my garden

bagged orchids

A couple of months ago I upgraded my cell phone and picked up one of those LaptopConnect wireless data cards for my laptop through AT&T. It just so happened that both of my AT&T rebate debit cards came today, totalling $200! Being that I am a good consumer, I couldn’t think of anything better to do with my new found wealth than to spend the day “garden center hopping” looking for those perfect plants that I couldn’t live without. The problem is that I really didn’t find anything… it is that time of year when the summer plants are looking leggy and sad… the new plants for fall haven’t arrived yet. Except for mums. Everyone has an abundance of mums, but my garden is primarily tropical and I just don’t like mums.

At Home Depot we came across these orchids in plastic “coffin” bags packaged by Better-Gro. I can’t imagine why a company would package any plant like this for any length of time. I guess I felt sorry for these plants, the plant markers were dated over a year ago. I don’t know if the dates were when they were put in the bags to die or what, but I can pretty much guarantee that they haven’t been watered or have seen the sunlight in a loooong time.  So I rescued four of them that were not entirely dead, cleaned them up and repotted them in pretty little ceramic orchid pots that I bought at Lowes (see below). I’m not sure if they will make it, but I am going to at least try and save them.

 

Rescued Orchids

Zygopetalum Rhein Blue x (Zygopetalum Arthur Elle x Skippy Ku)
The petals/sepals are maroon in color and mottled around the edges in chartreuse. The labellum should be purple and fade to white toward the bottom of the lip. Fragrant flowers with soft leaves. It prefers bright light, avoid direct sunlight. Water deep, allow to dry out a bit… fertilize every other watering. I have my fingers crossed with this one because it is a new one for me, I will keep an eye on it.

Epidendrum Mabel Kanda ‘Miyao’ x Epidendrum Cordigerum ‘Paradise’
Arching sprays of long lasting olive green petals/sepals, white anther cap and a light pink labellum produced from spindle shaped pseudobulbs. Fragrant flowers. It prefers bright light, avoid direct sunlight. Water deep, allow to dry out a bit… fertilize every other watering. After Epidendrum orchids flower, you should leave the spike on the plant because it can flower again within a few months if it is a happy plant. This one is in the worst condition out of the bunch, I loved the coloration though… I hope it makes it.  <<UPDATE 10/27/2008 - Almost dead, I am going to watch it and see, it is dropping it’s leaves>>

Cattleya BLC. (Love Knot x Digbyana) ‘Carmela’
The petals/sepals are a pinkish lavender and the labellum’s throat is yellow with a purple splotch near the lip. The plant care tag boasts that this large lavender Cattleya is the King of the Orchids. It prefers bright light, but protect from direct sunlight. Water when dry.

Brassavola Hybrid -  BC. Little Mermaid ‘Janet’
The plant care card says this is a Brassavola hybrid, fragrant variety. The petals/sepals are a blush pink with a white column and the labellum is the same blush pink mottled with a magenta color. Prefers bright light, avoid direct sunlight.

I am going to keep these in indirect light and slowly acclimate them, I don’t want to rescue them and then love them to death.

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