The orchid is still doing well in my cat-filled house.  The boys haven’t found it yet, and when I add the ice cubes or refresh the “humidity” water, I shut the door to the room so they can’t see what I am doing.

 

I had asked for suggestions for a name for her and I received a lot of terrific names….

Liddie, Lily/Lilly/Miss Lilly, Olivia, rose, Catfree, Serenity, Susie Q, Grace, Lovely/Ms. Lovely, Clementine, O’hanna, Orcha/Orkie, Zen, Karma, Phil, O Beautiful/Beautiful, Angelwings, Angel, Erma the Orchid, Ma-Belle (my beautiful), Sunshine, Oscar Orchid, Bert, Weatherette, Touchdown, Peace, Blush, Cloud Nine, Teacher, Seymore and, from our Administrative Assistant, Sandy, Flutterby.

 

I loved them all, but Mom suggested Patricia… and since Dad’s name was Pat, I think I will go with that.

 

Patricia has some buds on her and the other day, one of them opened up.

Another one should be open today or tomorrow and there are a couple of others that should bloom soon!

 

I hope that I can be a good “mom” to the orchid, but the real test will be when the blooms are done.  Since I have never had an orchid before I will be going off of the good advice of viewers… and the help of The Eastern Iowa Orchid Society that I discovered this past weekend.  Of course, there is all sorts of advice in books and on the Internet, so I think I (and Patricia) will be okay!

Dig it!

Posted under Houseplants

The orchid made it safely into the house and past the cats.  I shut them in the basement, which is no easy task.  It is easy to get them downstairs since that is where the food and ever-important litter boxes are.  The hard part is getting back to the stairwell with them behind me.  Frankie almost made it past me, but I managed to get the door closed without any paws being squished.

This is what they look like when they get along… which is pretty rare, I grant you:

Orchids like bright, indirect light… temperatures between 60 and 70 degrees and humidity from 55 to 75 percent.  We keep the house cool, so that shouldn’t be a problem.  The light is probably okay, too.

I put the orchid in what used to be the spare bedroom, but is becoming more of my Master Gardener room.  It is on the west side of the house and will have the best light and still be safe from the boys.

 

The humidity is what concerns me the most.  We do not have a humidifier, although we usually don’t have too much problem with static electricity.  However, when Mother Nature provides a nice cold front with lots of wind and dry air and then we pet the cats (or just stand up from the couch), we get some good sparks going.  The cats hate it when we get their noses.  I don’t think I would like that either!

In order to, hopefully, fix the humidity issue, I bought a short, wide glass bowl at a hobby shop along with some small river rocks.  I then put the pot on top of the rocks, squishing it in just enough to keep it stable.

I added enough water to just cover the rocks.  This should allow the water to evaporate around the plant and keep it humid enough to be happy.

I am very good about over- and under-watering houseplants.  I don’t have to worry about this one.  The tag called this a “Just Add Ice Orchid” because you only have to give it three ice cubes a week.  I can do that!

 

It has been in the house for a week now and the cats haven’t noticed it, I’ve managed to remember the ice cubes and the plant looks healthy.  So far, so good.

 

Dig it!

 

Posted under Houseplants

Growing up my dad taught me how to change a tire, change the oil in my car and how to run the walk-behind tiller in the garden.  I still have the tiller, but I lost my dad last week.  He hasn’t been able to get out into the garden for years and the last few months he has been in a nursing home.  Now he can get out in the garden all he wants.  And weed.  Although, there probably aren’t any weeds there.

 

When I came back to work, I found something on my desk.

A beautiful orchid!  It has a tag that says “Just Add Ice Orchid” and that is because you just have to add three ice cubes once a week to water.  I am dubious about it surviving in a house with four cats, but I will certainly give it a go.  I have a place picked out that they boys can’t get to (easily), and they won’t see me put it there and get curious about the new addition!  I’ll keep you updated about the progress and survival of the beautiful plant.

Now, I need a name.  The orchid is so beautiful and doesn’t have a name, so what do you suggest?

 

Dig it!

Posted under Houseplants