#  >  > Living And Legal Affairs In Thailand >  >  > Farming & Gardening In Thailand >  >  Orchids of Thailand

## dirtydog

Now I took these pics at me galfriends mates place in Rayong, she has a small Orchid farm, and it seems that she knows how to make the buggers flower...

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## dirtydog



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## dirtydog

Yep over 50 percent of her orchids were in flower and she weren't willing to sell them yet, she's holding off for a couple of more years, I assume to get more cuttings or whatever.

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## dirtydog



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## dirtydog



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## dirtydog



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## dirtydog



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## dirtydog



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## dirtydog



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## dirtydog



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## Curious George

> ...and it seems that she knows how to make the buggers flower...



You're sure right about her getting them to bloom. This Uang Sai usually only blooms in the spring. Great pics.  :Smile:

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## dirtydog

These ones i have never been able to get to bloom nor has anybody i know, they seem to die on me after about 3 years without ever flowering,poxy things.

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## Curious George

Assuming the temperature, light and watering is favorable, fertilizer must be given to cattleyas on a regular schedule to promote growth, and especially blooms. A high-nitrogen (30-10-10) formulation, or a similar proportion, should be used every two weeks during spring and summer growth, but only once a month otherwise. A high-phosphorus or bloom-booster (10-30-20) formulation should be used to produce flower spikes at the peak of the growing season. The plant should be repotted about every two years with fresh media.

With all that said, I think some people just have the knack for growing things. My wife has the green thumb, and while I know how they should be taken care of, I tend to kill them. :cry:

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## dirtydog

Well I found some more today in Sri Racha, but yet again I didn't buy any, whats the point of buying something that you know you will kill.











This next one is pretty bland and I for one wouldn't part with 250baht for it.

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## DrAndy

those are beautiful flowers. I like growing the wild ones though, somehow less showy but more interesting

a bit of food, shade and enough water, they seem to do pretty well

sorry no pics at the mo

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## Torbek

> Assuming the temperature, light and watering is favorable, fertilizer must be given to cattleyas on a regular schedule to promote growth, and especially blooms. A high-nitrogen (30-10-10) formulation, or a similar proportion, should be used every two weeks during spring and summer growth, but only once a month otherwise. A high-phosphorus or bloom-booster (10-30-20) formulation should be used to produce flower spikes at the peak of the growing season. The plant should be repotted about every two years with fresh media.


Can you spell it out for me what the above means, Curious George, and please work on the basis that I am a complete friggin' idiot?

So I go to the shop. I buy a big flowering orchid. It sort of looks like this one. 

I take it home and suspend it under my carport. No direct sunlight. I spray it with water plus two kinds of orchid fertilzers I am given - hard to read the packet but most useful info is one is NPK 21-21-21 + B1 (yellow bottle) and other is NPK 10-52-17 (red bottle). I water them every few days after and fertilize every couple of weeks.

The flowers die after 4 - 6 weeks and never come back.

The plant dies after a few more months. 

Pattern repeated 4 times since I have been in Thailand...

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## poolcleaner

> Can you spell it out for me what the above means, Curious George, and please work on the basis that I am a complete friggin' idiot?
> 
> So I go to the shop. I buy a big flowering orchid. It sort of looks like this one. 
> 
> I take it home and suspend it under my carport. No direct sunlight. I spray it with water plus two kinds of orchid fertilzers I am given - hard to read the packet but most useful info is one is NPK 21-21-21 + B1 (yellow bottle) and other is NPK 10-52-17 (red bottle). I water them every few days after and fertilize every couple of weeks.
> 
> The flowers die after 4 - 6 weeks and never come back.
> 
> The plant dies after a few more months. 
> ...


I'd say you've perfected the method then Torbek.

Time to work on TukTuk drivers!

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## Curious George

Torbek - From your picture, I would guess you're asking about an orchid of the Laeliocattleya genus - pronounced LAY-lee-oh-cat-LAY-ah. It is a hybrid genus between Laelia and Cattleya. The sub-genus is much more difficult to guess, so hopefully it is tagged with its name when you make the purchase.

From your description, the flowers lasted about the normal length of time. Unless forced with a high phosphorus supplement, the orchid will only bloom once each year, having one or two flower spikes.

There could be many different causes for losing the the whole plant. The most frequent cause is overwatering. The roots become hollow and soggy, leaves fall one at a time and the plant drowns. It is very imprtant to have a lot of air circulation to allow thorough drying.

The second most frequent killer is too much fertilizer. Usually the plant dies quickly when this happens. Water the orchid first, and then fertilize, or the fertilizer alone could burn the delicate roots. Make sure the fertilizer mixture is proper and the ratios (weaker solutions) are meant for orchids.

Of course, bugs, fungus and bacteria can also do in a plant, but amateurs like me are usually guilty of the first two causes. But, another thing to watch closely after time is the buildup of salts on the media from the fertilizer. When this occurs, and it will, a good rinsing with water and thorough draining is needed. In any case, the plant should be repotted about every two years due to the residue retained by the media.

Here is general information on "How to grow orchids".


Here is a PDF sheet on the genus Cattleya from the American Orchid Society.

Most orchids prefer intermediate growing conditions (70 to 80 degrees F during the day; 60 to 65 degrees F at night). Place them where they will receive very bright, indirect light. If the plant's leaves and pseudobulbs become very yellow, or spotted with orange, the light is too strong. If they are dark green, there isn't enough light. A very light, almost yellow-green color indicates proper lighting. Their resting period (when no new leaves, roots, or shoots appear) is from fall through mid-spring, although this is the time that flowering occurs.

Watering orchids is always a balance between too much water (which causes rot and eventually kills) and not enough water (which causes leaves, stems, and roots to dry up and eventually kills). An orchid is an Epiphyte, meaning in nature it usually grows on trees for support, and gets water from the air. The need for water increases when the plant is exposed to brighter light, higher temperatures, or lower humidity, or when it is producing new shoots, leaves, and roots. The amount of water also depends upon the media in which the orchid is planted. If planted in large chunks (charcoal, fir bark, etc.), it will dry out more quickly than with less coarse media. Roots packed in coconut fiber dry more slowly than the above, but more quickly than in sphagnum moss. A mature Laeliocattleya does best in large chunks of bark, and only the media/roots watered after the roots have dried. Do not water leaves or blooms. Misting the whole plant is not necessary and dangerous if water collects in the axil or crown, breeding bacteria or fugus. Watering in most parts of Thailand could be once or twice a week. Never allow water to pool in the bottom of the container. If the nursery pot sits in water, the plant's roots will eventually rot. Keep in mind that your orchid's need for water will vary throughout the year depending on its surroundings. Laeliocattleya orchids have pseudobulbs (upright, thickened stems that store water and food). If the pseudobulbs begin to shrink, this means that they are losing water and you have kept your plant too dry.

Most orchids are native to tropical or subtropical regions of the world, where relative humidity is typically very high. They suffer indoors in the dry air produced by air conditioners or heaters. A relative humidity of 70% is best for your orchid (provide a minimum of 50% relative humidity). Although high humidity is important for orchids, good air circulation around your plant is also extremely essential to prevent disease by allowing a complete drying.

During the resting period, when your orchid is not producing new growth, fertilize monthly with a water-soluble fertilizer with an analysis of 20-20-20 when the media is small, coconut fiber, etc., but a high nitrogen formulation of 30-10-10, when on coarse media. During the growing season, fertilize more frequentlyevery 2-3 weeks. Make sure the fertilizer mixture is not too concentrated. Orchids are very sensitive, and it is better to fertilize a diluted mixture than too strong.

If you decide to try your hand at growing orchids again, I advise that you join an Internet Forum specific to orchid growing. This is one of many, and no matter which you join, all of the people are very helpful. All you need is a couple of pictures of your orchid for a proper ID, and if plant parts don't look healthy, a few closeup shots to illustrate the concerns. It is amazing the information that they'll offer.

I hope this answer is a bit less cryptic and helpful.  :Smile:

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## Marmite the Dog

:Gay:

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## DrAndy

it might be gay, but there is too much of it

just don't water your fucking orchids so much, and stop giving them fertiliser

think of how they would live if in the natural conditions, and pretend you are god

OK?

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## Torbek

> 


I think you're way out line Mr Marmite!

Trying to grow decent orchids is gay?

Next you'll be telling me to give up my silk dresses and Thai dancing...

 :Mad:  

(By the way, where do you guys get all those smileys?)

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## dirtydog

You can purchase them here

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## Curious George

> 


Poorly educated and shallow thinking individuals cannot make an intellegent contribution, so they feel the need to attack.

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## dirtydog

he aint like a real teacher curious george, it aint his fault, I blame it on his mom.

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## Curious George

Maybe I should go back to school to learn how to spell intelligent.

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## Torbek

Thanks for the advice Curious George!

Marmite may force me back into the closet with my Thai dresses, but he wont stop me having another go at buying and killing orchids!

Cheers!

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## Marmite the Dog

> Originally Posted by Marmite the Dog
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Poorly educated and shallow thinking individuals cannot make an intellegent contribution, so they feel the need to attack.


Ain't that the truth!

Akchually, I wuz a landscape gardener in the UK, so I'm well into me flowers. I just needed an ekskuse to use that smiley as it makes me larf. 

Carry on....  :mat:

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## Dougal

I can't work out how to price the orchids. One that looks lovely seems to be lovely might be 100B and then another one that looks like a brown splodge turns out to be 1000B.

Anyway I liked this one but can't remember what the owner wanted for it.

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## dirtydog

I have seen some with black flowers, They wanted 20,000baht for that one, I mean who in their right mind would pay that just to watch it slowly fade away and die?

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## Curious George

> I can't work out how to price the orchids.


I think the price is rather unimportant. If you really like it, have the budget for it and have the proper place in your household to grow it, nothing should stop you. Like you said, some of the orchids that are very attractive may not be very expensive. As long as you are pleased with it, what else matters. 




> I have seen some with black flowers, They wanted 20,000baht for that one,...


It is interesting that I'm currently reading The Orchid Thief by Susan Orlean (ISBN:0-449-00371-X).



> by *Susan Orlean*
> There are white orchids, but there is no such thing as a black orchid, even though people have been wanting a black orchid forever. It was a black-orchid extract that Basil St. John, the comic-book character who was the boyfriend of the comic-book character Brenda Starr, needed in order to control his rare and mysterious blood disease. I once asked Bob Fuchs, the owner of R. F. Orchids, in Homestead, Florida, if he thought a black orchid would ever be discovered or be produced by hybridizing. "No, never in real life," he said. "Only in Brenda Starr."


Here is another reference to the black orchid - Read it and you decide if they really exist.

DD, if you can buy a true black orchid for 20,000 baht, you can retire for life, anywhere on earth, selling cuttings to all the avid orchid collectors in the world. I'm not joking!!  :Smile:

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## Dougal

> Originally Posted by Dougal I can't work out how to price the orchids.





> I think the price is rather unimportant.


Yes, I agree Curious. I did not phrase myself very well. 

If the orchid grower tells me that such and such an orchid is incredibly rare and took years of careful selective pollination to produce I wouldn't know any different - they might be growing like weeds out the back for all I know.

On the other hand if I go to buy a chair, I can generally see from the finish or the type of wood how much work has gone into it and thus how much is a fair price. 

Ever hear of the Dutch Tulip Bubble?

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## Curious George

> Ever hear of the Dutch Tulip Bubble?


No, I hadn't. But due to your question, I have now searched and read about it. Thanks for the education.

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## Captain Sensible

> (By the way, where do you guys get all those smileys?)


Looky look here Torbers

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## Torbek

Yes...thanks CS and DD...I could do lot worse than just read my bloody inout screen.... :Wink:

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## Torbek

:Bukkake:   :Omfg:  


See? Working it out now!

There's fookin' thousands...

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## ChiangMai noon

This is an orchid from my garden. My wife grew it.

It's a yellow one.

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## dirtydog

And what do you call it?

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## ChiangMai noon

Yelow orchid.

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## ChiangMai noon

This is yellow orchid from a different angle.
Do you like the water feature??

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## ChiangMai noon

These are some orchids that don't work..

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## Eliminator

I would like to get detailed instructions on how to seperate the plants. I have some plants that have anywhere between 5 to 15 plants in one group. I've been looking at the sites suggested but can't find anything. Thanks

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## Curious George

With a little effort by searching the Internet for dividing orchids, you will find over a thousand hits. I already mentioned a forum in the eighteenth response to this thread that will answer many of your questions. Here is their pictorial on how to divide/repot orchids:
http://www.rv-orchidworks.com/cultiv...ting_catt.html

Here (http://www.clanorchids.com/culture/repot1.html) is another link that gives an excellent explanation with text only. For the novice, pictures are often better, as used in the first link .

If you haven't already experienced the slow growth of orchids, you must learn to have patience, patience, patience. As you may note with the latter link, if the divisions do not have their own root system, it will take months for new roots to appear. Then, you must wait until they have multiplied and become well enough established to adequately nourish the new division.

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## Eliminator

Thanks CG for the links and now it'll be easier. Mine will be harder as the roots have wrapped around the different containers they are in. I think I'll try to get some pruning seal before I try to tackle this though. Anyone know where to get it from?

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## Curious George

Let's begin with your question - the root sealant. Don't bother, since air drying will allow a scab-over in less than an hour. Make sure you use a sterile as possible cutting instrument, and do not cut healthy roots with the same blade used to remove those that appear damaged, rotted, etc. If you become careless, you could potentially spread disease. If you are concerned, you could use a bit of cinnamon on the cut, as suggested in the last link I supplied.

If possible, remove the young plants that have few or none of the roots attached to the container. If you need to move those attached, try to peel the roots off as best as posssible, to reduce overall damage.

I should note that sterilization does not mean the need for an autoclave. The easiest product to get that does a reasonable job is hydrogen peroxide. It may even be used as a mild fungicide directly on affected plant parts. A better solution for sterilizing cutting tools is household bleach, but then make sure it doesn't touch the plant. Air drying the blades for a day after a bleach treatment works well.

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## Eliminator

CG, thanks again for the info and I have the peroxide but not the cinnamon. I'll try to get some decent pics of the hardest pot that I have to deal with and some other pics of the plats that I have. Since I'm still waiting for parts for my 900 Kawasaki, this just gives me something to do.

Cheers,

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## Curious George

I'm sure we all would like to see your photos. That may help to better understand your plight.

As an aside, and not to get off topic, I also need to work on my 'motorcy'. My 1986 Suzuki GV1200GL, with fewer than 8k km, has been idle for over ten years, and needs resurrecting. Once married, many things went to the background, including the joy of riding. In the future, I see the beginning of a motorcycle thread here on TD.

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## Marmite the Dog

> In the future, I see the beginning of a motorcycle thread here on TD.


That's a good idea.

Mrs Q has her FIreblade, Pops has his Rebel and DD has his Honda Shopper.

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## kingwilly

my missus has a special touch - she kills every orchid we get within 2 months - i dunno who she does it.

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## Crepitus

Hi all:.. me being a TD newbie I would like to revive this thread..wifey is an orchid aholic and I have to keep rebuilding the frickin bamboo shade house as IT rots away.
.Don't know what she does to 'em but has got some real beauties some wild and some even that are not _allowed_ for the proles. Will post photos when I am allowed my _long pants_ on TD

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## aging one

With this overcast and rainy weather my orchids are finally coming back nicely. I shall have to get  some photos up.  The cool winter really set them back.

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## Crepitus

> With this overcast and rainy weather my orchids are finally coming back nicely. I shall have to get  some photos up.  The cool winter really set them back.


I don't know about the winter being cool but certainly this bloody damp and rainy weather has made 'em take off...wifey puts 'em under shelter to protect the blooms...they all seem to extremely hardy though...we have one white beauty that has had the same bloom for nearly 5 months...amazing

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## bucket

nice flower....

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## afraidcrrazy

Thailand is famous for its many beautiful orchids or Gluay MHAIA in Thai. It is surprising to many visitors that these tropical plants can be found flowers in winter in northern Thailand, when the weather is cool. January is an ideal month to see an amazing variety of shapes, sizes and vibrant colors of orchids from Thailand. Although the climate is so dry at this time of year, orchids use different ways to retain the moisture necessary for flowering. Some have spongy roots can absorb water from the fog in the morning, other bulbs to store the precious water of the rains of the previous year, while others shed their leaves, so that none of the moisture necessary for flowering in vain. Orchids grow naturally in the bark of trees and collect much of their food and water, rain water running down the trunks, and are classified as epiphytes, because this form of growth. In the wild, these orchids in bloom during the winter are a wonderful touch of color at a time when the woods are boring and monotonous, with many trees lost their leaves. Orchids bloom again in August, amid heavy rains, and then collect food and water rains in September to provide the energy to bloom again the following January. 
There are over 1,000 species of orchids in Thailand, and these come in an amazing range and dazzling colors - all shades of the rainbow. Probably the most beautiful orchids in the north are many white, bright yellow Oncidium and the Brick - red orchids. The White Orchid is highly prized because of its extreme rarity in nature. Few have been discovered in nature, and it is only through the efforts of Thai orchid nurseries multiplies this beautiful flower can be seen. Many other varieties of orchids are easy to grow, and abundant in all seasons, thanks to the ability of numerous Thai horticulturists, who have developed their art in an export industry. Typical of these common orchids purple flower that is often presented to visitors, for example, for women traveling passengers Thai Airways international flights.

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## pesky tourist

Anybody know where I can get vanilla orchids?  I've asked around at many nurseries including the King's flower project near Kanchanaburi but no one knows where to get them.

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## oldgit

There was a tread way back in 2008 asking the same.

https://teakdoor.com/farming-and-gard...g-vanilla.html (growing vanilla)

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