Soaking my Phalaenopsis Orchids this morning.

I soak them in water for 15 minutes 1-2 times weekly.

Be sure to drain the excess water before returning an orchid to its pot.

Today's Joy: Moisture, Fertilizer & The Proper Amount of Light.

This summer I'm enjoying being a caretaker, Reader. With gorgeous Phalaenopsis orchids like these blooming all over the house, I count the days carefully to make sure they are watered at the right time, fertilized when it will be most beneficial and receive the correct amount of bright, indirect sunlight. The results are happy orchids, everywhere you look. Nearly all are growing new leaves & aerial roots while putting forth gorgeous blossoms, some as big as my palm.

Such delightful plants, orchids. I never tire of seeing them when I come downstairs for coffee in the morning, or when visitors can't help commenting on their unique look and show-stopping flower stalks. They definitely make everyday life feel a little more interesting and exotic. And who couldn't use that?

Phalaenopsis

Today's Joy: Impromptu Fun & Bargains.

Happy Sunday, Reader. Hope the day finds you recharging a bit in mind, body & spirit. After church this morning, I swung by Mom's on a whim and kidnapped her for an afternoon of nursery-hopping and landscape planning. We visited a few of our favorite garden centers including Platt Hill Nursery in Algonquin, IL and the local Menards & Lowes. There's something that loves a big box hardware store in summer, Reader. I think it has a lot to do with the amazing deals you can find as they try to unload their remaining plant stock.

We certainly walked away from Lowes smiling with bargain hunter's glee. As an Orchid junkie, I always stop and look through the Lowes tropical plant section indoors to see if they have any phalaenopsis in stock. They had a whole cart full at regular price. But low and behold, when I checked out the reduced rack of wilted sale plants, there were several gorgeous orchids sitting on top. I asked a nearby employee if they were indeed on clearance and was told that yes, they were starting to lose their flowers and in a day or two would just be "a stick in a pot". So they were selling them for $1.50 each plant.

Now, Reader, these were obviously healthy $20 plants, several with double flower stalks and one with white blossoms the size of my palm. True, each one had a single blossom in its last stages of bloom. But they all also had plenty of other blossoms as well as buds about to pop and new growth forming. So I snapped up four of them and got to the checkout before the cashier could disagree.

The same employee I originally dealt with walked by and sniggered as we were leaving.

"Not a bad deal for a stick in a pot!" she called.

"You're right!" I said.

With careful feeding, my four new phalaenopsis will continue to bloom for a few more months and then hopefully again, over the winter. We'll have fresh flowers in the dead of January. Not a bad deal for $6.50.