Question
QUESTION: This is a truly great site. I抦 so happy that I found it and hope that you can help me out with a couple of questions.

I just received a Deep Waters Orchid as a gift in honor of my aunt who died. I want to keep it at my office, but I don抰 have any direct sunlight. Will it be alright here? There is a window near me where I could keep it in the sunlight for a while during the day, if that would help. The lights are off at night and on weekends, except when I come in to work.

I抦 getting my humidity tray set up and I抦 going to get a spritzer, but for right now, it has the most beautiful deep purple blooms on it and it抯 still in the original container that FTD sent it in.

Some of the flowers are beginning to die. Do I cut them off or just let them fall off?

I sure would like to see this live a long, long time. Any help that any of you could give me would be greatly appreciated.


ANSWER: Blc Deep Waters is a registered Cattleya orchid that likes a fair amount of light so I would give it as much sunlight as you can.  The blossoms will fall off by themselves but you can also remove them after they're done without damaging the plant if you wish.  This plant will now go into a rest period so reduce the watering so that the potting mix thoroughly dries between waterings. Continue this until you see new growth beginning.  I presume that the plant's potting mix is fresh but, if not, it should be repotted in fresh mix when the new growth starts. After new growth starts you can feed it weakly weekly to promotes the new growth.

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QUESTION: Thanks so much for your quick response.  I'm used to taking scissors to my iris and keeping the dying blooms off the plant so they don't take food away from those trying to bloom.  I didn't know if the orchid worked the same way or not.  It's still putting on new buds - two have appeared since I got it on Tuesday, 11/06.  

When you talk about more sunlight, does that mean that the overhead lighting in my cube really isn't enough for it?

Answer
The overhead lighting probably isn't enough to grow it well.  In late winter or early spring when the new growth starts, I would try to find a higher light enviromnment.  Then, after the new growth is mature, you could move the plant back to your cubicle for flowering. I summer my cattleyas outside in the summer where they can enjoy the fresh air, natural light, warmth and humidity.  Cattleya flowers normally last for a month or so, so once it starts flowering you should be able to enjoy the flowers for some time.