Doin’ fine.
I didn’t try Jewel Orchids for a very long time. I read somewhere or heard somewhere that they were fussy and difficult and needed a terrarium. I don’t need fussy, troublesome, diva plants; been there, done that, burned the t-shirt.
Then I heard that they weren’t any of those things, heard it from people I trusted. So, I ordered a couple Jewel Orchids, and it turns out those folks were right. My experience has been, so far, trouble free. They’re in a mix of bark, sphag, pumice, and a bit of cocoa peat, all in an orchid pot. They’ve got cover pots and sit near my grow shelves. The plant room humidity is 50-60%, and they’re fine. Couldn’t be easier. Why did I wait?
The Vanilla planifolia, Variegated Vanilla Orchid, too has been easy. He’s in a very similar setup, just under the grow lights. He wants light, and something to climb, and he’s got both. Since he settled in, he’s put out about four new leaves, and seems happy. And so far, other than wanting real estate under the grow lights, he’s been no trouble either.
So, if you’ve been thinking about trying out Ludisia, Macodes, or Vanilla, don’t worry. If you can keep a big box orchid alive, you’ve got this.
I’ll keep you posted.
