👋 Hi Rick! Wow...your collection looks great, everything is growing in leaps and bounds! Have a wonderful day and thanks for the update! Yes, life happens...I hear you! Blessings to you and Jan! 😇
👋😊Rick, you haven't lost your magic touch growing plants. It is great to hear from you. Your voice is so friendly. "Hello," to Jan and your gang in Alabama.🙌🏽🫶🏽🙌🏽❤
Greetings from Kentucky Rick. I also have a Procatavola Key Lime Stars that I bought this spring in a little 2.5" pot with one bloom. I moved it up to a 3" pot in April and I was surprised that the new growth is now in flower. The fragrance is so nice in the evenings. We are having a record early cold snap at night. We have been down to 45 degrees every night this weekend. I had to bring my 5 vandas and my one Stanhopia inside this weekend. Glad to hear you are still warm in Alabama. You and your wife take care and happy orchid growing, James
thanks James.....I was born in Louisville, Kentucky, .......I miss the Ohio River valley......beautiful place.......Congrats on your blooming and growing sucess....we have a few weeks left and then Im inside for the winter also......Take care my friend.
So happy to see you had made this video. I check frequently. Talk about roots , wow you have them. All plants look so very healthy. I like the little frogs & since they aren’t chewing ur orchids , it’s not so awful if they bend a few. After re piotting my phals in lava rock a month ago, I started checking roots & was happy to see no dead roots . They have nice growing tips & several put out new leaves, so I’m glad I switched. Just one request, could you show how you move ur orchids into house & if you use humidifiers in their grow space. And what kind of grow lights you use. Thank you for taking time to do these videos. So very much appreciated. I am SO happy you are once again making videos.
Thanks Georgia.....I sure will......Im so pleased to hear of your growing success......it normally takes my new phalaenopsis, ....about 30-45 days to transition into lava rock.....sometimes I see new roots first and sometimes its a new leaf starting to grow.....your doing a great job with them........
Rick, I meant to ask you this : Sometimes I don’t soak my plants but I water from top & let it run through. Now sometimes the water stays in the saucer for a few days; is this a bad idea?? I wondered about too much moisture getting up in pot?? Anyway, they are so far doing real good. Thanks.
@@georgiabarth2066 .......another great question........If your in clay pots, ...letting them sit in saucers will allow the clay to absorb salts from the nutrient mix....its hard to remove once its absorbed into the clay....it also blocks very needed air flow.....When I water I let them sit and soak for 15-20 minutes.....and then they sit with no saucer.......and since I flush them as well, every few feedings.... it keeps them from getting salt encrusted......
@@georgiabarth2066 ....In plastic pots not as much....the media will still hold on to salts if left standing in nutrient solution......just dont leave them in it for too long is all.
Hello Rick…. So happy to hear you and Jan are doing alright….. Yes, frogs love to hibernate on my orchids as well. I just leave them alone. But I think it was snake that crawl onto one of my Reoclarence and it bent both new growth. One of it is kinda crooked now, but they’re still growing fine… Thank you so much for the update. I really miss y’all. Please extend my warmest regards to Jan… Stay safe and healthy…
Rick, so glad to see you! Your orchids always magnificent! I notice that my using cal mag more often has made a big difference in my orchids. My next thing is to repot some in lava rock although mine have done well in orchiata. Be well!.
Hello Rick! It's nice to finally have an update from you! Just in time that you uploaded, it's currently around 3 AM, and I've been awake since 1 AM doing school work. I'm currently taking a 30 minute break and watching videos on RUclips~ The Key Lime stars and the Phalaenopsis are so charming! ❤ Excited to have my first non-seedling phalaenopsis in a few days! 💗 Good to hear that you, Jan and your plants are doing well! 💚 Stay safe and Healthy, my friend! Wishing you good health and all the best! 💚
So happy to hear from you and knowing that you and Jan are doing well. It's also a pleasure watching your video. Thanks for sharing blessings to you and your family
Your plants look great Rick, very productive summer. Hopefully you’ll start getting some spikes as the weather cools. Right before my classes started I got a bunch of orchids from Ecuagenera (I’m bad 😈). I’m excited to make a video about it to share with you and others. I learned a lot from the process and got some very peculiar plants. Hope you and Jan stay safe and can find some downtime.
So nice to hear your voice and see how your plans are doing. Even better to know that you and Jan are doing well! ❤ That Den. Aggregatum was meant to be yours..hahaha!! It's on my wish list but I never seem to be able to find one.. happy Sunday to you and Jan!
Hi Rick, so glad to see this post and hear your voice. You have helped me with all your knowledge. We’ve had a lot of rain lately and I need to feed my orchids. I have been doing as you suggested and the root growth is tremendous. Thank you so much. My plants love the CalMag and Seaweed!! Have a great day. Blessings to you always!!
Really enjoyed watching your lovely video. Really hope you are well and having a great Friday and weekend 🎉. A big thumbs up from Chris and Jane 🎶🎉🎶 0:31
I am happy you and Jan doing well. And your plants too. I agree, blooms are beautiful but seeing the plants growing strong with lots of new roots is as beautiful! I would love to see a repot video from you, I love clay pots but I would be so afraid to break roots that are attached to the pot... It is my second most favorite way of growing Orchids in pots.
Good Morning EJ....and thank you......when I have a orchid outgrow its pot.......I tap it with a hammer, the pot breaks.....what falls ......falls.....the rest I put into the new pot and add some more lava around it.........no reason to remove the broken pot pieces from the roots......I dont remove dead roots even when repotting now......they help anchor the plant till new roots attach and anchor it firmly.......If I was going to change my growing style.....it would be to mimic yours.....
I'm glad to hear that you are doing well...yes, we have all been thinking about you! :) I loved the story about the Lowe's bag baby Dendrobium. I do believe that it was waiting for you to take it home and nurse it back to health. It was funny how it kept appearing in different areas of the store! It's a wonder it was still alive!
I really appreciate updates that show how your orchids are growing. Blooms are wonderful but I get as much joy from seeing orchids rooting and growing. The little frogs are adorable! I understand that they can be a nuisance but they do reflect a healthy environment in your yard.😊
Hi Rick. It sure was nice to see your video. Your orchids are amazing, healthy. I have put about half or more of my orchids into clay pots. Because my humidity is so low I have them growing in spagnum moss topped with orchiata bark, and some are in tree fern mixed with small lava rock, orchiata bark and oyster shell. I use Jacks classic fertilizer. I was adding calcium-magnesium but was told I was over fertilizing . I grow indoors and water about once a week. Thanks for all the information you share. Blessings to you and Jan. 🙏🏻💕🥰
......thank you Shirley.....I dont add calmag to my Jacks fertilizer, it contains plenty already.....I add calmag to my flushing water........Blessing to you also my friend.
Hello Rick! You are such an inspiration to me. Always love that cal-mag teaching! So vital and always in my mind and practice. Blessings from Arizona 🎋🌵🎋
Hi, Rick! So glad to know that you and Jan are fine! Your plants are looking great! Those orchids are growing so well! Thank you for sharing your knowledge. 😊🌸
Hi Rick😌🙌The orchids are big beautiful and have such healthy roots. Yes, the magnesium is important. I use dolomite lime and it has made my dendrobiums grow even bigger canes than last year. Thanks for the wonderful orchid video and I think 40 orchids is more than enough plants😌💞
Well, Good morning! No apologies needed, EVER! If life isn't happening to us, then we are lying! Glad to see you are up and about and enjoying growing. Love and light 🕯️.
Enjoyed the update on your orchid collection . Thank you for sharing 👍. Always such a pleasure to see healthy looking plants with fantastic new roots ,right ? Love watching new growths and their roots, because it means that they are doing well and they will bloom soon . I also really like terracotta/ clay pots for some of my Cattleya type and even Oncidium 🌱....they love it ! I find clay and / or terracotta pots esthetically pleasing 😊. Take care.💐
Great to hear from you. Glad you and Jan are doing well. Your plants look amazing. I forwarded a message through Hillbilly Orchids by any chance did you see it? It was interesting information i discovered wanted to share with you. Blessings to you and Jan.
Hello Rick! I was so happy to see a video from you as I look forward to each and every one of your videos! You are a wealth of very useful information. A couple of months this ago I started your regimen of spraying the orchids with CalMag several times a week and I must tell you it has been a game-changer to me. I have noticed the leaves being much more turgid and almost plastic-like, hardly any spotting or insects, and plenty of new growths! Thank you, thank you, thank you! I live in Pennsylvania; my orchids are outside mid June through September and inside the house the rest of the year with very low humidity. I grow in predominately LECA with most Dendrobiums in lava. I would very much value and would appreciate your opinion of why lava and gravel would be better than LECA for my very dry house environment (needless to say they love the outside humidity in the Summer). I would be very grateful for your suggestions….I LOVE my orchids but I struggle to grow them to their greatest potential.
LECA stands for... lightweight expanded clay aggregate......basically the same thing clay pots are made from......it has a very strong moisture wicking ability.....it pulls moisture away..... Lava will do the same thing, but not as much, and river rock or pea gravel will get wet, but dont really have any wicking abilities.......The media is only to hold the plant in the pot till it anchors itself.......they dont grow in media of any type in nature......The main reason I dont use leca is its difficult to get the plants anchored in it, due to its round smooth shape...but its still a very good media.......Lava rock, river rock are odd shaped and and lock together holding the plants better.....I use lava in clay pots, the entire pot and lava rock, retain moisture and slowly dry out over several days......then I can water again.......Using lava rock in plastic pots wont give you the same results.....I grow inside for 7 months of the year, and when they are inside I spray them down several times a week with water.....helsp with humidity, as well as stops spider mites etc from ever getting started.
@@rickl.orchids , I was worried because at a category 5, they said the winds and rains would hammer the in land. Coastal areas would also get flooding from the ocean swelling. So I'm glad you were out of range.
Beautiful!!!! Love love love hearing from u! Thanks to u my season was amazing with long last blooms ! Waiting on the spikes from the winter bloomers. 😍😍😍 sending love .
Nice to see your lovely plants again. i tried lava rock but unfortunately apart from my vanda orchids in clay pots, others seem to not liked it. Roots would start growing and then stopping. I grow indoors in UK. Not sure what I did wrong , or maybe its just not suitable for my environment. Also maybe its because I potted cattleya in plastic pots rather than clay.
Yay! It was so so nice to see you pop up on the computer. My orchids are the same... growing with not much action in the flower department. That's ok, I buy a few here and there with blooms at this point; that will need to slow a little as I only grow inside in the windows. Haven't thought about a specific place or room yet to get lights going, getting ready to retire, downsize and move eventually. Good to hear you both are well ;o) In the light, Melissa
Hi Rick! Good to hear all is well! I have a quick question for ya. What are your orchid plans for this winter? You use to have LOTS of lights but do you still have your set up? Maybe a quick video? Thanks and take care!
......Thank you, .....mine will be going inside in a few weeks.......on shelves in front of a south facing window, with flourescent lights over them....for the next 7 months.........I will do a video and show my set up.
HI Rick! Great to hear your voice. All your plants are looking great! I really like the Den. aggregatum. I'll have to keep my eye out for one. The kids are getting a steady supply of CalMag. They seem to be enjoying it! Question.. can you give them too much CalMag? Hope you have a great weekend!
I know nothing about lipstick plants, but I know after roses bloom, they naturally create seed pods (we call them rose hips) and slow bloom production... That's why we religiously dead head roses (including cutting the seed pods or rose hips off) to keep them in bloom... Maybe that's what's needed with the lipstick plant? 💕🌞🌵😷
@@rickl.orchids , but remember it had hundreds of blooms to start with, so I'm not surprised it has so many pod. It might not have been noticeable when one bloom replaced another as there were so many all at once. 💕🌞🌵😷
As always,loved watching your video. Surprised how you recall the names of each of your orchids. I know you are so methodical with your orchid hobby, keeps a log book to note down your feeds, updates and so on. It actually shows on the growth all your orchids put out. You are a great fan of lava rock😍 never noticed anyone else who uses more lava rocks than you do. Do you think those terracotta pots with holes on its side would have been better? Dont you get terracotta pots with holes on its sides at your place?
thank you for the kind words.......we get what they call Azalea pots around here.... that have small holes in the sides......nothing else available here. I would love to find some good proper orchid pots.
I had to repot my Psychopsis this weekend. It was outgrowing its pot quickly. I hope I did it right. It was in spag moss only, so that’s what I used, and also an octagon hanging basket, the next size up, so it’s more mobile. I thought about lava rock, but my home is pretty cool in the winter and I was afraid I might not be able to keep it warm. I’m going into my second year of growing and have more than doubled my collection. Last year I managed to keep things warm enough. This year I’m going to have to be a little more creative. I mostly have seedling mats which really seem to help, but I may bubble wrap a few windows to cut down draft and allow for light. That might help. (My living room might end up looking like a jungle through the winter!) A heater seems too drying, but I’ll get one if needed. The cooler summer kept my humidity lower than I wanted in my primary growing space, but everything looks alright anyway. My big pest problems are spider mites and fungus gnats, but I kept on top of those problems pretty well. I may get brave and try some outdoors growing next year. Thank you for all the information and inspiration! Your collection is awesome.😮😎👏🏻
thanks Lori......it sounds like your working things out just fine.......spray your orchids with water, mist down the foilage and your spider mites will go away.....I keep mosquito dunks in my rain barrel.......it kills off fungus gnats and other pests.
Is Rick back or are these just back videos. If you are back dear Rick, glad so much to hear from you. Will continue to send prayers. I just sent someone to your site not a week ago as they are completely new or new to wanting to keep their big box store ones alive.
I just got my first big leafed Anthurium as a start of my new collection. I didn't know how expensive they were 😁and i have a request ! could you catch one of the insects that's making that loud chirping sound 😁Greetz to Cookie
Hello I was wondering if you can give me your fertilizer recipe that you use as of today please ❤I have seen some of your v😢from a few years ago I love them I really need an update on what you are using now
Such beautifull healthy plants. Why I dont grow in clay pots. I cant see the roots, I like to do that, and I cant keep up with watering. That is the main reasons.😊
thank you......I agree some what with the watering issue......In clay pots and lave rock, mine can go 10 days easy between waterings.......but being in clay allows me to water them more often, .....3x a week.....the more I water them the more often they get fed.....and they grow much faster. Thanks for your comment.....
....I will try and show it when I do.......it still hasnt been repotted since I bought it......It will take both Jan and my hands to get it done im afraid.
Dave, its great to see you here.....big fan of your channel and that gorgeous collection of orchids your growing.......I have heard of that before....and I understand the premise for it.....but stressing plants usually doesnt bring out thier best.......in some plants it can even cause hermaphroditism... ..Hormones are what controls a plants growth, tell it to grow roots, upper foilage and to "bloom"....If I have a plant that wont bloom,... I would rather ask... "why" ....and correct the reason for its reluctance to bloom, than stress it. ....Hormones are triggered by light, temperature and somewhat nutrition.....so its not hard to fiqure out........research is the best way......Keep up the great work....Rick
.......thank you so much.......I had to part with my 300lb staghorn......but I'm happy to say, it hangs in the aboretum at Stanford University......I miss it very much.......had it since 1983.
I would like to grow in clay but can’t seem to get it right. Living up north I have extremely cold dry winters and extremely wet and humid summers. Clay would be nice for summer but winter would be torcher trying water. Maybe I could get a tip on a good mixture of rock, moss, and bark? I don’t know 🤷🏻♀️
....Remember, the media doesnt feed them or make them grow roots, its only purpose is to hold the orchid in the pot till it anchors itself.......they grow in the wild with out pots or any media around them. Using moss or even bark around them in clay pots is fine, as it breaks down it will fall thru the holes in the pot.....
......try one plant then when you get used to the method......repot some more.......the trick to growing in lava is in the watering........I water once a week and when I do...... I soak them.....for 20 min.....
When you fertilize, do you pour your water and fertilizer on thoroughly or do you do it sparingly just to moisten and avoiding the roots. Ps I'm in SFLA with orchids in bark and also roots free hanging . Thanks !
......when I water......I let them soak in the nutrient solution for 20 minutes or so.....it allows the pot, the roots, the media, etc to soak up the moisture and stay damp for several days.........then I repeat.
.......Im a big fan of the General Hydroponics products.......they work great, and the orchids respond well to them.....I add 100ppm of Micro and then add 80ppm of the Grow in my rainwater.....then I add 20ppm of calmag to that mix.....the kelp and seaweed I use a few times a month....20-30ppm at a time. ......if you dont have a meter try 1/4tsp of each in 1 gallon water......that will get you close.
i have a small phall that had 4 kekies and just put it in a hanging wooden basket and its taken off roots everwhere i thought a bout splitting it but i decided against it and just let nature take its course.
Question: My tap water is very hard, I use a regular water filter (Not RO) I don’t know how much calcium is left in the water. Can I still feed Cal Mag? Or would too much calcium hurt my orchids. I’m a beginner, had my orchids for about 6 months.
great question........the calcium carbonate in tap water isnt usable to orchids........calcium carbonate needs to be exposed to acidic conditons before it will break its molecular bond and be absorbable.......When we drink tap water, the acid in our stomachs breaks the bond and allows use to absorb the calcium. ......With Calmag...on the back of the label, it states.....the calcium is chealated to iron ......it helps break the molecular bond, and allows it to be more absorbable. Dont rely on your tap water for calcium, ....use calmag, and make sure your nutrient mix has enough calcium in it to keep your plants from becoming defficient........I like my calcium to match my nitrogen %..........great question!
......Welcome .....I give calmag with all my flushing water, and especially after any rains.....about 5-6 drops per 1/2 gal of water.......the Jacks fertlizer I use has plenty of calcium in it, so I dont add calmag to it.....Cattleyas dont like continous wet media, they really need that dry cycle to grow correctly.....let me know if I can help in any way!.....
@@crystalclear7369 .......good question......when I flush.... I flood the pots with water, let it pour thru them.....you basically want to rinse off the pot, the media and the roots of excess salts left from the fertilizer.......and I add some calmag...5-6 drops in 1/2 gal of water.....to my flushing water.....
Clay pots destroy my roots when I repot, even when I soak them for hours. I like them but I move away from them because my plants having to start over.
......I understand what your talking about, but why do you need to remove them from the pot?........I just sit the old pot in the new larger pot and place rock around it.....they grow into the new pot with no disturbance......My media doesnt break down, so it doesnt need to be removed.
It seems to me a long time ago a youtuber put out a video about terracotta stealing moisture from the plant. I don't know how much of an effect that video has had on the community or is having on the community. Personally, I think it might have more to do with orchids being difficult to get out of terracotta.
........Victor, ...you could be right......as clay does wick away moisture.......but that works to an advantage in my opinion.......as far as removing them from the clay pot......no reason to ever take it out........If it outgrows it.......just place the old pot in the new pot add some lava around the edges and your set......
![Felix "Unfair" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Oswujxm2Ag0/mqdefault.jpg)
Happy to hear your voice
👋 Hi Rick! Wow...your collection looks great, everything is growing in leaps and bounds! Have a wonderful day and thanks for the update! Yes, life happens...I hear you! Blessings to you and Jan! 😇
Thanks Amy.....blessings for you and your family.
Everytime I see an orchid video, I say a prayer for you. I’m glad you’re ok. ❤
so very sweet......thank you so much my friend.
👋😊Rick, you haven't lost your magic touch growing plants. It is great to hear from you. Your voice is so friendly. "Hello," to Jan and your gang in Alabama.🙌🏽🫶🏽🙌🏽❤
thank you dear friend!
Greetings from Kentucky Rick. I also have a Procatavola Key Lime Stars that I bought this spring in a little 2.5" pot with one bloom. I moved it up to a 3" pot in April and I was surprised that the new growth is now in flower. The fragrance is so nice in the evenings. We are having a record early cold snap at night. We have been down to 45 degrees every night this weekend. I had to bring my 5 vandas and my one Stanhopia inside this weekend. Glad to hear you are still warm in Alabama. You and your wife take care and happy orchid growing, James
thanks James.....I was born in Louisville, Kentucky, .......I miss the Ohio River valley......beautiful place.......Congrats on your blooming and growing sucess....we have a few weeks left and then Im inside for the winter also......Take care my friend.
So happy to see you had made this video. I check frequently. Talk about roots , wow you have them. All plants look so very healthy. I like the little frogs & since they aren’t chewing ur orchids , it’s not so awful if they bend a few. After re piotting my phals in lava rock a month ago, I started checking roots & was happy to see no dead roots . They have nice growing tips & several put out new leaves, so I’m glad I switched. Just one request, could you show how you move ur orchids into house & if you use humidifiers in their grow space.
And what kind of grow lights you use.
Thank you for taking time to do these videos.
So very much appreciated.
I am SO happy you are once again making videos.
Thanks Georgia.....I sure will......Im so pleased to hear of your growing success......it normally takes my new phalaenopsis, ....about 30-45 days to transition into lava rock.....sometimes I see new roots first and sometimes its a new leaf starting to grow.....your doing a great job with them........
Rick, I meant to ask you this :
Sometimes I don’t soak my plants but I water from top & let it run through. Now sometimes the water stays in the saucer for a few days; is this a bad idea?? I wondered about too much moisture getting up in pot??
Anyway, they are so far doing real good. Thanks.
@@georgiabarth2066 .......another great question........If your in clay pots, ...letting them sit in saucers will allow the clay to absorb salts from the nutrient mix....its hard to remove once its absorbed into the clay....it also blocks very needed air flow.....When I water I let them sit and soak for 15-20 minutes.....and then they sit with no saucer.......and since I flush them as well, every few feedings.... it keeps them from getting salt encrusted......
Rick, I hate to bother you again, but all my phals are in PLASTIC pots so is this a problem??
@@georgiabarth2066 ....In plastic pots not as much....the media will still hold on to salts if left standing in nutrient solution......just dont leave them in it for too long is all.
I'm glad you're doing well! Your phals so amazing in lava rock! Man the one with 4 keikis is a beast!
Thank you Nicole.....I'm letting it grow and will put it in a pot large enough for 5 phals......and let it grow into a clump.....
Hello Rick…. So happy to hear you and Jan are doing alright….. Yes, frogs love to hibernate on my orchids as well. I just leave them alone. But I think it was snake that crawl onto one of my Reoclarence and it bent both new growth. One of it is kinda crooked now, but they’re still growing fine… Thank you so much for the update. I really miss y’all. Please extend my warmest regards to Jan… Stay safe and healthy…
Thank you Leah.....im sorry to hear of snake damage .....but glad they are still growing....blessings for you and your husband.
Rick, so glad to see you! Your orchids always magnificent! I notice that my using cal mag more often has made a big difference in my orchids. My next thing is to repot some in lava rock although mine have done well in orchiata.
Be well!.
.......so happy to hear they love the calmag.......its what allows them to be jungle plants.
Hello Rick! It's nice to finally have an update from you! Just in time that you uploaded, it's currently around 3 AM, and I've been awake since 1 AM doing school work. I'm currently taking a 30 minute break and watching videos on RUclips~
The Key Lime stars and the Phalaenopsis are so charming! ❤
Excited to have my first non-seedling phalaenopsis in a few days! 💗
Good to hear that you, Jan and your plants are doing well! 💚 Stay safe and Healthy, my friend! Wishing you good health and all the best! 💚
Thank you so much.......study hard my friend.
So happy to hear from you and knowing that you and Jan are doing well. It's also a pleasure watching your video. Thanks for sharing blessings to you and your family
very kind thank you!
I like how you've helped stabilize the plants using ties through the pot slots. Never thought of trying that. Another great idea from you!
Rick L commenting on Rick L it's the twilight zone 🤣
@@YnseSchaap heh heh heh.....
@@rickl.orchids 😁
@@YnseSchaap I know, right? Two lovers of orchids and growing them, and we're like 2500 miles apart as well!
@@ricklarsen852 😁
Your plants look great Rick, very productive summer. Hopefully you’ll start getting some spikes as the weather cools.
Right before my classes started I got a bunch of orchids from Ecuagenera (I’m bad 😈). I’m excited to make a video about it to share with you and others. I learned a lot from the process and got some very peculiar plants. Hope you and Jan stay safe and can find some downtime.
......thank you my friend, ....looking forward to your new videos.....will definitely check it out.
Hoya is gorgeous! Just got a Krimson Queen, growth really slow. Thanks for the tips. Will try. Love the frog in your Dendrobium! ❤
......thank you.....My hoyas seem to love the same feedings I give the orchids......let me know how it grows for you.....
Beautiful Roots and beautiful leaves too, without blemishes from fungi or burn 👏❤️
thank you so much Fernanda......
So nice to hear your voice and see how your plans are doing. Even better to know that you and Jan are doing well! ❤ That Den. Aggregatum was meant to be yours..hahaha!! It's on my wish list but I never seem to be able to find one.. happy Sunday to you and Jan!
thank you........I love the Dendrobiums....
Hi Rick, so glad to see this post and hear your voice. You have helped me with all your knowledge. We’ve had a lot of rain lately and I need to feed my orchids. I have been doing as you suggested and the root growth is tremendous. Thank you so much. My plants love the CalMag and Seaweed!! Have a great day. Blessings to you always!!
big smiles here Gloria......I love hearing of your success.......if you have good roots, they will grow better and blooms will come as well.
Really enjoyed watching your lovely video. Really hope you are well and having a great Friday and weekend 🎉. A big thumbs up from Chris and Jane 🎶🎉🎶 0:31
Thank you Chris and Jane.......
I am happy you and Jan doing well. And your plants too. I agree, blooms are beautiful but seeing the plants growing strong with lots of new roots is as beautiful! I would love to see a repot video from you, I love clay pots but I would be so afraid to break roots that are attached to the pot... It is my second most favorite way of growing Orchids in pots.
Good Morning EJ....and thank you......when I have a orchid outgrow its pot.......I tap it with a hammer, the pot breaks.....what falls ......falls.....the rest I put into the new pot and add some more lava around it.........no reason to remove the broken pot pieces from the roots......I dont remove dead roots even when repotting now......they help anchor the plant till new roots attach and anchor it firmly.......If I was going to change my growing style.....it would be to mimic yours.....
I'm glad to hear that you are doing well...yes, we have all been thinking about you! :) I loved the story about the Lowe's bag baby Dendrobium. I do believe that it was waiting for you to take it home and nurse it back to health. It was funny how it kept appearing in different areas of the store! It's a wonder it was still alive!
......Thank you dear friend!......I agree it was waiting for someone to care for it....
I really appreciate updates that show how your orchids are growing. Blooms are wonderful but I get as much joy from seeing orchids rooting and growing. The little frogs are adorable! I understand that they can be a nuisance but they do reflect a healthy environment in your yard.😊
.......Thanks Linda, I agree......I dont use any sprays in my garden.......
Happy to hear your voice again.The orchid looking so good
thank you very much.
Hi Rick. It sure was nice to see your video. Your orchids are amazing, healthy. I have put about half or more of my orchids into clay pots. Because my humidity is so low I have them growing in spagnum moss topped with orchiata bark, and some are in tree fern mixed with small lava rock, orchiata bark and oyster shell. I use Jacks classic fertilizer. I was adding calcium-magnesium but was told I was over fertilizing . I grow indoors and water about once a week. Thanks for all the information you share. Blessings to you and Jan. 🙏🏻💕🥰
......thank you Shirley.....I dont add calmag to my Jacks fertilizer, it contains plenty already.....I add calmag to my flushing water........Blessing to you also my friend.
Hello from Rome 😊
Plants are wonderful and doing great. Very glad to hear you're both well and happy xxx
.....from beautiful Rome....how wonderful to have you watching Kate.....thank you.....
I’m glad you’re back, Rick- I, too, wondered if you and Jan were okay. Thank you for the video and stay well 🙏
Thank you.....
Looks great. I've got that Roy Tokunaga. It's doubled in size from 9 months ago. Blooming several times from late winter through half the summer.
thanks Richard......I hope mine does as well as yours is.......congrats on your blooms my friend.
Hello Rick! You are such an inspiration to me. Always love that cal-mag teaching! So vital and always in my mind and practice. Blessings from Arizona 🎋🌵🎋
thank you dear friend....many blessings back for you,
Hi, Rick! So glad to know that you and Jan are fine! Your plants are looking great! Those orchids are growing so well! Thank you for sharing your knowledge. 😊🌸
Thank you for watching.
Hi Rick😌🙌The orchids are big beautiful and have such healthy roots. Yes, the magnesium is important. I use dolomite lime and it has made my dendrobiums grow even bigger canes than last year. Thanks for the wonderful orchid video and I think 40 orchids is more than enough plants😌💞
thank you......and yes I agree.....40 is overwhelming me at the moment....
I LOVE roots too . . . almost as much as blooms!
........Im with you.......love seeing good root growth.
So glad to see you back!! I was concerned but Paula said you were ok. Glad for the update!
.......thank you Liz......Paula is a dear!....
I really enjoy watching your videos. ❤❤
thank you so much.
Thanks for. the update Rick. Life happens and glad to hear y'all are going ok. Your plants are looking good.
thanks Julie......
They’re all so beautiful. 🙏for sharing 🙏🙏❤️❤️
thank you for watching......
Thank you, thank you, thank you!! I just love your videos. I really enjoy looking at your plants and seeing the growth. You have a great day!
very kind.....thank you!
Well, Good morning! No apologies needed, EVER!
If life isn't happening to us, then we are lying! Glad to see you are up and about and enjoying growing.
Love and light 🕯️.
thank you always my freind.
Enjoyed the update on your orchid collection . Thank you for sharing 👍.
Always such a pleasure to see healthy looking plants with fantastic new roots ,right ? Love watching new growths and their roots, because it means that they are doing well and they will bloom soon . I also really like terracotta/ clay pots for some of my Cattleya type and even Oncidium 🌱....they love it !
I find clay and / or terracotta pots esthetically pleasing 😊. Take care.💐
thank you and I agree.....I love seeing roots and the plants as well........and clay pots are my preferred choice for orchid growing.
@@rickl.orchids ❤
Great to hear from you. Glad you and Jan are doing well. Your plants look amazing. I forwarded a message through Hillbilly Orchids by any chance did you see it? It was interesting information i discovered wanted to share with you. Blessings to you and Jan.
I sure did Shirley, thank you....very kind of you to share it.......I watched several more videos as well.....I appreciate it.
Hello Rick! I was so happy to see a video from you as I look forward to each and every one of your videos! You are a wealth of very useful information. A couple of months this ago I started your regimen of spraying the orchids with CalMag several times a week and I must tell you it has been a game-changer to me. I have noticed the leaves being much more turgid and almost plastic-like, hardly any spotting or insects, and plenty of new growths! Thank you, thank you, thank you! I live in Pennsylvania; my orchids are outside mid June through September and inside the house the rest of the year with very low humidity. I grow in predominately LECA with most Dendrobiums in lava. I would very much value and would appreciate your opinion of why lava and gravel would be better than LECA for my very dry house environment (needless to say they love the outside humidity in the Summer). I would be very grateful for your suggestions….I LOVE my orchids but I struggle to grow them to their greatest potential.
LECA stands for... lightweight expanded clay aggregate......basically the same thing clay pots are made from......it has a very strong moisture wicking ability.....it pulls moisture away..... Lava will do the same thing, but not as much, and river rock or pea gravel will get wet, but dont really have any wicking abilities.......The media is only to hold the plant in the pot till it anchors itself.......they dont grow in media of any type in nature......The main reason I dont use leca is its difficult to get the plants anchored in it, due to its round smooth shape...but its still a very good media.......Lava rock, river rock are odd shaped and and lock together holding the plants better.....I use lava in clay pots, the entire pot and lava rock, retain moisture and slowly dry out over several days......then I can water again.......Using lava rock in plastic pots wont give you the same results.....I grow inside for 7 months of the year, and when they are inside I spray them down several times a week with water.....helsp with humidity, as well as stops spider mites etc from ever getting started.
How are you surviving the hurricanes? Praying all is well! Sending lots of love 💕 from sunny 🌞 Arizona 🌵. Take care of yourself and each other 😷
......all good here, bright sunny too.....we are 9hrs away from the storm.......thank you for the thoughts.
@@rickl.orchids , I was worried because at a category 5, they said the winds and rains would hammer the in land. Coastal areas would also get flooding from the ocean swelling. So I'm glad you were out of range.
Beautiful!!!! Love love love hearing from u!
Thanks to u my season was amazing with long last blooms ! Waiting on the spikes from the winter bloomers. 😍😍😍 sending love .
thank you my friend.......wishing your even better success with your winter blooms.
@@rickl.orchids know what Rick? I truly believe u mean that. Sending love 💕
Hello Rick, I am super-excited to hear you! Thank God you and Jan are okay. Appreciate the video. You were greatly missed.
thank you my friend.......
Nice to see your lovely plants again. i tried lava rock but unfortunately apart from my vanda orchids in clay pots, others seem to not liked it. Roots would start growing and then stopping. I grow indoors in UK. Not sure what I did wrong , or maybe its just not suitable for my environment. Also maybe its because I potted cattleya in plastic pots rather than clay.
Yay! It was so so nice to see you pop up on the computer. My orchids are the same... growing with not much action in the flower department. That's ok, I buy a few here and there with blooms at this point; that will need to slow a little as I only grow inside in the windows. Haven't thought about a specific place or room yet to get lights going, getting ready to retire, downsize and move eventually. Good to hear you both are well ;o) In the light, Melissa
thank you Melissa.......I hope you get a orchid spot set up when you retire and get settled in........keep growing my friend!
Im oneika from Jamaica love watching your viedos
Thank you Oneika.......
Everything looks so lush and beautiful!
thank you.......
Hi Rick! Good to hear all is well! I have a quick question for ya. What are your orchid plans for this winter? You use to have LOTS of lights but do you still have your set up? Maybe a quick video? Thanks and take care!
......Thank you, .....mine will be going inside in a few weeks.......on shelves in front of a south facing window, with flourescent lights over them....for the next 7 months.........I will do a video and show my set up.
HI Rick! Great to hear your voice. All your plants are looking great! I really like the Den. aggregatum. I'll have to keep my eye out for one.
The kids are getting a steady supply of CalMag. They seem to be enjoying it! Question.. can you give them too much CalMag?
Hope you have a great weekend!
.....Thank you Kyle.....great question......No, they will absorb what they need and leave the rest.....
I know nothing about lipstick plants, but I know after roses bloom, they naturally create seed pods (we call them rose hips) and slow bloom production... That's why we religiously dead head roses (including cutting the seed pods or rose hips off) to keep them in bloom... Maybe that's what's needed with the lipstick plant? 💕🌞🌵😷
.....I agree, I believe its the seed pods hindering blooming.......Ive pulled off hundreds and it keeps on making them......
@@rickl.orchids , but remember it had hundreds of blooms to start with, so I'm not surprised it has so many pod. It might not have been noticeable when one bloom replaced another as there were so many all at once. 💕🌞🌵😷
So good to see u!!
.......thank you.....
As always,loved watching your video. Surprised how you recall the names of each of your orchids. I know you are so methodical with your orchid hobby, keeps a log book to note down your feeds, updates and so on. It actually shows on the growth all your orchids put out. You are a great fan of lava rock😍 never noticed anyone else who uses more lava rocks than you do. Do you think those terracotta pots with holes on its side would have been better? Dont you get terracotta pots with holes on its sides at your place?
thank you for the kind words.......we get what they call Azalea pots around here.... that have small holes in the sides......nothing else available here. I would love to find some good proper orchid pots.
I had to repot my Psychopsis this weekend. It was outgrowing its pot quickly. I hope I did it right. It was in spag moss only, so that’s what I used, and also an octagon hanging basket, the next size up, so it’s more mobile. I thought about lava rock, but my home is pretty cool in the winter and I was afraid I might not be able to keep it warm. I’m going into my second year of growing and have more than doubled my collection. Last year I managed to keep things warm enough. This year I’m going to have to be a little more creative. I mostly have seedling mats which really seem to help, but I may bubble wrap a few windows to cut down draft and allow for light. That might help. (My living room might end up looking like a jungle through the winter!) A heater seems too drying, but I’ll get one if needed. The cooler summer kept my humidity lower than I wanted in my primary growing space, but everything looks alright anyway. My big pest problems are spider mites and fungus gnats, but I kept on top of those problems pretty well. I may get brave and try some outdoors growing next year. Thank you for all the information and inspiration! Your collection is awesome.😮😎👏🏻
thanks Lori......it sounds like your working things out just fine.......spray your orchids with water, mist down the foilage and your spider mites will go away.....I keep mosquito dunks in my rain barrel.......it kills off fungus gnats and other pests.
@@rickl.orchids thank you. I’ll try that!
Thanks Rick
thanks Tess.....
Oh my gosh little froggie in there, haha. Beautiful plants!
Thank you....
Everything is looking so healthy
thank you.
Is Rick back or are these just back videos. If you are back dear Rick, glad so much to hear from you. Will continue to send prayers. I just sent someone to your site not a week ago as they are completely new or new to wanting to keep their big box store ones alive.
thank you my friend......Im doing a few videos, trying to help others grow.
I just got my first big leafed Anthurium as a start of my new collection. I didn't know how expensive they were 😁and i have a request ! could you catch one of the insects that's making that loud chirping sound 😁Greetz to Cookie
.......lol.....I sure will........thanks my friend.
@@rickl.orchids 😁
Hello I was wondering if you can give me your fertilizer recipe that you use as of today please ❤I have seen some of your v😢from a few years ago I love them I really need an update on what you are using now
my next video will show what Im doing........I still use the Jacks Calcium Nitrate and Jacks 5-12-26......
❤❤❤❤❤
Such beautifull healthy plants.
Why I dont grow in clay pots. I cant see the roots, I like to do that, and I cant keep up with watering. That is the main reasons.😊
thank you......I agree some what with the watering issue......In clay pots and lave rock, mine can go 10 days easy between waterings.......but being in clay allows me to water them more often, .....3x a week.....the more I water them the more often they get fed.....and they grow much faster. Thanks for your comment.....
Can you tell us how you plant up your big Epiphyllum
....I will try and show it when I do.......it still hasnt been repotted since I bought it......It will take both Jan and my hands to get it done im afraid.
Hi Rick. Have you ever heard of intentional stressing orchids by withholding water and fertilizer to promote blooming?
Dave, its great to see you here.....big fan of your channel and that gorgeous collection of orchids your growing.......I have heard of that before....and I understand the premise for it.....but stressing plants usually doesnt bring out thier best.......in some plants it can even cause hermaphroditism...
..Hormones are what controls a plants growth, tell it to grow roots, upper foilage and to "bloom"....If I have a plant that wont bloom,... I would rather ask... "why" ....and correct the reason for its reluctance to bloom, than stress it. ....Hormones are triggered by light, temperature and somewhat nutrition.....so its not hard to fiqure out........research is the best way......Keep up the great work....Rick
@@rickl.orchids Thank you!
It's a treat for me to watch your videos. So happy that your orchids is thriving 💗. Have a question, where is your stag horn?
.......thank you so much.......I had to part with my 300lb staghorn......but I'm happy to say, it hangs in the aboretum at Stanford University......I miss it very much.......had it since 1983.
I hope your safe with the hurricane coming into your area
......all good James, thanks for the thoughts.
I love frogs
......so do I Kathy.......they are the wonderful to have around!
I would like to grow in clay but can’t seem to get it right. Living up north I have extremely cold dry winters and extremely wet and humid summers. Clay would be nice for summer but winter would be torcher trying water. Maybe I could get a tip on a good mixture of rock, moss, and bark? I don’t know 🤷🏻♀️
....Remember, the media doesnt feed them or make them grow roots, its only purpose is to hold the orchid in the pot till it anchors itself.......they grow in the wild with out pots or any media around them. Using moss or even bark around them in clay pots is fine, as it breaks down it will fall thru the holes in the pot.....
Just subscribed !
thank you my friend ......old shovelhead rider here.
@@rickl.orchids You're welcome !
Now I want to repot all my orchids into lava rocks and clay pots 😄
......try one plant then when you get used to the method......repot some more.......the trick to growing in lava is in the watering........I water once a week and when I do...... I soak them.....for 20 min.....
When you fertilize, do you pour your water and fertilizer on thoroughly or do you do it sparingly just to moisten and avoiding the roots. Ps I'm in SFLA with orchids in bark and also roots free hanging . Thanks !
......when I water......I let them soak in the nutrient solution for 20 minutes or so.....it allows the pot, the roots, the media, etc to soak up the moisture and stay damp for several days.........then I repeat.
@@rickl.orchidsThank-you, Rick !
Thanks Rick. Could you elaborate on how you mix Flora Micro and Flora Grow? And do you still add Cal Mag and Seaweed? Thanks
.......Im a big fan of the General Hydroponics products.......they work great, and the orchids respond well to them.....I add 100ppm of Micro and then add 80ppm of the Grow in my rainwater.....then I add 20ppm of calmag to that mix.....the kelp and seaweed I use a few times a month....20-30ppm at a time.
......if you dont have a meter try 1/4tsp of each in 1 gallon water......that will get you close.
i have a small phall that had 4 kekies and just put it in a hanging wooden basket and its taken off roots everwhere i thought a bout splitting it but i decided against it and just let nature take its course.
........I love what your doing......they grow into clumps in the wild if left undisturbed.......wonderful to hear of your sucess.!
Is phalaenopsis only in lava rock? Does phal in lava rock require daily watering?
......no......they need water about once a week......however because im in lava I can water more.
Question: My tap water is very hard, I use a regular water filter (Not RO) I don’t know how much calcium is left in the water. Can I still feed Cal Mag? Or would too much calcium hurt my orchids. I’m a beginner, had my orchids for about 6 months.
great question........the calcium carbonate in tap water isnt usable to orchids........calcium carbonate needs to be exposed to acidic conditons before it will break its molecular bond and be absorbable.......When we drink tap water, the acid in our stomachs breaks the bond and allows use to absorb the calcium. ......With Calmag...on the back of the label, it states.....the calcium is chealated to iron ......it helps break the molecular bond, and allows it to be more absorbable.
Dont rely on your tap water for calcium, ....use calmag, and make sure your nutrient mix has enough calcium in it to keep your plants from becoming defficient........I like my calcium to match my nitrogen %..........great question!
Hi Rick, new to your channel. How often do you give your orchids the calmg. Also I seem to be losing my catleyas as their roots are dying off.
......Welcome .....I give calmag with all my flushing water, and especially after any rains.....about 5-6 drops per 1/2 gal of water.......the Jacks fertlizer I use has plenty of calcium in it, so I dont add calmag to it.....Cattleyas dont like continous wet media, they really need that dry cycle to grow correctly.....let me know if I can help in any way!.....
Thank you for info and will definitely reach out for help.
@@rickl.orchids by flushing do you mean you let the water run through the pots or just soak in CalMag?
@@crystalclear7369 .......good question......when I flush.... I flood the pots with water, let it pour thru them.....you basically want to rinse off the pot, the media and the roots of excess salts left from the fertilizer.......and I add some calmag...5-6 drops in 1/2 gal of water.....to my flushing water.....
@@rickl.orchids thank you so much for your response! I just love your videos ❤️
Clay pots destroy my roots when I repot, even when I soak them for hours. I like them but I move away from them because my plants having to start over.
......I understand what your talking about, but why do you need to remove them from the pot?........I just sit the old pot in the new larger pot and place rock around it.....they grow into the new pot with no disturbance......My media doesnt break down, so it doesnt need to be removed.
@@rickl.orchidsthank you for your response. Because of space I up when they start growing out of the pot.
It seems to me a long time ago a youtuber put out a video about terracotta stealing moisture from the plant.
I don't know how much of an effect that video has had on the community or is having on the community. Personally, I think it might have more to do with orchids being difficult to get out of terracotta.
........Victor, ...you could be right......as clay does wick away moisture.......but that works to an advantage in my opinion.......as far as removing them from the clay pot......no reason to ever take it out........If it outgrows it.......just place the old pot in the new pot add some lava around the edges and your set......
So, where can I get lava rock in Missouri? Have been using clay beads and local rock.
Walmart!!!! Just checked!!!!
@@chfgypsy ......yes.....also Home Depot, Lowes, and Menards will have it also.
Hi!
Good morning James.......thanks for watching.
Notes ? 🤣
......I think some good times I had in the 60-70's has effected my memory somewhat.......so I need notes.....lol
@@rickl.orchids I can remember something similar, late 80's early 90's 🤣
🙏🙏🙏💐💐💐
thank you.......