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Gift Baskets & Combinations
Orchid gift baskets are becoming increasingly more popular every day. Once you have obtained one of these you will find yourself fixated on keeping it looking as if you had just received it, or changing it up to suit your specific desires for a certain occasion or season. These simple instructions will help you along the way of having a beautiful orchid garden in your home everyday of the year.
The combination orchid basket you have received is made up of individually potted orchid plants placed into a decorative container. The orchid plants remain in their individual pots so they can be cared for properly. Along with the orchid plants you may have other companion plants incorporated for an added tropical effect. These added companion plants are also in their own individual pot and will be cared for individually as needed. To add adornment to the container we often place a small amount of Spanish moss over the top of the pots to give the look that the plants are all potted together into this one container.
LIGHT
We recommend placing your combination gift basket in an area that receives some natural daylight but not in any direct sun. Artificial light from a setting such as an office situation is also ideal. When an orchid plant in your combination gift basket has ended its flowering we then recommend following the provided cultural information for that specific orchid to ensure proper growth and future flowering.
TEMPERATURE
To prolong the natural beauty of your combination gift basket it is recommended to keep it out of any extreme temperature. Ideally a temperature of 55 to 60 degrees at night and no higher than 75 degrees during the will ensure a prolonged blooming period for the majority of our orchid types. Keep in mind higher temperatures either day or night will shorten the blooming period for many orchid types. When an orchid plant in your combination gift basket has ended its flowering we then recommend following the provided cultural information for that specific orchid to ensure proper growth and future flowering.
WATER
Proper watering of combination gift baskets can be the most challenging aspect of their care. In many cases there can be several varieties of orchids and other companion plants involved in one container. In most cases these containers do not have bottom drainage which can make watering the various plants in them a bit awkward. There are two techniques for watering these combination containers.
Technique #1) Individually remove dry plants from the container and water thoroughly in a sink to allow for proper drainage after watering.
This technique is truly the proper way to water orchids however, it is somewhat labor intensive when your combination gift basket has multiple plants incorporated of various sizes that need water at different intervals. As we all know, the smaller pots dry out much quicker and need attention 2-3 times a week and larger pots only need water once every ten or more days.
#2) “The Ice Cube Technique” which consists of placing one or more ice cubes in the pot of each dry plant as needed to provide adequate moisture.
This technique has been proven successful however, be conscientious that you do not over water to the point where the bottom of pot may be sitting in water inside the container as that will cause root rot.
When an orchid plant in your combination gift basket has ended its flowering we then recommend following the provided cultural information for that specific orchid to ensure proper growth and future flowering.
FERTILIZER
It is recommended to fertilize your orchids and other companion plants approximately once a month. We recommend applying a 20-20-20 or similar balanced type fertilizer. A safe dilution ratio is one level teaspoon of fertilizer mixed in one gallon of water. Do not over-fertilize as this will cause permanent root damage.
HUMIDITY
As recommended for orchids and other tropical plants, adequate humidity is a bonus to their well being. During dry months of the heating season it is recommended to mist the leaves of the plants in your combination basket lightly once a day in the morning. In most cases humidity in the upper Midwest is ample any other time of the year.
REPOTTING
The orchids in your recently acquired combination basket may be ready for repotting as soon as they have finished their flowering. Inquire with us as to when the individual plant in question was last repotted. It is best to repot most orchids soon after flowering is completed and/or in the spring or early summer.
When the orchid plant in your combination gift basket has ended its flowering we then recommend following the provided cultural information for that specific orchid to ensure proper growth and future flowering.
For more assistance with your combination orchid basket or any other Orchid, please call us at 608-831-4700, send an email, or visit our greenhouses.
Happy growing from Orchids Garden Centre & Nursery!