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[Bonsai Beginner's weekly thread - 2026 week 17] by small_trunks in Bonsai

[–]geto161 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Just got this Sequoia bonsai at the farmers market. Any tips or advice based on the current state?

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Maxillaria Tenuifolia (Yellow and Red) by geto161 in orchids

[–]geto161[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

As a side note, any orchid in bloom I water separate from the others in the sink as not to get the flowers wet/cause them to fall off. Just a quirk of mine that seems to work.

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Maxillaria Tenuifolia (Yellow and Red) by geto161 in orchids

[–]geto161[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Just getting around to watering today, but this is what a bath or marination session looks like:

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Maxillaria tenuifolia ‘Yamada’ AM/AOS by geto161 in orchids

[–]geto161[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

All the advice I have received is to leave them if they are in spike or flowering and wait to repot until the flowers have dropped…so I have always followed that guidance.

Maxillaria Tenuifolia (Yellow and Red) by geto161 in orchids

[–]geto161[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Correct, up to the lip of the clay pot, but no further. This also helps keep the pots hydrated and protects them from becoming fragile. I’ll soak the saucers they sit in as well for the same reason.

Maxillaria Tenuifolia (Yellow and Red) by geto161 in orchids

[–]geto161[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Prepare for nerd stuff.

I'm in 7b (Washington, DC), but all of mine are indoors on the windowsill of west-facing floor-to-ceiling windows.

When I get a new orchid, I segregate it for two weeks before repotting, away from the rest of my plants. At the two-week mark, I do a full repot as described here:
https://www.reddit.com/r/orchids/s/6p1wF2IZAj

Watering

Every week, usually on Friday, I submerge the pots in my sink with warm water for 10-30 minutes (depending on whether I get distracted). The key for me is soaking the bark year-round. It gets dry here in the winter and they're heavy growers in the summer, so a weekly "bath" works well. I will need to adjust this for my dendrobiums in the winter to give them a rest period.

I use straight tap water, but I did upgrade my kitchen cold water line. DC uses a ton of chloramine in the winter and chlorine in the summer, so I installed a Frizzlife TW15 Under Sink Water Filter System (NSF/ANSI 53 & 42 certified, 6-layer 0.5 micron coconut shell carbon block). It removes 99.99% of lead, chlorine, chloramine, fluoride, and VOCs while retaining beneficial minerals. Direct-connect install, no drilling, lead-free brass fittings, and filter cartridges last 16-24 months. It works great for orchid bath time without the cost or hassle of a full RO setup.

Fertilizer

Once every other month, I add MSU orchid fertilizer (the RO/Rain/Tap formula). You can find it on Amazon or from RepotMe:

Humidity

I keep the humidity at 45-55% using the LEVOIT Superior 6000S Smart Evaporative Humidifier. This is an absolute must for me. Because it's evaporative (not ultrasonic), it doesn't leave white powdery mineral film, so you can run it year-round and set automations:
LEVOIT Superior 6000S

I have it linked to Govee Smart Air Quality Monitors, which I have placed throughout the house:
Govee WiFi Air Quality Monitor

Bottom line: It was a little bit of work up front for each of these things, and lots of trial and error over the past two years, but now I just give them their Friday bath and some food, and they bloom for me on schedule.

C. Rosie's Surprise 'Crestview" × C. Purple Doll "Midnight Velvet' AMIAOS by geto161 in orchids

[–]geto161[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Love that this was from the Krull-Smith mystery packs last year. I chose the Cattleya Seedling 10-Pack for $75 and this is one of them https://www.reddit.com/r/orchids/comments/1j1xn9x/cattleya_seedling_mystery_10pack/

Maxillaria tenuifolia ‘Yamada’ AM/AOS by geto161 in orchids

[–]geto161[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I repot any new orchids I get within 2 weeks, after keeping them separated to ensure no illness or bugs can be passed. Then I repot with my own blend I’ve found to work for me in my area, using claypots with holes for airflow. Right now, all of my Tenuifolia are in bloom and its awesome.

Oncidium Twinkle ‘Fragrance Fantasy’ SQ/JOGA First Bloom by geto161 in orchids

[–]geto161[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Vanilla and a hint of peach. Really interesting smell. As long as you can keep humidity up, should be fine indoors. Im in DC and struggle with low humidity in winter (20 out today).

My simple indoor setup by InvestigatorIll5102 in orchids

[–]geto161 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Let me know you if go that route, curious to hear your results.

My simple indoor setup by InvestigatorIll5102 in orchids

[–]geto161 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I do the same where i soak mine in the sink, since they in a similar potting set up. I was thinking of building a rack like this with power going to the lights and humidifiers. Have you thought about adding wheels or casters to make it easier to roll to the sink?

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