Thank you Dr. Dawg! I have this right by my chair on the north side of the house. Would it hurt to leave it where I can enjoy it more just while it blooms? Then I will move it to the southern exposure for the light.

No, not at all. That's what I do with mine in bloom. I bring them into the porch so that my wife and I can enjoy the flowers and (usually) the fragrance.

Leda

Ice Cubes"

You all are overthinking Ice Cube use. Ice cubes are only ice cubes when they are 32 Degrees F or below. They are water at any temperature above 32 degrees F. Unless the ice cube is in water, the heated air surrounding the cube rapidly causes it to melt and then achieve the surrounding temperature. A way to test the accuracy of a thermometer is to put it in ice water with cubes in it. If the thermometer doesn't read 32 degrees, the thermometer is not working properly. Put ice cubes in a glass of water. Measure and it should be 32 degrees. Remove the ice cubes leaving just the water. Time how long it takes the 32 degree water (without the ice cubes) to get to room temperature.

Water boils at 212 degrees F. Boiling water should read 212 degrees F.

I'm not suggesting anyone mulch their plants with ice cubes. But judicial use of ice cubes, placed in areas where the cold water isn't dripping on roots should never be a problem.

However, ice made in an ice cube tray with tap water contains dissolved solids and oxygen which can effect the taste and quality of the ice. If you want good ice to water a plant, use bagged ice, or freeze bottled water. There is a difference in the water and the ice cubes.

My REAL question:

I have two orchids given to us a couple of years ago, in some container with two 4" pots inside. I figured that once it was gone, it was gone, never to bloom again. It/they sat outside for I don't know how long. It could have been for three years. Always blooming. I don't know the variety. But it sat out in the West Palm Beach sun. Or on our Condo deck in partial shade. But whenever it rained, the container filled up. The plants were happy. It may have only had one plant in each pot. It ended up with multiple plants in each pot. The leaves looked like heck. I finally realized that snails were eating the blooms and the leaves. The plants won't die. Today, I decided to get new ones. But the plants in the pots are still doing well. One has developed a new root system on top of a stalk. The other plants have their root systems up in the air with the ends in the medium.

If a plant works as hard as these to survive and does, I can't kill it. My wife loves the things. So, unless it all turns brown and dries out, it won't be headed for the Condo Dumpster.

This plant has been out in the weather and rain for at least 2 years. 100 degree+ summers and 40 degree winters.

Any thoughts?

icesailor.

Could you post some pictures of the plants (nice, close-up ones)? Additional pictures of the flowers would be helpful.

Though it appears you are in West Palm Beach, adding your location to your personal info. would be helpful for future postings. We can answer questions concerning growing/propagation much more easily IF we know where you live.

hello "icecubes"
( sorry, couldn't resist)
First of all - welcome!

If I may, can you take a picture of the orchid(s) in question please? It would help a lot! Also, you might give us your location?

heh, we overlapped! I guess we think alike…..

Guess so, Ursula.

icesailor, from up the road a bit! NE., Fl. , though lately I'm thinking I'm truly in SE. Ga.! Been out cleaning up "dead" trimmings since our last 'early' frost!

Pictures would speak loudly, though it does sound like you have a keiki. A 'baby' growing on your spike. Sounds like whatever your doing, or not doing, to it, or for it, is working!

aboard, and looking forward to seeing some pics!

Icesailor to ATP.

icesailor! Yes, a picture or two of your survivors would be helpful. We really need to know what kind of orchids you're growing.

On the ice cube front, the big news is that neither Lowe's nor Home Depot now have those silly signs telling people to put ice cubes on their orchids. Hey, those poor flowers like it warm! Can't help but have icy cold water dripping down if you put ice cubes on top of the growing medium, can you?

The "ice cube solution" was something dreamed up by a particular commercial grower of Phalaenopsis. Not that they would EVER use ice cubes on orchids! I occasionally check labels on orchids that are sold at our Lowe's, and yes, the ice-cube watering method is still on some labels. I still have folks tell me they ONLY use ice cubes to water their Phal. and they swear their plants are healthy. I would never use them myself but I have a hard time telling these particular folks that they are wrong. I do tell them to be sure the ice doesn't touch the plant, whether it be leaf, stem, or root.

Ursula said:Regarding the ice cube watering - we ran an errant for my son a couple of years ago, which involved a trip to Oberlin/Ohio. By sheer coincidence we met a lady who works at the huge Orchid nursery at Oberlin. She told us that the ice cube thing originated with them! ( and here I was blaming Taiwanese imports) It is simply a sales-gimmick, that's all. It sure worked, since everyone shopping for Orchids/mostly Phals at the Bigbox stores has heard about it. And Phals from Oberlin are a good business.

This was the originator!

There you go.

Ken, can you imagine yourself watering your whole greenhouse with ice cubes?

I have made that same point numerous times, Ursula. I have jokingly told Garden Club members that I would have to own an ice-plant to do so!