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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago
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One of the most diverse and widely spread group of organisms in the world and amongst the most highly evolved, the botanical equivalent of the human race? Yet they fit their particular environmental niches so well and are not hell bent on world domination.
If only we could be more like them. |
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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago
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"My favourite flower  "
I've come across more than usual this year. My most memorable encounter was coming across them flowering like sea spray above the grassy oceans surrounding Loch Ba on the Isle of Mull. There were so many you couldn't walk across for fear of treading on one. A breathtaking life moment that will stay with me to the end. |
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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago
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"Random orchid trivia...
The word orchid derives from the Greek word for 'testicle', which is why those instruments they use to measure the volume of testicles is called an orchidometer."
Nice one, that's news to me.  |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"My favourite flower
I've come across more than usual this year. My most memorable encounter was coming across them flowering like sea spray above the grassy oceans surrounding Loch Ba on the Isle of Mull. There were so many you couldn't walk across for fear of treading on one. A breathtaking life moment that will stay with me to the end."
I’m in Mull at the moment, may have to go and investigate, unless they have wilted in the glorious weather we are having |
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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago
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"My favourite flower
I've come across more than usual this year. My most memorable encounter was coming across them flowering like sea spray above the grassy oceans surrounding Loch Ba on the Isle of Mull. There were so many you couldn't walk across for fear of treading on one. A breathtaking life moment that will stay with me to the end.
I’m in Mull at the moment, may have to go and investigate, unless they have wilted in the glorious weather we are having "
I was there in May some years ago, i think they might have finished by now, sorry.  |
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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago
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"How do you know they aren't hell bent on world dominance?
Good question.  "
I guess the answer to that is that, like all organisms (excluding the human animal) they adapt to fit their environment and can only colonise that which they can adapt to. As opposed to us (referring mainly to the 'white, western European') who repeatedly adapt the environment instead. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"One of the most diverse and widely spread group of organisms in the world and amongst the most highly evolved, the botanical equivalent of the human race? Yet they fit their particular environmental niches so well and are not hell bent on world domination.
If only we could be more like them. "
We make our environment fit us unfortunately  |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"One of the most diverse and widely spread group of organisms in the world and amongst the most highly evolved, the botanical equivalent of the human race? Yet they fit their particular environmental niches so well and are not hell bent on world domination.
If only we could be more like them. "
We make our environment fit us unfortunately |
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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago
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"A beautiful plant. I've never been any good at keeping them though!"
Try Moth Orchids (Phalaenopsis), i find these the most reliable and are commonly sold in supermarkets. They are an epiphitic group and are sold planted in a bark medium.
Give them a bright spot out of direct sunlight, turning them regularly to stop them growing lopsided. Watering is the most complicated issue. I find it best to allow the plants to become a lttle (and i mean little) dry then fill the pot with water, an opportuntity to wash the leaves too - tap water is sufficient but in hard water areas filtered is probably best. Leave to soak overnight and empty the pot of water in the morning. They're usually grown in a clear plastic pot inside a decorative ceramic one so this is quite easy. An occasional misting will benefit them too.
Once flowering is over cut off the flower stems as low as possible but continue the above regime.
I have several that flower every year without fail. |
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By *ady LickWoman
over a year ago
Northampton Somewhere |
"A beautiful plant. I've never been any good at keeping them though!
Try Moth Orchids (Phalaenopsis), i find these the most reliable and are commonly sold in supermarkets. They are an epiphitic group and are sold planted in a bark medium.
Give them a bright spot out of direct sunlight, turning them regularly to stop them growing lopsided. Watering is the most complicated issue. I find it best to allow the plants to become a lttle (and i mean little) dry then fill the pot with water, an opportuntity to wash the leaves too - tap water is sufficient but in hard water areas filtered is probably best. Leave to soak overnight and empty the pot of water in the morning. They're usually grown in a clear plastic pot inside a decorative ceramic one so this is quite easy. An occasional misting will benefit them too.
Once flowering is over cut off the flower stems as low as possible but continue the above regime.
I have several that flower every year without fail."
As low as possible? I've always been told to cut it off just above the second notch. Do you feed yours as well as water them? And how often do you water? |
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Just for info.........the UK native orchids are hardy........and many of them make surprisingly good garden plants given the right conditions............BUT get them from a nursery DO NOT collect from the wild......cos many are rare so that would be wrong and is generally illegal |
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"How do you know they aren't hell bent on world dominance?
Good question.
I guess the answer to that is that, like all organisms (excluding the human animal) they adapt to fit their environment and can only colonise that which they can adapt to. As opposed to us (referring mainly to the 'white, western European') who repeatedly adapt the environment instead."
Good answer have you considered that they might just be waiting for is to go extinct then adapt to the environment that remains? |
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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago
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"A beautiful plant. I've never been any good at keeping them though!
Try Moth Orchids (Phalaenopsis), i find these the most reliable and are commonly sold in supermarkets. They are an epiphitic group and are sold planted in a bark medium.
Give them a bright spot out of direct sunlight, turning them regularly to stop them growing lopsided. Watering is the most complicated issue. I find it best to allow the plants to become a lttle (and i mean little) dry then fill the pot with water, an opportuntity to wash the leaves too - tap water is sufficient but in hard water areas filtered is probably best. Leave to soak overnight and empty the pot of water in the morning. They're usually grown in a clear plastic pot inside a decorative ceramic one so this is quite easy. An occasional misting will benefit them too.
Once flowering is over cut off the flower stems as low as possible but continue the above regime.
I have several that flower every year without fail.
As low as possible? I've always been told to cut it off just above the second notch. Do you feed yours as well as water them? And how often do you water? "
Flower stems arise from leaf axils (the junction between leaf and main stem), i use a tiny pair of secateurs and cut the stems as close to the axil as possible without damaging the leaf.
Watering very much depends on environmental conditions. I allow the plant to dry out to the point where the leaves start to lose their sheen but before the surface begins to wrinkle.
I have never had to apply a feed, being epiphytes they derive most of their sustainance from the atmosphere so they tend to do best where there is some humidity (eg kitchen/bathroom) and well away from radiators but this is very much up to you. |
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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago
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"How do you know they aren't hell bent on world dominance?
Good question.
I guess the answer to that is that, like all organisms (excluding the human animal) they adapt to fit their environment and can only colonise that which they can adapt to. As opposed to us (referring mainly to the 'white, western European') who repeatedly adapt the environment instead.
Good answer have you considered that they might just be waiting for is to go extinct then adapt to the environment that remains?"
Personally i believe that every organism across the world is waiting for that time. |
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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago
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"Just for info.........the UK native orchids are hardy........and many of them make surprisingly good garden plants given the right conditions............BUT get them from a nursery DO NOT collect from the wild......cos many are rare so that would be wrong and is generally illegal"
Absolutely, i can't stress that enough. Good point. |
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"How do you know they aren't hell bent on world dominance?
Good question.
I guess the answer to that is that, like all organisms (excluding the human animal) they adapt to fit their environment and can only colonise that which they can adapt to. As opposed to us (referring mainly to the 'white, western European') who repeatedly adapt the environment instead.
Good answer have you considered that they might just be waiting for is to go extinct then adapt to the environment that remains?
Personally i believe that every organism across the world is waiting for that time."
I'd agree with that. I sometimes wonder what will be next |
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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago
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"How do you know they aren't hell bent on world dominance?
Good question.
I guess the answer to that is that, like all organisms (excluding the human animal) they adapt to fit their environment and can only colonise that which they can adapt to. As opposed to us (referring mainly to the 'white, western European') who repeatedly adapt the environment instead.
Good answer have you considered that they might just be waiting for is to go extinct then adapt to the environment that remains?
Personally i believe that every organism across the world is waiting for that time.
I'd agree with that. I sometimes wonder what will be next"
You see it even now. Mother Nature very quickly seeks to reclaim that which we neglect. |
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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago
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"I couldn't get mine to flower again,it died a death."
See above posts, try Moth Orchids, i'm not saying that's the very best way to deal with them but it certainly works for me. |
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"How do you know they aren't hell bent on world dominance?
Good question.
I guess the answer to that is that, like all organisms (excluding the human animal) they adapt to fit their environment and can only colonise that which they can adapt to. As opposed to us (referring mainly to the 'white, western European') who repeatedly adapt the environment instead.
Good answer have you considered that they might just be waiting for is to go extinct then adapt to the environment that remains?
Personally i believe that every organism across the world is waiting for that time.
I'd agree with that. I sometimes wonder what will be next
You see it even now. Mother Nature very quickly seeks to reclaim that which we neglect."
Yes, we used to live in a house with an oak tree in the garden. If it was left to its own devices there would have bee an oak forest there in five years. |
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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago
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"How do you know they aren't hell bent on world dominance?
Good question.
I guess the answer to that is that, like all organisms (excluding the human animal) they adapt to fit their environment and can only colonise that which they can adapt to. As opposed to us (referring mainly to the 'white, western European') who repeatedly adapt the environment instead.
Good answer have you considered that they might just be waiting for is to go extinct then adapt to the environment that remains?
Personally i believe that every organism across the world is waiting for that time.
I'd agree with that. I sometimes wonder what will be next
You see it even now. Mother Nature very quickly seeks to reclaim that which we neglect.
Yes, we used to live in a house with an oak tree in the garden. If it was left to its own devices there would have bee an oak forest there in five years."
I studied ecology, it's my favourite subject. The pathway from concrete to forest is interesting, and inexorable without continuous human intervention. Because it this intervention mostly goes unremarked i think most people are unaware of it. |
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By *essiCouple
over a year ago
suffolk |
"Random orchid trivia...
The word orchid derives from the Greek word for 'testicle', which is why those instruments they use to measure the volume of testicles is called an orchidometer."
Well I never knew that... good learn something new every day |
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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago
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"Random orchid trivia...
The word orchid derives from the Greek word for 'testicle', which is why those instruments they use to measure the volume of testicles is called an orchidometer.
Well I never knew that... good learn something new every day "
Part of the wonder that is Fab. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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Whilst I like orchids I tend to take a pragmatic approach to botany in that I plant it, and it lives or it dies. I currently have one that has been around for almost three months and is looking well, so I'm quietly ignoring it.. |
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I've one that I've had for around 3 years now.
I'd almost killed it re-potting it , over watering it.
Thankfully I did some research and managed to pot it back into its original pot and placed it inside a larger ceramic pot.
I now leave it so it's almost gasping for a drop of water and give a water.
I've now had beautiful blooms on it ever since.
Ss |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"Does anyone grow any in the garden? I haven't grown hardy orchids since I was a kid. I really love this diverse plant group. "
Our native orchids tend to be a bit sensitiveTo the soil conditions and so don't do to well in our gardens plus you shouldn't pick our wild flowers there best left where you see them . |
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