What Became Of Rick L’S Orchids?

Rick L. Orchids, an Alabama-based grower, was abducted by the mysterious CRM Group and helicoptered off to unknown parts. He and his wife Jan have been a source of inspiration for many, including a recent video on YouTube. Rick L. Orchids is known for his expertise in orchid nutrition and the cultivation of orchids in general. He is a private group that only members can see and post about, but anyone can find it. OrchidWire, a website that lists vendors, organizations, and others from around the world, is a valuable resource for learning about orchids.

Rick L. Orchids is a knowledgeable grower who has been active in the orchid world for years. He is retired due to Parkinson’s and spends his time enjoying life and keeping positive energy around him. He has a channel on YouTube that lists vendors, organizations, and others from around the world. Rick L. Orchids is a passionate and knowledgeable grower who has been a part of the orchid community for many years.


📹 Growing orchids update…..


How long can indoor orchids live?

The lifespan of an orchid depends on various factors, including the type, environment, care, and watering. If properly cared for, orchids can bloom twice a year for 15-20 years, with phalaenopsis orchids typically lasting two to three months. After the initial bloom, the plants go into a resting phase, saving energy for the upcoming flowering season. Some common mistakes made by novice orchid growers include overlooking these details, which are part of the learning process. It’s important to be aware of these mistakes and take steps to ensure the longevity of your orchids.

How to save a dying orchid?

The Soaking Method for Rehydrating and Reviving Orchids involves unpotting the orchid, removing all potting material, rinsing the roots, pruning the roots, removing the bloom stem, soaking the roots in a tea/water bath, and alternately soaking and drying the orchid. If the orchid’s leaves are leathery, floppy, and not firm enough to resist bending backwards, it’s likely dehydrated. If the orchid has withered, leathery roots, it’s even more confirmation that it’s dehydrated. This method can help restore the health of your orchid and ensure its continued growth.

Are indoor orchids hard to keep alive?

It is important to exercise patience when caring for your orchid, as it will require more attention than an average house plant. The orchids will reward the gardener with a profusion of blooms for years to come, making the effort worthwhile.

How to look after orchids indoors?

Houseplant orchids prefer bright light but not direct sun, and prefer regular watering and misting with rainwater or boiled water. They need bark-based compost and prefer a medium in between. Tropical orchids don’t thrive in dry air, so mist leaves regularly. Tap water can be harmful, so use boiled or rainwater if possible. Avoid leaving them standing in water, as it can rot the roots. Phalaenopsis, the most widely grown houseplant orchid, is ideal for centrally heated homes and produces exotic displays of large blooms. They require minimal maintenance and are ideal for beginners.

How to care for an orchid plant?

Orchids prefer to dry out between waterings, but over-watering can kill more orchids than over-watering. Tepid water is preferred, and it’s best to water early in the day to dry foliage by nightfall. Cooler nights can encourage flowering by allowing daytime temperatures to drop by 10 degrees during the fall. To find the best orchid varieties, consult your local orchid society, such as the National Capital Orchid Society, which can help you identify which varieties thrive in your area.

Why can’t you touch orchids?

The oils produced by the human body can obstruct the pores of orchids, impeding their respiration and photosynthesis. Additionally, the presence of dirt and contaminants on the hands can also prove detrimental to orchids. To mitigate these risks, it is recommended to wash hands prior to handling orchids and utilize clean gloves when necessary. Furthermore, the use of clean gloves is recommended as an additional precautionary measure.

Are orchids poisonous to dogs?
(Image Source: Pixabay.com)

Are orchids poisonous to dogs?

Orchids are considered pet-friendly and safe, as they are part of the Orchidaceae family. Pets and dogs are certified members of the family, and they are curious about almost anything under the sun, including flowers. They can jump on, scratch, attack, lick, nibble, or swallow the whole thing. However, not all flowers and plants are harmful. Pet parents can enjoy having stunning flower arrangements with their furry friend roaming around at home.

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals provides a list of non-toxic, dog-friendly, and cat-friendly flowers that won’t be harmful to your pet. This list includes non-toxic, dog-friendly, and cat-friendly flowers that won’t be harmful to your pet.

How to grow orchids?

To grow an orchid, choose a loose, airy potting medium like bark or moss, set it in bright, indirect light, keep it humid, and water it when the medium dries out. Dilute fertilizer should be fed weekly in spring and summer. Most orchids prefer a loose, porous medium, such as bark chips, sphagnum moss, coconut husks, perlite, charcoal, lava rock, and styrofoam pellets, as they require air circulation and sturdy anchoring. Keep the orchid in a sunny location with indirect light from a south or east-facing window.

What should you not do with an orchid?
(Image Source: Pixabay.com)

What should you not do with an orchid?

Orchids are the largest and most diverse flowering plant family, with over 880 genera and 22, 000 species. They are typically tropical plants, living as epiphytes or “air plants” hanging on trees for support. Some are lithophytes or “rock plants” growing on or among rocks, while the remaining orchids are terrestrials growing in the loamy detritus of the jungle floor.

To give general guidelines on orchid care, there are only several dozen species widely produced and even fewer available at local nursery. Hybrids, created by crossing different species and genera, are often sold at nurseries, florists, hardware chain stores, and groceries. These hybrids have desirable characteristics such as color, fragrance, flower size, and ease of care, outperforming the challenges of pure orchid species. Today’s orchid hybrids are rewarding house plants to grow and relatively easy to care for if understanding their basic needs is taken.

How rare is the ghost orchid?
(Image Source: Pixabay.com)

How rare is the ghost orchid?

In 2023, several environmental protection groups have requested the US federal government to expedite the process of granting the Ghost Orchid protections under the Endangered Species Act. The ghost orchid, which is believed to be endangered due to poaching and habitat loss, is found in only 1, 500 plants in Florida, including the Audubon Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary. The plant has been featured in various media, including the non-fiction book The Orchid Thief by Susan Orlean and the movie adaptation of the book, Adaptation.

The ghost orchid also inspired the fiction novel Ghost Orchid by D. K. Christi. In the Netflix series Wednesday, it is falsely stated that Dendrophylax lindenii was first discovered on The Isle of Wight in 1854 and is “carnivorous”. It seems that script writers Alfred Gough and Miles Millar confused it with another “ghost orchid”, the European Epipogium aphyllum. The painting of the plant also plays a role in the fiction book The Ghost Orchid by Jonathan Kellerman.

Various sources have provided information on the status of the ghost orchid, including its flower composition, its conservation status, and its relationship with other “ghost orchids” such as the European Epipogium aphyllum. The taxonomic exaggeration and new hypotheses for Darwin’s orchids have also contributed to the ongoing debate on the status of the ghost orchid in Florida.

In conclusion, the Ghost Orchid is a critically endangered species in Florida, with only 1, 500 plants remaining in just a few locations. The US federal government should accelerate the process of granting protections under the Endangered Species Act to protect this vital species.

How long do orchids live?
(Image Source: Pixabay.com)

How long do orchids live?

The lifespan of an orchid depends on various factors, including the type, environment, care, and watering. If properly cared for, orchids can bloom twice a year for 15-20 years, with phalaenopsis orchids typically lasting two to three months. After the initial bloom, the plants go into a resting phase, saving energy for the upcoming flowering season. Some common mistakes made by novice orchid growers include overlooking these details, which are part of the learning process. It’s important to be aware of these mistakes and take steps to ensure the longevity of your orchids.


📹 …..a sad day for the orchid community!

Https://www.youtube.com/@orchidsgardeninengland1682.


What Became Of Rick L'S Orchids?
(Image Source: Pixabay.com)

23 comments

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  • 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

  • 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!!

  • 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 perusal articles on YouTube~ 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! 💚

  • 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!

  • 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…

  • 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 article 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 happy to see you had made this article. 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 articles. So very much appreciated. I am SO happy you are once again making articles.

  • Hello Rick! I was so happy to see a article from you as I look forward to each and every one of your articles! 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.

  • 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? 💕🌞🌵😷

  • Hi Rick. It sure was nice to see your article. 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. 🙏🏻💕🥰

  • 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

  • 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 article 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.

  • As always,loved perusal your article. 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?

  • 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 perusal 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.💐

  • 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.

  • 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.😮😎👏🏻

  • 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 🤷🏻‍♀️

  • It seems to me a long time ago a youtuber put out a article about terracotta stealing moisture from the plant. I don’t know how much of an effect that article 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.

  • Oh Rick, thank you so much from me and the family for such kind words and sentiments..you’ve got me crying non stop at the moment. I/the family knew she was loved by you and the orchid community..thanks to them for all the lovely comments on her website and on your article.. but the love is a million times greater than we ever realised. Thank you a trillion thanks ❤❤❤

  • she truly will be missed in the orchid and garden community. I’ve always been in good contact with her, also outside the YouTube community. I took me some days to process but in the end decided to make a short tribute article on my website. My way to say goodby and remember her joyful and kind soul. Unfortunately I couldn’t speak but I hope pictures and clips will say a million words. Goodbye Margaret, you will always be in our hearts.

  • OH my god.when I saw Her picture my Hart was pumping and hoping not to hear the bad new.like you said your hart is broken so is mine.I’m shaking.I could not belive we will lose her like this and so soon.she was my best friend on youtube world.she was so kind hearted as you said.I don’t know How I express the sorrow I feel.now we can only pray for her.I’m speech less.thanks for the News.

  • Im at a loss for words 😔. I feel the sadness in your voice. I did not know your friend, Margaret, but im sure she will be missed. So, my condolences on her passing over. Find a way to honor her and keep her memory fresh. Get a new NOID Orchid and name her Margaret. Im sure her Spirit will smile. Love and light 🕯️, my friend.

  • She is certainly with her loved ones and continuing to tend to her beautiful plants. We lost a truly amazing and kind person who loved to share her knowledge with others. It puts into perspective how precious life is. We should always remember to tell our loved ones how much they mean to us and appreciate what we have, even the fussiest of orchids. I hope you all stay safe and have a blessed day.