Bamboo Orchids

The Bamboo Orchids, have more species than any other plant, stands in a class of its own. At once exquisite and exotic, nothing compares to the breathtaking beauty of the orchid. With proper care, in the form of a few simple tips, you can get lasting enjoyment out of your blooms:

· Remove the water vial from the stem of each spray.
· Trim one-half inch or more from each spray.
· Submerge the entire stem, including the flower head, in fresh (room temperature) water for 5-10 minutes.
· Fill a vase with room temperature water and add the flower food as directed.
· Remove flowers from water, shake off excess, and place in vase.
· Mist flowers a few times each day.
· Keep out of direct sunlight and away from hot or cold drafts.
· Re-cut stems and change the water every other day.
· Enjoy your orchids!

You don't have to do anything about most roots that leave the pot and go wandering. Orchid roots do this naturally. Bamboo Orchids is only a problem if all of the new roots are emerging over the edge of the pot, or are skimming along the top of the growing medium instead of growing into the pot. If the roots seem reluctant to enter the growing mix, or die when they touch it, you must repot because the mix has become too old or otherwise toxic to the plant. Likewise, if new growths and roots hang over the edge, you should repot just as the next set of roots is emerging.

But if the plant is just happy, with lots of healthy roots wandering outside the pot, don't worry! You could mist them once in a while, or take the plant to the sink to soak all the roots if you think the plant isn't getting enough moisture. When you do repot, wet the wandering roots thoroughly to make them bendable, and carefully wind them into the new pot and cover them with mix just like any other roots. The Summer Solstice occurs late this month indicating that the sun is at its peak even before the intense heat of summer arrives. Most hybrids of just about all the different groups of Bamboo Orchids are growing rapidly now. Do your best to give them the water, fertilizer, and air movement they need to maximize that growth. Most repotting should be done by now because this is a time when Bamboo Orchids can quickly replace roots lost during repotting.