HOW TO KEEP AN ORCHID ALIVE
Most people shy away from raising orchids, thinking them too challenging even for their green thumbs. Believe it or not, orchids are easy to care for. The trick is choosing the correct orchid for where you live and how you'd like to care for it. Given the diversity of plants that are found in the orchid family, there is bound to be at least one member that you, the novice, can keep alive. According to the American Orchid Society, if you can grow house plants, you can grow orchids. Like any other plant, orchids must have the growing conditions they need to survive. But they are amazingly sturdy and resilient.
The first thing to do in choosing an orchid is to become familiar with the four basic types and determining the growing conditions. Most orchids are classified as epiphytes, or air plants, which grow chiefly on trees in nature. Other orchids are lithophytes, which cling to the surfaces of rocks; saprophytes, which grow in decaying vegetation on the forest floor; and terrestrials, which send their roots into soil or sand. As most orchids are epiphytes, they can be grown in tree bark (fir or redwood), crumbled charcoal, pebbles or on cork planks.
Some of the easier orchids with which to start a collection include Cattleya, Phalaenopsis and Oncidium. The proper temperature, watering and fertilizing schedules vary with the specific type. When shopping for an orchid at a nursery, ask yourself: Is the operation clean? Are plants, in general, well cared for and attractive? Is the staff attentive to the customer's needs? Are the plants firm in the pot, indicating good root health? Are the flowers fresh appearing? Are the plants displayed well and not all jumbled up? Is their cultural information available? Can you get the growing supplies you need? How long have the plants been on the shelf? To tell if an orchid is in good shape, gently feel the petals and leaves of the orchid between your thumb and forefinger - if they are slightly hard, the orchid flowers are opening. Also, when opening, flower color is brighter and the flower has a different look. If the flower is old don't buy the orchid. The only time I would buy an orchid like this is if I don't mind waiting until it blooms again.
You can buy orchids online from orchid farms. There are several that have a good reputation for providing excellent plants shipped right to your doorstep in a couple of day by air. We've had good luck with Foxpoint Farms (4343 Ingram Road, Apopka, Florida 32703 - 407-886-7905. You can check their inventory online at http://www.bestorchids.com. A good source of information on orchids is The American Orchid Society (16700 AOS Lane
Delray Beach, FL 33446 - 561-404-2000)
If you're a beginning orchid grower we'd recommend starting with a Phalaenopsis. Our second choice for a plant to start with is a Dendrobium. Both of these orchids generally bloom for about 3 months once or twice a year Here's some survival information for the phalaenopsis in the home environment. Follow it closely and they'll never be a death in your orchid family.
Phalaenopsis is one of the best orchids for growing in the home. They grow easily in a bright window, with little or no sun. An east window is ideal but shaded-south or west windows are acceptable. In dull, northern winter climates, a full south exposure may be needed. If you want to install artificial lighting, put up four fluorescent tubes in one fixture and place them six-inches to a foot over the plant leaves, 12 to 16 hours a day. No shadow should be seen if you hold your hand one foot above the plant's leaves.
The best temperatures (although the plants are flexible) is around 60F at night, between 75F-85F ormore during the day. Normal house temperature usually works okay. Water is especially critical for phalaenopsis. Because they have no major water-storage organs other than their leaves, they must never completely dry out. Plants should be thoroughly watered and not watered again until nearly dry through the pot. In the heat of summer in a dry climate, this may be every other day. Water only in the morning, so that the leaves are dry. The recommended is between 50% and 80%. In the home, set the plants on trays of gravel, partially filled with water so that the pots never sit in water. Mist the plants in dry climates, or during dry weather, in the mornings only.
Fertilizer should be applied on a regular schedule, especially in warm weather when the plants are most often growing. Twice-a-month applications of high-nitrogen fertilizer (30-10- l0, or a similar formulation) are appropriate in warm, humid conditions. When flowering is desired a high-phosphorus fertilizer (10-30-20, or a similar formulation) may be applied to promote blooming. Some growers apply fertilizer at 1/4 strength with every watering; this is best for warm, humid conditions. When cooler, or under dull conditions, fertilizer should be applied once a month.
Potting is best done in the spring, after blooming. Phalaenopsis plants must be potted in a well-draining mix, such as fir bark treefern, various types of stone, sphagnum moss, or combinations of these. Potting is usually done every 1 to 3 years. Mature plants can grow in the same pot until the potting medium starts to decompose, usually in two years. Root rot occurs if plants are let in a soggy medium. Seedlings usually grow fast enough to need repotting yearly, and should be repotted in a fine-grade medium. Mature plants are potted in medium-grade medium. When mature, a plant may stay in the same pot size for many years, but must have the medium changed. To repot, remove all the old medium from the roots, trim soft, rotted roots, and spread the remaining roots over a handful of medium in the bottom of a new pot. Fill the rest of the pot with medium, working it through the roots, so that the junction of the roots and the stem is at the top of the medium. Keep the plant shaded and humid, but drier in the pot, for several weeks to promote new root growth. A vitamin Bl solution may be helpful in establishing plants.
Fungi and bacteria can injure orchids. A warm and humid environment with inadequate ventilation creates the perfect atmosphere in which fungi and bacteria thrive, causing soft spots, sunken areas on leaves, root rot and other ailments. Orchids are also prone to viruses that can cause flowers to be abnormal. Typical symptoms are streaking of color and deformity of flowers, and irregular light and dark streaks in leaves. If you encounter problems, contact the source of your purchase and get their advice.
