| Orchids add a touch of class to your container | | | | summer.orchids are very adaptable plants, grabbing |
| gardening collection, but many container gardeners | | | | nutrients from whatever happens to be nearby - |
| avoid them like nobody's business. These beautiful | | | | leaves, droppings, or minerals in rainwater. Give your |
| plants have a reputation for being demanding and | | | | orchids a little help by feeding it the right fertilizers. |
| difficult specimens to manage. | | | | Look for products that contain nitrogen (N), |
| However I'm hear to tell you that you are missing | | | | phosphorus (P), and potassium (K), along with trace |
| out on some amazing plants if you haven't explored | | | | elements such as iron. |
| orchids. Although it is best to make a note of the | | | | 6. Repot your orchid only when the roots have filled |
| specific requirements of each variety, Just keeping a | | | | the container, and make sure to use specialist potting |
| few tips in mind will help you avoid the pain and | | | | mixture from your garden centre. |
| heartache. | | | | Different potting mixtures are required for each |
| 1. Start with Easy Care Varieties and Look for good | | | | orchid genus, depending on whether it is land growing |
| quality plants | | | | or epiphytic (tree growing and obtaining nutrients |
| There are many popular types of orchid, including | | | | from the air). Fir bark, coconut husk, tree fern fibers, |
| cymbidium hybrids, cattleyas, dendrobiums, oncidiums | | | | sphagnum moss usually make up the potting media. |
| and vandas. For the beginners out there, I | | | | Re-potting at regular intervals helps re-fresh the |
| recommend staring with an easy care variety such as | | | | potting media. |
| cymbidium hybrids. This variety is readily available, | | | | Orchids may be potted in a variety of containers, |
| easy to grow and easy on the pocket. Phalaenopsis | | | | however the container material may influence the |
| (which are popularly known as the moth orchids) and | | | | watering frequency. Because clay pots dry out faster |
| Cypripediums (also known as slipper orchids) are also | | | | than other pots, plants in clay pots will need more |
| an easy variety to manage. are also commonly | | | | frequent watering. Do make sure that your pots |
| recommended for most beginners. The draw back of | | | | have good drainage, as orchids and their roots are |
| growing some orchids is that the they can grow a lot | | | | not designed to stand in water. |
| of foliage. As the flowers may only emerge for one - | | | | 7. Over watering is not a good idea. |
| two months you could spend most of the year with | | | | It is best to water when the compost is almost dry. |
| a lot of unsightly leaves. If you prefer a more | | | | Most orchids are epiphytes, they are air plants and |
| compact, but still manageable variety, consider the | | | | won't grow in soil. The roots need to dry slightly |
| Miltonias. | | | | between watering. |
| First, when choosing an individual plant don't worry if | | | | I recommend watering your orchids just once a |
| you see some roots out of the mix. Orchids are | | | | week in the winter and twice a week in the summer. |
| epiphtes i.e. therefore the roots like being exposed to | | | | Of course climatic conditions and potting mixture will |
| the air, and should look healthy and solid, not | | | | affect the amount of moisture retained, so it is |
| broken-up and spindly. It is best to choose plants | | | | always a good idea to test your moisture levels if |
| with firm and shiny leaves and already in flower. | | | | you are unsure whether to water. Poke your finger |
| Buying orchids in flower allows you to see the color | | | | in to one inch, and if it feels damp (but not soggy) |
| and assess the plant for it's ability to produce healthy | | | | you don't need to water. Make sure that do not let |
| flowers. | | | | the potting mixture completely dry either, |
| 2. Orchids need sunlighthowever I recommend | | | | As most orchids in the wild grow on trees or other |
| avoiding direct sunlight. If you have any dark areas at | | | | plants, they get moisture from the air. An Allow |
| home, consider some artificial lighting for a few hours | | | | water run to or be sprayed over the roots and |
| in the day. | | | | surrounding moss, but do not let them stand in |
| Light is the key factor to successfully raise and | | | | water. Over watering your orchids usually results in |
| bloom orchids. It is often possible to determine much | | | | mushy, brown, dead roots. |
| light an orchid needs by looking over it's the leaves. | | | | Remember less is more! |
| The ideal leaf color is a light grass green. If your | | | | I don't recommend watering with tap water, as this |
| orchid is receiving too much light, the leaves become | | | | is chemically treated. Go for rainwater and preferably |
| very yellow; therefore you will need to move the | | | | at room temperature. The shock of cold water is a |
| plant to more shade. If the leaves turn a very deep | | | | contributing factor towards early orchid death, |
| and dark green the orchid may not be receiving | | | | 8. Room temperate in most homes will be acceptable |
| enough light. . | | | | for growing orchids, anywhere between 55F at night |
| 3. Orchids need plenty of humidity. | | | | and 80F during the day is best. |
| Place the containers in a gravel tray containing some | | | | Another thing to remember is that in their native |
| water (making sure that the water does not reach | | | | environment nearly all plants are exposed to constant |
| the top of the pebbles) , or mist at regular intervals. | | | | breezes. Orchids are no exceptions. Moving air will |
| If you keep in mind that humidity is affected by | | | | help them and cut down on disease problems. A small |
| temperature and light, it is better to mist during the | | | | fan will quickly pay for itself by giving you better |
| day time. Adding humidity late in the day or in the | | | | growing conditions. |
| evening may contribute to excessive condensation | | | | In the wild, gentle continual breezes along the leafy |
| which could result in leaf and root rot. | | | | canopy of the rain forest are vital for the survival of |
| 4. Orchids are sensitive to draughts and cold | | | | orchids and other air plants. Air movement acts as |
| temperatures. | | | | preventive medicine for orchids. It helps evaporate |
| Keep them away from draughty windows especially | | | | stagnant water, trapped during watering, where fungi |
| at night. | | | | and bacteria breed. Without ventilation or fresh |
| Cymbidium hybrids like cool rooms with very good | | | | circulating air, orchids eventually die from rot, lack of |
| light and a minimum temperature of 11?C is ideal | | | | a continual carbon dioxide source, or infection. |
| between October and May. Phalaenopsis / | | | | Ventilation also helps orchids tolerate intense light |
| Doritaenopsis hybrids & Paphiopedilum hybrids | | | | without getting burnt leaves. |
| Keep this orchid in a centrally heated room with a | | | | You can easily improve air movement in your home |
| minimum temperature of 15?C. Vuylstekeara, | | | | so orchids grow happily. During the summer, when |
| Odontocidium, Miltonia, Odontoglossum, Oerstedella, | | | | temperatures are high, open windows to allow fresh |
| Masdevallia & Epidendrum hybrids | | | | air to come inside. And when wintertime comes, you |
| A cool, well-lit position out of direct sunlight with a | | | | can use an ordinary oscillating fan to mimic the gentle |
| minimum temperature of 11?C is suitable all year | | | | breezes in the leafy canopy of a tropical forest. It is |
| round. | | | | important to occasionally change the direction of the |
| 5. Orchids require regular feeding in the | | | | airflow so the area does not dry out. |