Orchid Updates - Slow Growers

Let's face it.
Orchids are boring.
The only fact that make it interesting is that gorgeous beautiful flowers.
After that - its all boring leaves and protruding roots sprouting everywhere.
(If you are lucky at it)
Don't want to be mean - in reality, I had killed many orchids which getting better at it.
One simple mistake can kill them - these are merciless creatures,
they don't forgive you if you over-water them
and that's is one of the reason's I starve them.
Only keeping them wet for a day until they dry off till the next watering.

And if you do get everything right,
you got enemies who love to suck or chew on them.
Pest (aphids, scale insect, spider mite, grass-hoppers & what not)
which somehow just know where to find your tiny surviving plant
and attack that last two leaved plant.
Amazing isn't it.
All for the love of orchids.

No, I'm not going to paint the picture that a garden is all too beautiful...
Birds and bees, grace the lovely garden and its paradise on earth.
A season gardener will tell you that it can turn hell on earth when...
or especially your favourite all care one murdered...
Blood spilled everywhere and the evidence point to an intruder
who had been eyeing in your garden.

Ok.. reality check:
(A rat had been menacing my garden chewing upon my begonia leaves and some herbs in my garden)
And it is not biting the bait-trap I had been putting these few days - Darn!!!

Ok- Back to the Orchid Story...
(Hmmm.. where was I?)

If you have flowers to begin with.. there is some consolation..
but what if you are the adventurous few who bought a plant-let or few.
(In my case - some passed on to try my hands on them)
And they don't seemed to grow, least if one leaf dies,
another emerges in that order - without any progressive order...
Frustrating isn't it..

I guess Orchids are for the Strong Hearted.
To see them survive for many months only to die at the 12th..
Requires so much Strength and Patience.
The Perseverance to see it through that they might flower one day...
Out of the many - to see that few survive and thrive.

It would been easier for the rich..
They would buy the plant with the flowers..
enjoy them while they last and toss them once they are done.
(My guess is that the over-watering will eventually kill the plant when the roots slowly rots away without showing any signs until the crown rots appear & that is just too late to do anything)

Another factor:
I had seen fungus infestation (black circular marks on the leaves)
signs that tell the plant is going to die any-time soon within a month or so due to over-watering.
These orchids are sold in dirt cheap price - even when they are still flowering.
Many unsuspecting gardeners would buy these thinking they strike a bargain only to find them dying a quick fast death - even within a weeks time.
(The plant deteriorates quickly when there is a change of environment as it cannot cope with the new surroundings)

Personal Experience:
A nursery owner was pushing a Star Phalaenopsis Orchid plant with flower for RM15.
(Usual price around RM30 or more)
It had a fungus infection - not sure whether it can recover.

Even though these were mounted on coconut husk and wood fastened with sphagnum moss. Some died a sudden death without showing any signs or reason for its demise.

How can you make sure whether it is safe to say that the plant is out of danger zone?

Tips:
Watch out for the growth of new roots.
When you notice them - it means the plant is growing.
If you don't see them - it means don't count your eggs yet..
(or your orchid that it may be part of your garden family yet - or whatever you want to call it)

Sometimes - the roots may not be visible.
Watch for the growth of the new leaves - that is the sign to say that the plant had already came out of dormancy and its had passed the danger stage and its growing.
(For now)

Notice the growth of the new leaf - its bigger than the rest.
(pic below)

I love this one.
These roots seemed to be like claws sprouting out from the coconut husk which I tied around it.
These are the 5 Phalaenopsis Orchid which the flowers had already spend
(The plant passed to me by my friend)

I'm still waiting to see any signs of improvements from these orchids.
It would have been like few years and I have yet to see its blooms.

(Pic. Above: Eria)
(Pic. Below: Oncidium sp.)

My friend had bought this Dendrobium Orchid for RM7.00
(flowers and all) from Sg.Buloh.
After some time (a month or so) it started dying.
It had started to drop all the leaves but the bloom was still fresh.
I had no idea what had happened - he did watered it everyday.

Anyway - he had passed me to rescue it (I doubt it could survive)
Thank God - it started showing new improvements after few weeks.
There is this two new sprouts coming out from these bulbs.

These was with me for some time.
Been growing well..
Still waiting for the glorious bloom to appear.

These two were rescued.
Well - sort of.
The nursery owner sold them for a dirt-cheap price as most of them were dying.
Somehow these recovered from that slow death - they were neglected as the nursery was shut down for months.

Well all is not lost.
This is one of the success story where the rewards are perpetually endless.
This Ground Orchid had started to bloom and never fail blooming ever since after like 5 years or so..
And that is one of the things that gives you the drive not to give up.

This one's secret.
Placing it in the right location.