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Transplanting "Bee" orchids

DrMacDrMac Posts: 23
in Plants

I was given a single potted (?bee) orchid a few years ago. It is clearly happy in my garden as it has since spread itself to several other large pots containing lilies and other plants, and I now have about a dozen. Using the definition that a weed is a plant growing in the wrong place, these are now weeds. I wish reclassify them by moving them to their own pots!

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When is the best time to carry out the move, and are there any special procedures to follow?

Posts

  • fidgetbonesfidgetbones Posts: 17,618

    I would prepare an area for them, and plant the whole pot as it is, with as much of the pot soil as possible. Lose the lilies, easily replaced. The area needs to be moisture retentive, but free draining.  I would do it in the spring, as they start into growth.

  • DrMacDrMac Posts: 23

    Thanks for the suggestion Fidgetbones, but I don't really have any suitable area in the garden, hence them growing in these large pots. That is why I why I hoped to move them into just a couple of large pots. However, having now had them correctly identified as Marsh orchids (thanks Phillipa) I read elsewhere that they like growing with other plants.

    I think what I will do is leave them where they are and cultivate  2 or 3 pots of orchids in a semi-wild mini habitat. I'll get rid of the lilies and any other "weeds" which may crowd them out. 

  • DrMacDrMac Posts: 23
    Update - Four years on.  :)
    I now have about 40 of them in various pots - they are certainly happy given how they are spreading around, though I have assisted by scattering the seed in a few areas! This spring I re-potted some before they started into growth. The roots are quite sturdy and the job was easy and with minimum care can be done without damaging them. These were all re-potted in standard potting compost and are growing well. All but the smallest flowered.
  • bertrand-mabelbertrand-mabel Posts: 2,697
    What a wonderful collection and sight it must be. Very interesting that you managed to get germination by scattering seed. Did you scatter into the pots?
    We have cypripediums in pots and this year one has 2 seed pods and we would like to get them to germinate like you have managed.
  • DrMacDrMac Posts: 23
    I have a number of  12 - 18" pots intended to produce lilies (which they do) but over the years moss has grown over the surface. Until my recent re-planting attempts I left them alone but the seed I gathered from the orchids I scattered across these pots fairly thickly and left nature to take its course.
    So no magic method I'm afraid. The original plant was given to me several years ago so all the orchids I have are from that one plant. 
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