Indoor Orchids
You might think that orchids can only be grown successfully outside, but you would be wrong! Two excellent choices for indoor orchids are Moth Orchids and Lady’s Slippers. These two are especially popular because they are less particular about their environments and because they blossom on glorious stalks.
The Moth Orchid is one of the kinds 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.
The Lady’s Slipper is another excellent candidate for indoor orchids growth. 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 orchid growers love them particularly though because when mature, they will produce loads of blossoms throughout the year. So Lady’s Slippers make rewarding orchids for beginners because with a little proper treatment, they will reward you by making you look like a pro!
Sunlight is the first concern for growing indoor orchids. 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. Orchids are extremely sensitive to too much light.
Humidity can be a bit of a problem as well. Indoor orchids 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 orchids indoors or out.
Different kinds of orchids require different variations in temperatures, and that of your house could determine whether or not your orchid will grow or blossom. Moth Orchids 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.
Watering orchids 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 fertilize your orchid 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 orchids at your local gardening shop. Good luck with your first foray into the wonderful world of growing indoor orchids!
