Orchids are Beautiful Gifts and Easier to Care for than You Know!!!!!

Who is not amazed at the beauty of an orchid? They come in a variety of beautiful colors and are actually relatively easy to care for. They have been around for over one million years and have adapted to every country except Antarctica. There are over 35,000 species. The prettiest is said by some to be the Orchidaceae. Orchids attract bugs to pollinate them by scent, bees, rancid smell, flies and by mimic by looking like bees and butterflies by the look of it's petals. There is also a species called the slipper orchid that insects fall into them. The only way out is by first passing by the pollinia and thus it is pollinated. There is also a species that hangs lo to the ground and crawling insects pollinate it. They are also pollinated by bats, hummingbirds and the wind. The Cattleya orchid actually likes to grow hanging onto trees. In 1818 William Cattley became the first man to force an orchid to bloom. People began taking them from putting them on the endangered species list. A single orchid began selling for thousands of dollars.

Orchids like low to moderate light although be sure and check your species as some need more light. They can bloom for months at a time bringing beauty to your home. One of the most popular varieties is Phalaenopsis. It is amazing how many varieties the there actually are.

They also are the easiest to care for. Be sure your orchid is planted correctly. They need room to get air and don't like their roots get too wet. Orchids love high humidity and will do well in a bathroom with the right kind of light.

Phalaenopsis

These are the easiest and most popular to grow. They prefer an east or shaded southern location. They do well with normal household temps but try to get the temp down to 60-65 degrees at night. Use this rule the more heat the more water especially if grown in pine bark In the summer it could be several times a week. Feel your medium for moisture to determine water needs. They do prefer 50% humidity so kitchen and bath may be best. If not try a humidity tray.

You can find orchid's at the grocery store for a very reasonable price but you might want to check out the growing medium and make sure your new specimen looks like it will do well for many years to come. There are several types of growing medium including lava rocks, coarse cedar and spanghum moss. You can also find mixtures for your particular plant.

Don't ever over water your orchid and be sure it drains well after you do water. You might want to put some gravel underneath your plant with a little water in it to increase the amount of humidity around your plant, just don't let the pot sit in the water. Some species actually do like a little moistness during growing seasons. This is another reason why it is so important to know what species you actually have.

You will know you need to your transplant your orchid if the rhizomes, or roots begin to hang over the top of the pot or the potting medium becomes soft and drains too slowly. Usually you only have to re-pot an orchid about once a year.

When you re-pot an orchid soak it in water first and then gently remove from the pot. Slowly strip all the old potting mix from the roots. You can even rinse with a little water. Take all the old dead roots off the plant. They are brown and thin. Healthy roots are thick and white.. You can cut off the old roots with scissors or a knife. I like to wipe my my scissors off with alcohol to keep my plants from becoming contaminated. Examine your orchid for any form disease or bug infestation. some specialists suggest putting your plant to rest in a darkened room without water for a day to let them become acclimated to the new pot.

Have fun with your plants and they will bring you months of blooms. They can take slight changes in environment but overly cold exposure can damage and decreaserebloom.

Recently with a lot of trial and error I have learned to water my orchids much less. They actually will do with about 3 T of water every 8 days if indoors in light to indirect light.

Another trick is to give them one ice cube or water per week. You may need two with a super big plant.

Sphagnum Moss is the most popular growing medium. It is spongy and wraps well around the plant. Soak in water for several minutes before you use. Never use old medium Squeeze out any excess water and wrap gently around the plant. Other growing medium are coconut husk and coarse medium like fir bark.One last growing medium is lava rocks. Orchids like packing peanuts in the bottom of the pot for good drainage Next place in low light until you feel the roots are beginning to take hold. To get your orchid to bloom again change lighting . An east facing window is best. Use an organic fertilizer once a month. You should see blooms before your know it.

Always water before you fertilize and be sure not to put dry food on the plant.

When picking an orchid to buy be sure and make sure it is not drowning in water. See how plump the leave and roots feel and make sure it does not feel sticky under the leaves, If it does it is the orchid may have bugs on it. This is why you need to be careful buy orchids at discount stores. The Wall Street Jounal article below is very informative on this.

References A History of Orchids by Merle A. Reinikka Gustavo A. Romero

You can Grow Cattleya Orchids

The Wall Street Journal Reference on picking Orchids 2002