Archive by Author | Carl Harrison

Using a Greenhouse To Grow Orchids All Year Long

If you are lucky enough to own a climate controlled greenhouse, then you have the perfect environment to grow these tropical plants directly at your fingertips. However, they will not work with all types of orchid flowers.

The majority of greenhouse orchids like distilled light and warm, humid climates. This being said, the direct sunlight that can be found in some houses could be too harsh for the average flower. Ideally, you want to have a perfect environment, where you can provide bright, indirect or distilled light. A shade curtain is the perfect solution to create this type of environment.

Keeping Temperatures at a Perfect Level

If you reside in a cooler climate, your houses will need to be equipped with a heater. Although they do require a dormant period, anything cooler than 45 degrees will kill your plants if not corrected immediately. In addition, climate control is also necessary during the warmer months. Most of them like an environment between 60-80 degrees during the day, and at least 15 degrees cooler at night. If your climate does not naturally cool down by 15 degrees, then you may need to artificially simulate this environment.

Watering Your Flowers When Growing Them in These Houses

In the cooler months, many types only require watering once every two weeks and fertilization once a month. During the warm months, you will need to increase the amount of water that you give your plants. These flowers requires watering once or twice a week, however, in a tropical environment, this need may increase depending on the amount of sunlight that they are exposed to.

Additional Advantages to a To Housing Them in This Environment:

Easy to maintain the humid environment that they thrive in. These houses are naturally humid, producing a similar environment to the tropical ones that most of them prosper in. However, if you find that humidity is lacking, you can wet the floors or mist the plants, without having to worry about the potential wear and tear in your home environment.

Easy to control air movement: making the ideal situation for the roots to breathe and to avoid harmful toxins.

Roof, side vents, and ceiling fans can also be used to increase air flow.

Grow them all year round without worrying about the seasons.

Control the climate and light environment without any effect to your personal lifestyle.

Increase flowering

Disadvantages to a Greenhouse Environment:

Cost is perhaps the largest disadvantage to maintaining these houses for orchids. Most of them require that certain light, temperature and moisture levels are maintained in order for them to thrive. Consequently, this increases the maintenance cost for the greenhouse.

In addition to cost, you need to be very aware of any possible diseases or insect infestations that could occur. If not caught immediately, an infestation will quickly spread in this type of environment, damaging and perhaps even killing your plants.

Overall, greenhouse orchids are the way to go if you can afford the extra maintenance of one of these structures, the advantages to growing them in this environment far outweigh the negative. A greenhouse environment will not only help your plants grow, but can also create a mini escape where you can watch your incredible plants flourish.

Understanding The Light Requirements for Orchids

Jun6

There are a few things that are absolutely essential to healthy orchids and the appropriate amount of light is high on the list. This element is necessary for the production of flowers. If you get this part wrong, you will never have a blooming blossoms that you will be proud of. Don’t worry, there is nothing hard about this method and we will give you information on all the basics right here.

The sunshine needs may vary according to which variety you have selected to utilize, but there are some general rules which can be applied to all types. One of the easiest things to remember is that if your plant has soft, wide leaves, it will need an area with more shade than one which has long, slim leaves. The latter will do best with a good amount of radiance throughout the day.

Artificial Light Vs. Sunlight

Most of them can be given either artificial or natural methods as long as they get the correct amount. Usually, if you have your plants inside and away from natural sources, you will need to provide them with twelve hours of florescent every day. Ones that receive natural rays will need different amounts in the winter than in the summer. When the air is cold outside, many people move their plants away from the window. If your flower is getting too much in either the summer or winter, you can solve the situation by covering the window with a sheer curtain.

Adding More Light During The Flowering Process

Plants need extra light when they are ready to flower or flowering. That’s because they receive energy from the daytime sun and they are using a lot more energy when producing flowers. Often, someone will have a plant that is healthy, a nice shade to medium green color, but it never flowers. The reason could be lack of sunshine. They also may be getting just enough to maintain a healthy leaf state, but not enough to give it that extra energy boost it needs to flower.

Tips To Remember When Growing Plants Inside

Many inside orchid plants receive insufficient amount of daytime sun. Sometimes it is better to increase the light inside than it is to put the plants outside during the summer. That’s because the summer sun is going to seem extra warm and overexposure to the sun’s heat can burn the plant. It is not that much different than when a person who has been inside all winter goes out into the sun in the spring and overdoes a good thing by getting sunburned.

Getting Adequate Amount of Sunlight That is Needed

Sunshine also changes as the day goes on so you need to make sure that your flowers are in a window that is facing in the right direction for the most amounts. Lots of times the plant will also need to be very close to the window. A common mistake, especially if you like to have a lot of plants around, is to put too many on the same window sill. While it may not affect some flowers, with these you need to leave plenty of space in between the plants so that none of the leaves are blocked by another plant.

Using Fluorescent Lamps Can also Provide what Your Plants Require

If your orchids are in a room where they are not getting natural light, you need to create the same environment for the plants with artificial ones. In most cases, this means having them on fourteen to sixteen hours every day. Regular bulbs will not do a proper job either. You will need to get fluorescent bulbs to provide enough illumination without giving off too much heat.

If you have one that needs a high amount of light, you might even have to invest in High-Intensity-Discharge (HID) lamps. These are expensive initially but they do not cost a fortune to run. If HID types are on, reflectors might need to be used to prevent them from shining directing into your eyes.

Types of Orchids for Beginners That Anyone Can Start Growing Today

Jun6

OK, so you’ve been to the garden shop and the botanical conservatory, and you’re a new fan of the orchid. You probably fancy yourself as an avid grower sometime down the road, but fear that they are too difficult to grow. We have some great news! Here are some types of orchids that are easy to take care of, and that we think new growers will really enjoy. These flowers will grow for you even while you’re still a “newbie” at taking care of them.

Where Exactly Should You Begin Your New Hobby?

Where to start? How about Oncidium Intergenerics, which are types that beginners do quite well growing. Many bloom two times a year, and they have a lovely fragrance. They do need an abundance of light, and other care. But you can pick up the basics pretty easily.

Take a look at the Comnara Wildcat. This is one that will give you the most reward for the least amount of effort. And they have blooming flowers for three months. What a handsome reward for such a small amount of work.

The Onicidium Sharry Baby has a very unique property – it has a chocolate smell! Is there a better smell than that? And this one blooms three times or so over the space of a year.

Larger Plants That Will be More Challenging for a Newbie

There are some members of the Cattleya family that are simple for you to grow. These are a little harder to light – most all of them need supplemental light – but they are hardy and can grow quite large. They have a shorter time span when they’re in bloom, but they are gorgeous.

Try Out This Unique Flower Today

Another good beginner orchid is Phragmipediums. These need a lot of bright light, even more than some of the others available. They are a bit more fragile to care for, too, as they have more specific fertilizer and water needs. If you grow this breed and its leaves turn brown, this means you’ve over-fertilized, so you’ll need to cut back on that a bit.

Others That You Should Consider Before Purchasing

Before you head off to the garden store, you might want to consider a couple more species. Paphiopedilum and the Phalaenopsis hybrids are the best beginner orchids, because they bloom very well in almost any windowsill garden. Neither of these two hybrids needs a great deal of light. Their requirements are very similar to those of the African violet. These rare ones also adapt well to different levels of humidity.

Using Water Techniques that Work

With any type of orchid, be very careful not to over-water them, which is a common problem for new growers. That might cause them to rot. By the same token, be careful not to under-water them as well. Once or twice a week will generally suffice. Use these simple strategies for all your plants watering needs.

They store nutrients and moisture in their roots and leaves. If you have a problem with either, it will show up pretty quickly. Keep a close eye, especially if you’re new to the game, and be alert for any sudden changes in the plant’s appearance.

These are some of the best kinds of orchids to care for if you don’t have much experience yet. With proper light, temperature, water and humidity, they will grace you with many years of loveliness in your home.

Tropical Brassia Orchids That Can Be Cultivated In Your Home Right Now

Jun6

Brassia orchids are also known as Spider orchids and have Halloween in common, because of their connection to spiders.

Interesting Facts About These Tropical Plants

These epiphytic tropical plants are native to the wet forests of Central America, southern parts of Florida, and the West-Indies, and were named Brassia in honor of William Brass, a 19th century British botanical illustrator.

Most species of these flowers are limited to a specific region, but the Brassia caudata genus can be found over the whole geographic area.

They are an extremely fragrant plant and the flowers come in colors of yellow, pale green ones and related colors with brown bars. These spectacular tropical species have long spider-like petals and septals, hence why the word spider is in its name.

They are pollinated by a parasitic wasp, which usually lays it’s eggs on spiders. Because they look so much like this arachnid in its’ web, the plant encourages the wasp to lay its’ eggs in the blossoms, which in turn pollinates them.

They produce a number of flowers on the spike, which resembles a number of spiders on the plant. Some plants can produce flowers that are 10 inches or more in diameter. Typically they shouldn’t be hard to grow, but do have specific requirements to keep them healthy.

The Temperature That Produces Radiant Blooms

Daytime temperatures should be around 65 and 75 degrees F and the nighttime should be no lower than 55-65 degrees F. Once the plant has ceased to bloom, the plant needs to rest for a couple of weeks in temperatures between 55 and 60 degrees F. They need humidity between 50-70% and plenty of air circulation. This is higher than most others need, and to circulate the air, a small fan should do the trick.

Lighting That Gives Color to Your Plants

If you want your plant to be healthy and produce plenty of blooms, then you need to make sure the lighting is okay. Brassias prefer bright, filtered sunlight, and should not be placed in direct sunlight. If you’re growing under lights, they can stay on for up to 16 hours per day.

Watering These Plants Correctly

They do not like to dry out fully between watering. They need to be watered regularly, so water before they dry out.

Fertilizer May be Needed in the Right Conditions

They also need periodic fertilization, and these are no exception. They require regular fertilizing with a weak solution, that is fertilize on a weekly basis, and dilute the mixture either to one quarter or a half of the full strength.

Placing Your Flowers in Correct Containers

Repotting them should be done approximately every two years, but young plants may benefit from being re-potted yearly, increasing the size of the pot each time. The potting medium should comprise of medium shredded fir bark or small to medium lava rocks. Alternatively, you can use 2 parts of osmunda fiber, 1 part sphagnum moss and a little sand. Always use pots with good drainage.

Pests And Diseases That May Occur

Brassia orchids are susceptible to pests and diseases just as other species are. They are prone to Aphids, Mealy Bugs, Spider Mites and Scale. Remember to inspect any new plant you bring into your home or greenhouse so that you can reduce the chances of infecting healthy plants.

This is one of those plants that you notice when you walk into a room, because of their beauty and uniqueness. Take the time to care for your plants properly and they’ll reward you with magnificent blooms.

Three Types of Hawaii Orchids Native To This State

Jun6

When you step of a plane in Hawaii, you are greeted by an aloha and a beautiful orchid lei is placed on your neck. They are both continually linked: with this beautiful flower seen as sign of welcome to foreigners from the Hawaiian natives. However, there are only three types that were naturally endemic to this state.

Liparis Hawaiensis:

This orchid is fairly rare, found in the rain forests of Hawaii high up in the trees. Typically, you can see this plant blooming from May to November, 2000 to 5000 feet up into the tree canopies. Unlike the colorful large blooms that you see in leis, this one is a tiny flowered species, usually green in color.

Anoectochilus sandvicensis

Often called jewel orchids, this one can be found in most of the Hawaiian islands. Out of the three endemic types, this one is the most common. If you are looking to find a these sparkling ones in its natural environment, take a journey through the rain forests. These plants will usually be found between 1000 and 5000 feet up in the trees.

Platanthera Holochila

The third natural variety of Hawaii orchids is the Plantanthera holochila or the fringed orchid. This particular flower is very rare, so rare, that it is now on the Endangered species list. The flowers are fairly small and are greenish, yellow in color. These plants are terrestrial in nature, and if you’re lucky enough to find one, it will usually be in a bog or a swampy, shady area.

So Where do all of the Other Types Come From?

Hawaii’s warm, humid environment, is a natural breeding ground for these type of plants. As a direct result, several varieties of them have been imported and breed naturally throughout the islands. The botanical gardens in this state house thousands of gorgeous varieties. If you are a true lover of these flowers, take the time to travel to these gardens and immerse yourself into the world of these organisms.

Dendrobium orchids are one of the more popular varieties that are being farmed throughout the islands. These are farmed and then marketed for a variety of consumer needs, from house plants to producing leis. If they are for you then you need to learn all about them here.

However, even with the development of orchid farms throughout the states, it is still nearly impossible to keep up with the demands from the natives and tourists for leis. Consequently, a lot of them found in leis have been imported from Asia, Thailand in particular.

Orchid Culture in Hawaii travels to the rest of North America

Although this state may not have a large amount of natural varieties, it has helped build this beautiful flower’s exotic popularity. Without this exposure, our homes and garden centers in North America may not have been blessed with the many varieties that we see today.

The Wide Range of Orchid Species Contains Infinite Variation

Jun6

Orchids aren’t just pretty houseplants that you can easily grow. In fact, this unique family is the largest taxonomic group of flowering plants. There are more than 22,000 accepted species, and more are added each year. There’s no telling how many unidentified varieties there may be.

Locations Where These Exotic Plants can be Found

The family orchidaceae is found all over the world, including within the Arctic Circle. These organisms have a multitude of uses; they supply us with vanilla, some ice creams and fragrances. They are a popular wedding flower, and some varieties are grown commercially to supply the increasing demand for them at all times of the year. But perhaps the most common use is for day-to-day decoration. Many people use them to liven up their homes and workspaces.

Although there are thousands of orchids available, some are much more popular as houseplants than others. Some lend themselves to life indoors, while others prefer to be outside. Most of the ones that make good houseplants are terrestrial, or ground-growing, varietals. Many are epiphytic (tree-growing) or lithophytic (rock-growing); these types are usually more difficult for a beginner to cultivate, but can still adapt to potted life with a skilled cultivator.

Most Popular Plants You Can Find in Ones Home

Some of the most popular types belong to the Cymbidium genus. They are easy to cultivate and require little space. If you are looking for your first plant to grow, one of these might be right for you. Up to 15 flowers grow on each stalk of these plants; colors are diverse and include, green, white, purple and yellow. They typically bloom in the winter, although they are available commercially all year round. There are about 52 types in this genus, so there’s sure to be a color and look that’s right for you.

Phalaenopsis Types are Also Another Good Choice

Plants in the genus Phalaeonopsis are also popular flowers for growing at home. These plants are sometimes called Moth orchids because of the wing-like shape of their petals. They contain about 60 epiphytic types, most of which are native to Southeast Asia. When potted, they have one long stalk, or rhizome, with a few leaves. They produce one bloom a year when provided with the proper care.

Don’t Forget about Paphiopedilum Species

The Paphiopedilum genus contains about 80 different species. These flowers are commonly referred to as “Lady’s Slippers” because of their shoe-like shape. They are native Southeast Asia and the Pacific. They can be difficult to grow, but have some of the most stalwart fans. If you do manage to cultivate a Lady’s Slipper, you’ll be rewarded with a unique, multi-colored flower that’s long lasting. Be sure to use these strategies when caring for these plants in your home.

These are just three of the most popular kinds of orchids, but there are hundreds more genera to choose from if you want to grow a unique plant. If you’re looking to bring home one of these flowers remember that they all require special care. Most of these unique flowers require daily water and monitoring of humidity and light; some kinds have stricter care procedures. Even if you do everything correctly, sometimes they still won’t bloom. So be patient with your plant.

There are so many species in the world, there’s bound to be one out there that’s perfect for you. Once you find your ideal plant, you’ll have beautiful, perfumed flowers with which to decorate your home.

The Truth About Cymbidium Orchid Care

Jun6

Cymbidium orchids are very beautiful flowers when you get them to grow and thrive correctly. Knowing the proper care of these flowers is an important factor if you want to have amazing looking flowers. This type of maintenance can be difficult for the beginner enthusiast, but with this simple and easy to read guide it will make growing them easier and more enjoyable for you.

Some Basic Facts About Cymbidiums

There are many species of cymbidiums mainly due to the many hybrids that have been created through cross breeding of these plants. You can find these unique flowers in almost any color including red, green, pink, yellow, and even white. They were originally from east Asia and even found in the Himalayas. Today you can grow these types in almost any climate because of their high tolerance of cold winter temperatures.

Proper Temperature and Lighting

As with other orchid plants cymbidiums love to live with high humidity levels, but can tolerate more light than others can. If you want beautiful flowers coming from these plants, then you need to keep the temperature around 65-80 degrees Fahrenheit for optimal growing conditions. You can place your beautiful blossoms on a windowsill or an area that gets much sunlight, but you need to be careful your flowers are not exposed to bright light for a long period of time.

Although they can tolerate bright light they can still be injured from long periods of bright sunlight. Try placing your new plant in the sun for a few hours then place it in the shade for another few hours. This should give them proper growing conditions. Make sure not to let the temperature get below 50 degrees Fahrenheit because this could harm your plant if it does.

Watering Your Flowers With The Correct Amounts of Water Every Time

Watering your plants properly is a very important part of proper maintenance that every gardener or enthusiast should know. If you water them incorrectly you may end up harming your plants instead of helping them. When you water these flowers you need to maintain a moist medium but do not want to have a soggy medium.

To accomplish this place your finger about on inch into the medium and if it is dry then you will need to water them. If you happen to find that the medium is moist about an inch down, then you will not need to add moisture. Find out more simple techniques that you can use to make this task much easier right here.

Cymbidium Orchid Care With Fertilizer

Fertilizers should never be used when your plants are blooming because this could discourage your plant from flowering correctly. If you think they need fertilizer you can use a nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium mixture of 20-20-20.

This should be plenty of fertilizer for your plants to grow beautifully during the growing seasons. If it looks like your plant needs more fertilizer, then make sure to give it more sparingly to keep it growing healthy and strong.

The Substrate That All of These Flowers Thrive In

Cymbidiums like most others cannot be grown in traditional potting soil that you find in any gardening store. They need to be planted in special orchid dirt that can include materials such as peat moss, bark compost, and Osmunda fiber. You can also buy commercial grade soil as well if you are a beginner.

From this article you can understand why it is important to learn the proper Cymbidium care tips and tricks if you want to have beautiful blossoms all year round. With these simple and easy to use strategies you will be able to grow and maintain them through any season for many years to come. Good luck and have fun growing these unique and rewarding flowers.

The Proper Relationship Between Orchids and Fungus

Jun6

The orchid relies on its’ relationships with other organisms to assist in the overall health of the plant. One of these is fungi. They rely on them to assist in the germination of seeds and can form a partnership for the whole life of the plant.

The ones which grow on trees form a relationship not only with the host, but with the fungus they are reliant on. It makes you wonder what the implications would be for the plant if it didn’t form this marriage.

Where Does This Fungus Exist?

The fungus lives inside the root cells of the plant and this marriage of orchid and fungi results in a dual organism known as mycorrhiza. The roots provide an ideal growing environment for the fungus, as it is devoid of competition and it is thought that the flower provides the fungus with vitamins.

Parts of this fungi penetrate the root wall and has contact with the soil, which is rich in nutrients such as cellulose and other carbon compounds. This mixture is then broken down by many microbial guests into a soluble form which can be used by the flower.

How It Affects The Growth of Your Flowers

The millions of dust-like tiny seeds can begin to germinate without the presence of this specific fungus. However, the process is only complete once it has infected the embryo. The marriage between these plants and fungi is necessary at this point because the plant is unable to absorb nutrients from the soil and the tiny seed does not have any food reserves to sustain growth.

Once the flower matures, there is still a reliance on the fungi to maintain the partnership, as some species lack chlorophyll, so the dependency on each other can last throughout the lifetime of the plant.

The Phantom Orchid

One specific plant found in North America, in only four states in the United States and in the south western area of British Columbia, Canada, is called the Cephalanthera austiniae or Phantom. It’s found mainly in old growth forests and is known to associate with one fungal family only.

They form associations with several species of trees, but it is not presently known which species are connected to this particular tree partnership.

This flower is a totally white orchid and even though it has a flowering stem, it primarily lives below ground and only sends the flowering stems above ground when the conditions are suitable. The plant produces a low number of flowers which may occur primarily because of the climatic and pollinator limitations. If the growing conditions are severe then the species may be able to survive in a dormant state until the conditions improve.

In British Columbia, the Phantom plant occurs mainly in a coniferous forest, but it has also been found in forests dominated by the big leaf Maple Trees. This species has shown a tendency to live in sites with little or no competition.

Things To Keep In Mind When Cultivating These Plants

Recent studies have shown that even though some forest cover might be variable, there seems to be a preference for limestone sites. It has even been found adjacent to a limestone quarry in British Columbia, on heavily limed compost heaps and old shell middens. However some populations have no apparent association with limestone.

The partnership between the orchid fungus can last a lifetime, and divorce can be lethal to these plants. Scientists have tried to imitate the relationship between the two, without success, which is a reason why so many species are now endangered. No-one has been able to replicate this wonderful partnership and if the fungi should die during experimentation, no amount of watering or fertilizing could save a dependent flower.

The Perfect Indoor Orchids For Creating a Beautiful Home Environment

Jun6

You might think that orchids can only be grown successfully outside, but you would be wrong! Two excellent choices for ones that are grown inside include Moth Orchids (Phalaenopsis) and Lady’s Slippers(Paphiopedilum). These two are especially popular because they are less particular about their environments and because they blossom on glorious stalks.

Looking at the Simple Moth Flowers

The Moth plant is one of those flowers that you are probably familiar with. You might have seen them in your local Home Depot or Lowe’s garden center. Their colors range from white to pale lavender, but sometimes they also have a contrasting center color. You will love them! Sometimes they will bloom twice per year.

Lady Slippers are Also Another Great Selection

The Lady’s Slipper is another excellent candidate for inside growing. Sometimes it is a little less popular with beginning American growers because they don’t recognize the beauty of their uniqueness. They have “hairs”, and “warts” on their stalks giving them an exotic look.

Many growers love them particularly though because when mature, they will produce loads of blossoms throughout the year. So Lady’s Slippers make rewarding plants for beginners because with a little proper treatment, they will reward you by making you look like a pro!

Providing Adequate Supply of Sunshine

Sunlight is the first concern for cultivating them inside or in their natural habitat. Light from the east filtered through a sheer curtain is best, but lights from other directions can also be managed provided that it is filtered well enough not to “burn” the plant. They are extremely sensitive to too much light.

Humidity Doesn’t Have to be That Difficult Anymore

Humidity can be a bit of a problem as well. Ones that are grown inside need a lot of it in the day time, and there are several solutions. Putting a pebble-filled tray under them works well, misting them once a day works well, and at the most extreme, a cool humidifier will work really well if you can control the amount of humidity it gives off.

On the other hand, though, is that at night, their roots need to be kept dry so they will not become diseased. So getting the proper humidity is one of the more difficult aspects of raising these flowers inside or out.

Various Temperature Ranges

Different kinds require various ranges in temperatures, and that of your house could determine whether or not your orchid will grow or blossom. The Moth types like daytime temperatures between 70 and 85 degrees in the day and 60 to 65 degrees at night, but Lady’s Slippers prefer their temperatures a bit cooler since they are from cooler climates.

They prefer between 60 and 65 degrees in the day, and 50 to 55 degrees at night. If you like to keep your house cool or it is surrounded by trees, Lady’s Slippers could be just the right plant for you.

The Right Watering Methods You Should Use for all Your Orchids

Irrigating them is very, very important. Roots need to be kept damp at all times, and during active growth (when growing and blossoming—not dormant) they need to be watered about twice per week, but when they go dormant during the cooler parts of the year, they can be watered only once every two weeks.

You should feed them once or twice a week when not dormant and less so during its dormancy period. You should use a quarter to a half strength solution, and you can purchase a special kind for these plants at your local gardening shop. Good luck with your first foray into the wonderful world of growing indoor flowers!

The Knowledge You Need To Start Caring For Orchids Indoors

Jun6

So you have bought some orchids and you want to learn all about caring for them using simple techniques. Well, you have come to the right place because I am going to discuss how this task is so easy that anyone can do it; even you.

If you want to turn your plants into beautiful and thriving flowers, then you need to read this post to learn how to care for an orchid. So without further ado lets get into the process of growing vibrant plants today.

Watering Orchids

One of the basic things about maintaining these plants is knowing how to correctly water them. Most people like to drench their orchids when they water them and then wait for the medium to dry out before giving their plants anymore. I actually prefer to keep these plants moist and periodically check them to make sure they do not dry out too quickly.

Another method you can use for watering is to check the weight of your pot when you supply it with moisture, then check the weight when they have dried out. This is a great way to find out exactly when to water them again. You can also place your finger about one inch into the top layer of the dirt and test to see if it is moist or dry. If it’s dry then its time to give your plants H2O. If the soil is still moist then you should wait before giving them any more moisture.

Fertilization and Nutrition

Contrary to popular belief they do need to be fed if you want to have beautiful thriving blossoms. The top three nutrients that you need to feed them with are nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium also represented as N-P-K.

These are the basic nutrients that every plant needs to have in order to thrive and bloom. There are some exceptions but, for simplicity we will discuss them as the basic macro-nutrients needed for optimum growth.

Nitrogen

Nitrogen is used for the leaves and flowers of all your plants. If you begin to see the leaves turning yellow and becoming stunted in growth, this may be a sign of a nitrogen deficiency. If you happen to put too much nitrogen into the soil it may produce many leaves on your orchid plant, but may also inhibit flowering. Make sure when adding nitrogen you only use the recommended amount for these plants.

Phosphorous For Root Strength

Phosphorous is also another important nutrient in creating the perfect habitat. Phosphorous is a great nutrient for many different things. It’s great for using when you are transplanting them into the ground or into another pot because it helps the orchid roots adjust much quicker to the new medium. Phosphorous also helps the roots become much stronger when you first plant it.

If they happen to have a deficiency you will notice the leaves turning a blue to green discoloration and it may cause your plant to grow very slowly. If there is too much phosphorous then they will face a deficiency of other nutrients such as nitrogen, calcium, and many others.

Potassium for Proper Flower Growth

Potassium is not as an important nutrient as nitrogen and phosphorous is but is worth mentioning especially when caring for these flowers. Potassium is used to keep the cell membrane of the plant intact and strong. It can also be used for more root growth and further production of starch and other sugars. If you happen to have excess potassium then you will most likely have a deficiency of nitrogen, copper, magnesium, calcium, and even iron.

A Few Steps to Repotting or Propagating Your Orchid Plants

If this hobby is important to you then you need to learn all about propagating them correctly as well. Basically propagation is repotting your flowers into a new medium and a new pot. If you notice the roots begin to become crowded inside of the container, then it is time to place them into a new home.

Step #1-Removing Your Plant From the Container

First you need to remove the plant from your pot with care. One thing you can do is to bang the bottom of the container with your hand and this may loosen the roots so you can take out the plant. If not you may have to use a knife to cut it out of the pot being careful that you do not sever any roots or any important parts of this organism.

Step #2-Examine Your Plant Roots

After you have removed the plant from the pot you then need to remove any decaying material on your orchid and discard of it. If the roots happen to be thriving or healthy then you will need to repot it into a larger pot than the original. If there is too much rot then I would suggest planting them into a new container of the same size or smaller depending on how many rotten roots were removed.

Step #3-Placing Your Orchid in its New Container

Once you have placed material at the bottom of the new pot for proper drainage such as Styrofoam peanuts or other materials you can then add the plant into the pot. Make sure to take proper care of the plant and it is at the exact same height it was in the original pot and then you can add some soil.

Make sure to fill the pot all the way up to the top of the new housing. Press firmly down on the medium making sure that the plant is in place and it will not move. If you have to you can place a stake in the pot and tie the stem to keep it growing straight. This also gives your flower more support as well.

Caring for orchids indoors is as easy as can be. All you needed was the right information and you too can begin to have beautiful and amazing looking blossoms that will thrive for many years to come. Now that you know how to take care of them with ease, you can start growing them today.