Whoever said, "The more you learn, the less you know," probably cared for Orchids.

When I brought home my first Orchid, indoor care was not something I worried about. After all, how hard could it be? It's just a flowering plant. Right? But, I soon realized that there is a lot to growing a healthy orchid. Indoor Care is actually even trickier - from selection and positioning to watering and feeding, to temperature and humidity, etc. Learning to grow them is a life long study, but with good information, taking care of these amazing plants is a lot easier and a lot less stressful.

Here are 10 simple tips that helped me get started (the first tip is probably the most important).

1. Find a reliable guide book that you can continue to refer to and start learning (before you purchase an Orchid).

Any good reference should start with the basics. Clear explanations and simple instructions are important. It should be written for beginners, as well as advanced growers. Also, your guide should be an all-in-one resource that you can continue to refer to as you move on to more advanced care.

I recommend Nigel Howell's, Orchid Care Expert, A Practical Guide to Orchid Care. This is the best reference to start with and then refer to. It was written for beginners, as well as advanced growers.

Here is a link to Nigel Howell's website that you can click on to learn more or download a copy.

2. Select an Orchid that is suitable to your conditions.

There are roughly 35,000 species, each with its own temperament and ideal growing conditions. Orchids from different regions and climates obviously require different conditions to thrive and bloom. If you already have a favorite in mind, learn what it needs before bringing it home. Otherwise, one of the easiest and most popular Orchid indoor varieties to care for is the White Phalaenopsis, also known as the White Orchid, or Moth Orchid (because of the resemblance). Its flowers are generally larger than other color Orchids, and typically bloom for up to three months.

3. Inspect an Orchid's leaves, roots, flowers, and bulbs to ensure that it is healthy.

The leaves of an Orchid should be smooth, firm, medium green, and stiff. Dark green leaves mean the plant is not getting enough light, while yellowish-green or red leaves indicate that it is getting too much light. Yellow damaged leaves are probably a sign of overwatering. Also look for "roadmaps," or ridges on each leaf. If any are present, or if the leaves are long, dark green, and floppy, move on to the next Orchid as these are signs of an unhealthy plant.

Healthy roots are firm and whitish or silvery in appearance.

The number of flowers on an Orchid usually indicates the health of the plant. An Orchid with wilted flowers should not be purchased, because the flowers aren't going to last much longer.

Orchids with numerous buds are ideal. Flowers on orchids without buds generally won't last as long as those with buds because the flowers have been on the Orchid for a longer period of time.

4. Open your windows during the Summer months, and keep your Orchid in a room with a ceiling fan (or use an oscillating fan) that constantly moves the air at a low speed, to ensure adequate ventilation and air circulation, and prevent bacterial and fungal diseases.

5. To create a humid climate for your Orchid, consider purchasing a humidifier for the room, or, lightly spray water on its leaves once in the morning during the summer months, and keep the potted plant in a tray of pebbles or gravel in which the water level is at the bottom of the pot.

As the water evaporates, it will increase the moisture around the leaves by 50%. This will help the orchid bloom for months.

6. Maintain regular household temperatures (Daytime 75-85° F and Nighttime 60-85° F) for long-lasting blooms.

Orchids make energy during the day and store it at night. This process is what gives Orchids their blooms. An average difference of 10-15° F between daytime and nighttime helps the plant grow healthy foliage and beautiful flowers.

Hotter temperatures may set them back in their ability to grow and produce flowers. And colder temperatures can cause the Orchids to stop budding.

7. For indoor Orchids, bright indirect sunlight is best, because direct sunlight can scorch leaves and cause fewer and smaller flowers to bloom.

Placing your new plant in an East or West window is best. A Southern window is ok for your Orchid as long as it is protected from direct sunlight (behind a sheer curtain or blinds). And a Northern window is acceptable only if the sunlight is being reflecting into the window off of something outside. If adequate sunlight from a window is not available, some Orchids (Phalaenopsis) grow well under four-foot tall fluorescent tubes.

Take a look at the leaves of your Orchid daily, and remember from your inspection at the greenhouse that:

Dark Green = not getting enough light

Yellowish-Green or Red = getting too much light

If your plant was sent by mail, expose it to sunlight a little at a time over several weeks, and if you suspect your Orchid is exposed to too much light, feel the leaves. If they feel noticeably warmer than the surrounding air, move the plant to a location with less intense brightness.

8. Water your Orchid by drenching it over the sink with room temperature (above 60° F) rain water (or filtered tap water), early in the day, approximately once a week (5-12 days) during the winter, and twice a week during warmer months.

9. Identify and use fertilizer specifically formulated for your Orchid in order to help it grow faster and bloom sooner.

It should contain nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K), along with trace elements such as iron in the correct proportions. Potassium (K) and Phosphorous (P) are mainly for flower production and development, while Nitrogen (N) is generally for healthy vegetative growth. Orchids potted in a bark mix, should get an orchid fertilizer with higher nitrogen content (30-10-10), and Orchids planted in a peat-based mix, or moss, you should use a standard balance (20-20-20).

10. Feed your plant a water soluble Orchid fertilizer after every other watering (about once or twice a month depending on the type of Orchid and its conditions).