New Orchid Care Routine: Nutrients, Pests + Improving Adaptation Success + Final Elsner Haul

[@michaelmccarthy4077]

One bit of caution when using lemon juice, the leaves must be kept from any UV source for about 24 hours after application. UV and citrus juice (specifically the compound bergapten) will cause a burn. In humans a second degree burn is possible, the reaction is that powerful.

[@TheOrchidRoom]

Oh wow, thanks for the warning! My orchids never get actual intense sunlight (esp new orchids which tend to stay separate for a few days/weeks) - UK window light is far from intense (think windows also filter alot of UV?) and most of mine are under LEDs, but that's good advice for people growing in sunnier climates or outdoors! Thanks 🙂 *Edit* I'll pin this, hopefully people will see it and lemon with caution 🙂

[@michaelmccarthy4077]

@@TheOrchidRoom glass will filter out UVB and UVC, but not UVA. But, if I am not mistaken, the wavelength of UVA does not interact with bergapten to cause the burn, only UVB and UVC. (artificial lights may emit UV, but this is typically limited to UVA)

[@anndriggers6660]

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[@Genevieve8002]

Great video, lots to learn here from you. Thank you for sharing what you've learned from your own growing experiences. I'll try soaking my orchids before repotting them, and also leaf cleaning using diluted lemon juice!

[@TheOrchidRoom]

Thanks Genevieve, lovely to hear from you again 🙂 You've reminded me I desperately need to do an annual leaf clean! Thankyou for watching 🥰

[@hazelford3358]

Thank you for a really thorough teaching vid. You are such a perfectionist! My slapdash methods are shaming. The proof of the pudding etc. really does mean phenominal plants. Congrats.

[@TheOrchidRoom]

Thankyou! 😀 Bugs just *really* bug me 😂 Can't have any of those escaping! And I'm obsessed with seaweed, really think it helps, let's just hope I don't get any growth hormone mutant orchids in the long term 😂

[@marysunshine389]

Learned so much today.

[@cindyd.2882]

Very nice video. Beautifully explained and presented. Best tip: keep roots above reservoir when repotting. LOVE that you used a magnifying camera. Thanks for your hard work. I use liquid bandaid on any new cuts. Seals quickly.

[@TheOrchidRoom]

Thankyou! 😀 And thanks for the tip about the liquid plaster for any orchid injuries! That's a great idea!

[@bonniesuekimball7550]

Very helpful. Lots of good information 😊

[@anndriggers6660]

I think it's a good idea to premptively spray everything with neem, alcohol, dish soap and water spray periodically. Evey 2 to 3 weeks. Also a great idea to quickly bath/shower plants when possible, especially if you've already got them at the sink for some reason. As long as you dry the crowns or make sure the temp and humidity are right for them to dry on their own, this should be good for your orchids.

[@Twigarati]

Yes, Eisner closing is a loss to us who loved the quality of their plants. Wise decision from Regina, though. Do you allow a time frame for your orchids, arriving from their cold transport environment, to acclimatize to your indoor warmer temps in the box, before unwrapping them? When I get orchids in winter, I usually open up the box and let the temps equalize. Especially when heat packs have gone cold. If they are still warm, I touch the pot area of the wrapped plants, to feel how cold they are. If still colder than my indoor temps, I wait until +/- equal temps before unwrapping. Do you do anything like that? I also soak and closely inspect any newcomers 😅 ... depending on time of year, I now wait for new growths or roots, whichever comes first, before repotting. While cold, I hold off, but once my temps rise enough, I’ll repot. I used to overwinter my collection on heat mats, but my electricity bill was 😱 ... so, this is my first winter doing it with how actual temperatures are.

[@TheOrchidRoom]

I'm really sad I didn't them sooner, but I can totally understand why she closed. Still a great loss, not many places take that kind of care with their orchids. Thats a great point! So I usually inadvertently do this, because often parcels will arrive in the morning before work, so I'll open the box up so they can get a little light and warmth (not fully unpack) and then go to work and sort them out later. I try and leave a bit of time between when I open the box and when I start to unwrap, I read somewhere it shocks the plants if they're cold and dark and suddenly exposed to bright light. Not sure if it's true though. But it makes sense... It's totally sensible to hold off the repot in colder temps, usually I can put them in my grow room which stays warmer (18- 25C+ atm) anyway but these ones I held off so they're all squished onto the heat mat 😂 because the rest of the house is not warm at all! I find that semi hydro usually kicks phals into making new roots for me anyway (sorry! I really wish yours would accept SH!) 🙂

[@Twigarati]

The Orchid Room oh the phals! 💆‍♀️ a few weeks ago, I cut off 8 spikes on those that were still wobbly in their pots, some I can allow to bloom as I can now lift the plant and the pot comes with it, so they’ve rooted nicely! Others I have surrounded with micro fiber and keep that moist while leaving them in the set up ... it’s weird. I’m not going to do anything else with those that have yet to adjust, this is a set up which helps me come the summer months, so I live in hope! One of the phals that i cut a spike off, is spiking again, now I wait for that to get long enough & then cut it off. My ‘little freckles’ one is going very very limp, I’m babying the roots it wants to develop at the base. 💆‍♀️ my daughter just bought another one and I’m like ‘nooooo’ 😅 I feel so bad when I fail on the ones she bought ... stress levels rise 😬💆‍♀️

[@normantorok5919]

great protocol to follow. Just in time before i make a big order :)

[@TheOrchidRoom]

Ooh yay new orchids 😃 Exciting!!

[@normantorok5919]

@@TheOrchidRoom - isn't it? I've had orchids on and off over the (gulp) decades...some in the window sill, some under lights...after a long time with one or two just hanging around in the window, I found your channel and a few other and I'm so excited to try semi-hydro. I think it will give me better results and seems so interesting to me all that I can learn from experts like yourself. thx for what you are doing. :)

[@Shuzies]

Whoa.... this video is Full of great info. I have been changing over to semi- hydro. Lost Power last night my orchids got down around 50 degrees F. I realised the water in all of pots must have got that cold to..... This is what I get for living in nowhere. Thank you for this info ..... Ron

[@TheOrchidRoom]

Thankyou! I'm glad you found it helpful (hopefully!) 😀 Oh no that sounds like a nightmare, we had something similar happen in December and my phal celebensis blasted all its buds and then aborted the spike. I hope yours are ok! 🤞🤞

[@Shuzies]

Yes very helpful....your like the Holy Grail for Orchids

[@Shuzies]

Do you remember how long it took to see the Blast and aborted spike

[@TheOrchidRoom]

@@Shuzies It was within a week, the buds started to yellow maybe 3 days after and then the spike started drying

[@katessa1376]

Hello :) What's the camera that You use? It must be a good one... Greetings :) Oh, and I forgot to add: a very good movie, useful. Thanks.

[@jokennedy2943]

Timely video as I just had a couple arrive. Nice haul ! I find zapping mealy bugs so satisfying- found more in the last couple of weeks than the whole summer! How about you?

[@TheOrchidRoom]

Yes! I'm fully with the zapping mealy bugs as a form of therapy! 😂 I just received another mealy bug infested phal from an eBay seller and they've eaten the crown 😭 I took great joy in pouring alcohol on them. So I don't tend to get mealy bugs in my grow room (probably because I'm so obsessive at zapping them) but I did just have an outbreak of spider mites. Sean hated me for spraying neem oil over Christmas and stinking up the house, he's really sensitive to it. So I've been banned from any form of spray treatment until we can open windows.... This last year was my worst year ever for pests. I think because this winter has been unusually warm, rhe bugs are getting back into breeding mode 😥

[@jokennedy2943]

Another question if I may- often when your orchid has adjusted to SH there will be the dead roots that didn’t adjust amongst the Leca, leave them in there or repot?

[@TheOrchidRoom]

@@jokennedy2943 If that happens I just leave it until the next repot, they aren't going to affect pH that much and you'll probably want to repot once the root growth takes off anyway, my small semi hydro pots never get occupied for long 🙂

[@helenhawkins4054]

Great video very helpful, thanks.👌

[@TheOrchidRoom]

Thanks! 😀

[@orchidsbythelake]

Nice routine. I should do that too!

[@KP-gw5zv]

The soaking before re-potting new orchids helps me know how to not give them transplant shock. Also knowing that you can use lemon juice mixed with water is another good idea and that I will give it a go. thank you. Love your videos

[@kennith.]

Thank you for showing us what to look out for pest wise. I think you can also find those plastic containers at restaurant supply stores. www.webstaurantstore.com/choicehd-32-oz-microwavable-translucent-plastic-deli-container-and-lid-combo-pack-case/128HD32COMBO.html

[@TheOrchidRoom]

Thanks for watching! Don't forget to check the description for links to most of the products mentioned in the video 🙂🌱

[@myataylor4807]

Hi Anabelle, what is the silicon you use? Thank you ☺️

[@TheOrchidRoom]

Hi Mya! It's this one by growth technology amzn.to/2TqGP5F although I think there are other brands available also. It's supposed to strengthen/thicken leaves and help reduce stress on the plant although not sure how widely studied it is in orchids. I could only find one research paper for phals, but I like using it 🙂

[@myataylor4807]

The Orchid Room Thank you so much! ☺️And do you give with every feeding? Not sure if I caught that in the video.🤔🌺