brown/dead (the leaves do die eventually and new ones grow), as Dove said gentle training. The stems are quite soft so the do bend quite easily when 'coaxed'.  If those other two straight stems are the old ones they need cutting back as your new stems / flowers will grow stronger.

  • Steve 309Steve 309 Posts: 2,753

    OL - there's another thread that need your expertise..... just let me look....

  • Orchid LadyOrchid Lady Posts: 5,800

    Thanks for the compliment Steve but no so sure about 'expertise' image

  • Steve 309Steve 309 Posts: 2,753

    Yes - this one

  • Steve 309Steve 309 Posts: 2,753

    no false modesty, please!

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