Transplanting Orchids

Orchids in Bloom
Rendered with iPhone

This past Sunday I was a bit restless.  My mind was full of stuff and it just seemed that I couldn't rest.  I needed something to occupy my mind, a project.  In our bathroom we have about four orchid plants that I've managed to keep alive.  Although I have had good intentions of transplanting them to newer pots, I've not bothered.  Finally, on Sunday, I got my nerve up.


I purchased all of my materials from the local store and brought them home:  orchid potting mix, sphagnum moss and orchid food.  That afternoon I gathered all my plants and placed them on the patio table underneath the shade of the patio umbrella.  Carefully, I removed each orchid from its pot and I began to trim dead roots and separated them from the old mix.  It was delicate surgery that required all of my concentration.  Although I was nervous about the procedure, I was motivated by the promise of blooming orchids this winter.


My grandmother grew and collected orchids and she passed on that tradition to my aunt, Josefinita.  My fascination with orchids I suppose is a combination of genetics and tradition, nature and nurture.  There's something special however of the promise of the orchid bloom.  The blossom stays open longer than most flowers.  The wait seems worthwhile given that it takes so long to bloom.


If you cultivate your life mindfully and carefully at some point you will reap the benefit of beautiful blooms, perhaps in your darkest hour when you need them most. This morning I looked at my transplanted orchids and fantasized about the blooms that would surely come as a result of my nurturing.  You can't have blooms in your life without the effort of planting and cultivating.  I am eager for the blooms.