Content

1. Tip of the Month
2. Orchid Specials for March
3. The Garden as Healer
4. You'll Love This Picture

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Hi Everyone,

I hope this newsletter finds you looking forward to spring time. Although in most of the country this winter season has been realtively mild, spring is always a great time of the year.

My wife and I have spent some time this winter in Florida and it has been great. The weather was wonderful.

In our tip of the month you will find help with transistioning your plants to enjoy spring.

We have added more to the site including some more traditional phals, beautiful lady slippers and more. If you haven't had a chance to browse check out our exquisite orchids at http://orchid-store.orchids-plus-more.com

Year Round Bloomers and Free Blooming

I wanted to remind you about our ever-blooming orchids. Some of the greatest orchids that I have seen are the ones which bloom year round. Yes, orchids that are in bloom all the time.

We have one of these and they are in bloom most of the time. It's really beautiful.

We also have some that are called "Free Blooming". What are those? These are orchids that bloom any time they want and do it frequently during the year. I categorize them as year round blooming on our Web site.

These orchids will do great, just follow the easy care instructions which come with the plant.

Good care = Great results

Tip of the Month

Cattleyas

With warmer temperatures and the sunlight increasing spring cannot be far away. This is when many cattleyas bloom. And as you know, cattleyas are the known for their fragrance.

On some of the plants you may see a yellow sheath which is protecting some of the buds. This sheath can be removed to allow the orchid to bloom. Be careful when it is removed so the bud isn't damaged. You will be rewarded with a wonderful flowering orchid.

Light in the spring will play tricks on us. It is nothing to have bright days following a day of rain. With the bright days comes a chance for the plant to become "sun-burned" and damage the looks of the orchid. It is advantageous for the cattleya to have some partial shading so this can be prevented.

With the days getting longer this means the plants will require perhaps more watering and also will need more fertilizing. It should be done every week with a weak solution of fertilizer. What is meant by weak? Instead of following the directions for full strength, cut the fertilizer used in half. This gives you a half-strength solution which can be used weekly.

Once the season has past for the winter bloomers you should re-pot if it necessary. For orchids re-potting need only be done every 2-3 years.

Phalenopsis

This is the time you will see your phals be at their peak for blooming. There are wonderful displays of wide arching phal and the blooming can go on for over a month with the flowers staying for 2-3 months. Now is when you will need to do some careful staking of the spikes. It will not only help the plant but will display it so the flowing arches looking fantastic.

Remember again, more water and fertilizer are needed during the blooming season. The plants metabolism really revs up during this budding time.

Diseases are another potential during the blooming season. Especially, mealy bugs and scales. This may be spotted by the slimy exudates they leave on the branches. Treat these early so they don't destroy the flowers or the treatment doesn't harm the flowers.

Paphs / Lady Slippers

For our paphs, especially those that are summer bloomers, it is a good time to see if they need to be re-potted. Also, check for disease on these orchids. Mealy bugs are the most frequent visitors. It is great time to treat the plants. Most plant lovers set up a time, usually weekly or monthly to thoroughly look at the orchids for any sign of disease. If you do this on a regular basis your plants will certainly be able to treated early and easily.

The longer light of the day gives more energy to paphs. You will see the spikes develop and the buds start with the help of longer days. It's great to see how these wonderful orchids grow in front of your eyes.

#1 Specials of the Month

Here are exquisite orchids that will make some wonderful gifts or one you can plant in your garden. I'm sure one of them will be perfect for you.

Come and take a look: at these exquisite orchids

copy and paste this url address into the browser: http://orchid-store.orchids-plus-more.com

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The Garden as Healer - You'll enjoy this article

Orchid Picture of the Month
A beautiful triple leafed pink and white orchid