How To Care For An Orchid
Orchids rate amongst the most beautiful plants in the world, so knowing how to care for an orchid is an important task. They are a very resilient plant and are found growing in many different areas of the world. They’ve been found growing in jungles, the tundra, rain forests, grassy plains, deserts and swamps. Learning how to care for orchids is not that difficult and I am going to show you how easy it is to grow beautiful orchids that will last for a long time.
Before you decide to grow orchids there’s a few things to consider first, such as lighting, temperature, the amount of moisture in the air along with air circulation, and finally, deciding where to grow them.To look after your orchids correctly, you must have a system in place particularly for the different seasons. In order to understand how to care for an orchid successfully you must know these 5 points:
- Watering
- Fertilizing
- Sunlight exposure
- Temperature Control
- Correct growing material
Watering
As the seasons change, so does the watering schedule. Plants will not need watering as much in Fall or Winter as they will in Spring and Summer. As a general rule of thumb, orchids need to be watered every 5 – 10 days, but in summer you will have to adjust your watering schedule. Remember that all orchids need shade during the middle of the day.
Fertilizing
Orchids, like most plants, need fertilizers, that primarily contain Nitrogen (N), Phosphorous (P) and Potassium (K) to produce vibrant, healthy orchids. There are two types available, organic and non-organic. Orchids depend on the suns’ rays to convert minerals into sugars, which are absorbed through their roots. The lack of mineral supplements will result in non-flowering plants. By following the directions on how to apply the fertilizer properly you will avoid the possibility of over–fertilizing and damaging your plant. Generally most orchids need fertilizing once a month.
Sunlight Exposure
Just like any other flowering plant, orchids need a regular dose of sunlight. Make sure they are not exposed to direct sunlight which can harm them, causing them to suffer sunburn and deplete their food reserves. The first indications of too much sun is yellow orchid leaves or leaves that are tinged with red.
One indication of not enough sunlight, is if the leaves are not a bright green. The leaves will be a moderate to light green color if they’re getting enough light.
Whether you are planting orchids outdoors or indoors, make sure they are exposed to filtered sunlight only.
If you are growing orchids indoors, make sure you take them outside on a regular basis so they can enjoy exposure to sunlight. Make sure you move them away from windows as the temperature near the window can drop between 15-20 degrees F cooler than the overall room temperature.
Orchids are not as fussy as we are sometimes led to believe. They easily adapt to the temperature in a home or a greenhouse. The first signs of the temperature being too low is when the leaves turn a dark green color and become mushy. If it’s too high the leaves look as though they’ve been sunburned.
For the plant to produce long lasting beautiful blooms, the humidity has to be around 60-80%. If the humidity drops then the use of a humidifier can help maintain the levels.
To control air movement, particularly if you’re growing them indoors, the easiest way is to open a door or use a small fan to circulate the air.
Growing Material
When growing orchids you need to have the correct size pot especially if you are considering propagation. If you grow an orchid in a pot which is too small, you are compromising the health of the plant. Orchids need air circulation around the roots to grow properly, so a pot made from wire, plastic, mesh or wood would be suitably adequate.
Orchids should only be repotted if it’s absolutely necessary. Some varieties don’t need repotting at all, as they don’t like being disturbed.
Orchids need a different mix of materials for them to grow strong and healthy, which you can make yourself. They consist of two types, Organic Fibers and Inorganic Materials.
- Organic Fibers choices are Fir Bark, Redwood Bark, Coconut Husks, Sphagnum Moss and Tree Fern Fiber
- Inorganic Materials consist of Charcoal, Lava Rock, Aliforare, Pearlite and Turface
Mix them all together and you have your own potting mix! You have now discovered exactly how to care for an orchid.
