Sunday, January 27, 2013

REBLOOM!




I thought that I'd show off my orchid today. So what, big deal, you may think, having seen them fully stocked and blooming in stores for the past few months.
This orchid is special because IT IS IN REBLOOM!  This is the second year it has been in my home. It has been blooming like this for over a month now. Recently, I discovered that people often discard these orchids after enjoying them during the holidays.  Stores sell them when they are in full bloom. The blooms last a month or more with reasonable care of the plant.  When the blooms wither, just the leaves are left.  Usually the plant has some interesting roots that come up and out of the soil.  That is when many people think, "The flower show is over now", and into the trash the plant goes. Stop! Wait! The plant is just taking a rest. The flowers can come back.  Really. They can. Here is how my orchid plant got it's flowers back.



REBLOOM--
In winter of 2011 I received this orchid as a gift. It was in bloom for about a month and a half. The blooms withered and I was left with an interesting plant.
I liked the tropical look of the leaves and roots and couldn't bear to throw it away. So I just left it on the window sill. I watered it about once a week. During the summer one of the leaves got against the window and became sunburned and developed a giant ugly brown spot where it was too hot against the glass.  I continued to keep the plant, anyway.  I moved it so the leaves didn't touch the window glass.  Still just leaves and roots.  The giant brown leaf spot was so unsightly, I decided to use some of my acrylic paint and paint the giant brown spot green so it wouldn't look quite so ugly. It did blend it in a bit.  Fall came, and still it was just leaves and roots.  And then November came.  I noticed a sprout coming out of the middle of it.  I thought maybe it was just another air root. The sprout kept growing taller and straight, unlike the air roots.  I could see it grow taller every day.  Then the sprout developed stems on it and continued to grow even taller and develop more stems.  By the end of November the stems on the sprout had flower buds.  I now wish that I would have taken daily pictures,  because by the middle of December I had beautiful orchids again.  Yes, surprisingly, with acrylic paint on the leaf and all, I had - REBLOOM.  So if you were lucky enough to have been gifted or bought for yourself, one of these orchids, please don't discard it.  Just put it in a window and try to remember to water it weekly and you too will probably have "rebloom".



I like thinking about "reblooming" on this seemingly endless, cold, rainy,  January day. It cheers me up. Plants that bloom, and especially those that rebloom, help me see that winter really will be over in just a couple of months.  

Soon, all of us who are so winter weary right now, will "REBLOOM", too. Really.  We will.  Spring is just around the corner!

3 comments:

  1. How gorgeous! I have never had one...love the color

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  2. Susie the flowers is georgeous . In Chile don't have these wonderful color

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  3. I bought 7 little orchids a couple of years ago. I have them in a north window with an addition of an extra light near them. They continue slowly growing leaves and roots, but no blooms. I water them and mist them...feed them about once a month. I would love to see them bloom. I'm wondering if they are just immature or unhappy with their placement. I've thought about putting them out in the garden this summer in a sheltered place. Any advice??
    Balisha

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