Caring For Orchids
In caring for orchids do you need a degree in horticulture? NO! For a long time the myth of caring for and enjoying orchids was for the rich and famous. Not so, with 25,000 species to chose from and 100,000 plus hybrids out there anyone can find an orchid that fits your environment and budget and orchidology skills. I know I am poking fun at the people out there who profess the need to work at orchid care for years to master it. Well my Padawan, the myth is busted. Orchid care and enjoyment is for anyone who can take a little time to read an e-book and apply the lessons learned.
You probably already have great house plants in your home and have had tremendous success with them. An orchid does not take any more time, money or effort than you have shown to your other plants. Now it’s not to say that an orchid doesn’t have requirements to grow and prosper just like any other plant. Those needs might be different than other plants in the house.
Number one to succeed and do well with your new plants, find out what they need and want on a regular basis. There are small amount of plants that produce blooms that are as delicate and as beautiful as an orchid. To have these plants bloom, and some of them for months on end, is no wonder they are so popular in homes today. The way you see them in the store is when the plant is at its best and worst. More than likely not watered or fed correctly and at the peak bloom cycle. However, this is good news because you can have a great blooming plant and a perfectly healthy one to.
The phaleanopsis orchid is the most popular in the retail chain stores: i.e. Home Depot, Lowes, Aldi, etc. These are fashionable for gifts. The stores love them for they hold up well and are available for a good price to resale. An example is last fall our local Aldis sold plants for 9.99. What a deal. They went fast. In most cases they are white or purple in color and are of the more common varieties.
Proper care equals long lasting blooms. That’s what we all want to achieve blooms that are there till the cows come home. Some blooms will last up to three months or more if tended to correctly. Put the orchid close to a window to welcome sunlight during the day. The types of light and duration are an important component of orchid care. Steer clear of midday sun for it is too harsh. Early morning or late afternoon sunlight is best. An east facing window could be your best bet for the proper sun for your plant. If this is not a possibility or you just need to have your plant in a different location the use of fluorescent light is a good substitute for natural sun exposure. Just place the light about a foot above the orchid’s flowers and use no more than normal daylight hours.
Caring for orchids requires concern for the plants ambient temperature range. Most of them prefer to be in an environment above 55 degrees and below 80 degrees. Now granted most homes are kept in this range but if the plant is close to a window the temp can get high with the sun coming in and low if the outside temp is cold. Also being close to a door could be a challenge for drafts can impact the plants. Placed in a room with no exterior doors or big picture type windows might be best.
Watering is an easy item. The plants come from the tropics and love moisture. Do not over water for this will lead to rot and kill the plant. Soak the plant every so often and let it drain off completely. Also, use a spray bottle to give them a little squirt once in a while. A water tray could also be used but with caution. While this will give off to the plant constant humidity, if the roots grow down into the water it will receive too much water. Over watering can be very harmful to your plants.
We all love to see the blooms from an orchid. So we want maximum effort from the plant. To get this we must do a simple thing to help the plant. Fertilize the plant prior to the bloom cycle. Once in bloom, do not fertilize the plant. Careful pruning of the plant can also help with continued bloom. This will lead to a second set of flowers to develop. With just a little care and attention you can have a gorgeous plant that will display bloom for extended periods of time in your home.
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