As many of my regular readers know, I keep orchids; I can't really say I grow them, as they pretty much grow themselves. I just move them around until I find the place where they seem happy.
I have been gifted many of my orchids, and make it a habit to continue that goodness, by gifting from my orchids.
Orchids seem to do best when some old growth is excised. From that old growth, given happy conditions, new growth will sprout, and from that new growth will come your flowers.
I have an old tree branch on which are two Schumbergia orchids and a bromeliad. It has taken 2 years and several moves but I finally found a location where these 2 orchids are happy. One of the clumps has/had a meter tall (3+ foot) plant spike.
It would have been profuse with flowers in about a month, EXCEPT the jardinero (gardener) that comes and helps me in the garden once or twice a month was here yesterday!
So here is the orchid with Tom pointing out the plant spike
Here is what the orchid looks like now!
Here is where the gardener, yeah right, cut the plant spike off, and threw it in the compost....
And here sits the retreived plant spike,
which will be used to explain all about orchids to the flower killer when he returns.
I can't even explain how I felt when I noticed the plant spike gone, and then saw that it had been cut, not even an accident but a thoughht out decided action. I am calmer now, and am taking some of the blame, in having expected that as he calls himself a gardener that he would be familiar with orchids. They are after all not a 'common' kept plant by the locals...BullShit. He's a frickin nitwit!!!!!!
OK, on a pleasant note, here is a phalenopsis that I have currently bloomimg with 5 huge blossums!
he better not touch this plant or I may sever a few of his fingers!