ART: MCP Jewels of Winter Orchid Show

Dear Gentle Readers,

For those of you who love orchids, the annual Jewels of Winter Orchid Show is presently at Mill Creek Park Fellows Riverside Gardens. Displayed in the beautiful Davis Center, the orchid theme this year in Orchids and Steel. 

Artifacts from the area's once thriving steels mills of the Mahoning Valley are interspersed among the orchid blooms.



 I thought this years displays were particularly well done. Delicate orchid blooms set against rusted steel fencing and galvanized tubs turned into bubbling fountains surrounded by tropical plantings were unexpectedly stunning.

A walk-in orchid repotting clinic was held on February 9th from 10:00 a.m. until noon, and will be held again on February 19th from 5:30 to 7:30 in the evening.
They use a really nice potting mix with fertilizer already in it, so you can feed your orchid with it's regular tap water.

Bring your orchid in for an expert repotting, and maybe get some advice on nudging that little beauty to bloom! The cost included orchid mix, pot, loving care, and free advice. Staring at $3.00 Three plant limit, please.

The Jewels of the Winter Orchid Show runs through Tuesday, March 3rd.
If you're in the area, and could use a little stroll that combines the spirit of the tropics with good, old, hard steel in the comfort of the beautiful Davis Center inside Fellows Riverside Gardens in Mill Creek Park, you will enjoy this display. 

Hours are Tuesday through Sunday,
10:00 a.m. through 5:00 p.m.
Closed Mondays.

Mill Creek MetroParks
P.O. Box 596
Canfield, OH 44406
330-702-3000

MCP Orchid Show: The Jewels of Winter, Growing Tips

Now through March 11, 2018, The Fellows Riverside Garden Center of Mill Creek Park is hosting Jewels of Winter, the annual orchid show.  This is the best orchid show in the area, so if you have any interest in orchids, this is the place to be.

Orchids have a reputation for being hard to grow. I have not found that to be true. Maybe these new varieties are hardier than the old ones. 

They are strikingly beautiful and lend a modern, elegant air to their surroundings.

 That said, orchids DO have certain requirements. They do not like to be wet. You can't water them on a schedule like other houseplants. 









Water them only when they are dry. This means you need to stick your finger down into the pot. If it's wet or damp, leave it aloe. Make sure the holes at the bottom of the pot are open so drainage can occur. If it is dry, water it. 










I started by given my first orchid two ice cubes. Now I can judge what two ice cubes of water looks like.







 Orchids like light, but not direct sun. Yes, they grow in the jungle, but they attach themselves to trees or other large plants under the canopy of the trees. 

They don't grow in soil. They grow naturally is a bark medium where their roots get plenty of air.







Orchids don't do well in drafts. Mine don't like the air from the furnace blowing on them. They will drop their flower buds.









They also don't like being up against the window if the outside temperature is fluctuating or if it's cold. The leaves will droop and become lackluster.

I use a commercial grade spray orchid food and I spray them once a week during growth season.







You will notice little green tendrils poking out of the holes in the orchid pot. These are new roots. Leave them alone.







Also, green leafless shoots will sprout out from the crown of leaves. Do not cut these off! It is on these shoots where the flowers will form. 

Orchids can bloom for months, usually during the winter. 


These photos were taken from this year's orchid show. If you like orchids, don't miss this show, free to the public at our wonderful Fellows Riverside Gardens Center, Mill Creek Park, Youngstown,
Ohio.

Orchids 101

Orchids 101 0 Comments Dear Gentle Readers, Orchids have a reputation for being hard to grow. I have six. If they needed constant fussing or special greenhouse conditions to grow and flourish, mine would be dead. So if you ever had the desire to share your home with one of these exotic beauties, I encourage you to try. Orchids are hardy and ancient plants, some say dating back to the time of the dinosaurs. But I read that on the internet, so who knows? Their native habitat is the rainforest, which is being destroyed at an alarming rate. Deforestation. Pollution. Global warming. Each of these could cause orchids to become extinct in a few generations. I find them to be a lovely and elegant addition to a room. While some think the African violet may be old-fashioned and mummsie or worse yet, grandmummsie, the orchid is modern and sophisticated. The prices have come down considerably. I've seen them at the grocery store for around ten dollars. I've seen them on sale at Lowe's for 2 for $10. If you buy one, remember to keep your new plant isolated from your other plants for a few days, just in case your new plant has a fungus. Also, while orchids like plenty of water, they don't like to sit in it. More on orchids and orchid care to come. Hugs, Carol ​Here is a terrific resource site for anyone interested in orchids: http://www.aboutorchids.com