How To Grow Orchids
It’s not Difficult to Learn How to Grow Orchids
There’s a saying among gardeners that “if you can grow houseplants, you can learn how to grow orchids.” You need to be cautious about light, water, and temperature just like with any other plant, and you need to have patience. It takes a minimum of seven years for an orchid to flower.
After all, lots of people must successfully growing orchids. The statistics alone indicate that there are over 800 families of orchids, 28,000 species in those families, and over 300,000 registered cultivars (hybrids). Orchids adapt to all types of growing conditions from the rainforest to the Arctic Circle, so there is no reason to believe that something like forgetting to water the plant a couple times will do any damage that is life threatening.
When you begin to learn how to grow orchids, you need to make wise choices as to which species is going to grow best in your particular climate or home environment. While some require colder or hotter temperatures, you will find that the middle choice applies to most indoor environments--high temperatures between 70 and 75 degrees and low temperatures never dropping below 60 degrees. You will have to live in a very tropical environment to grow some orchids which need day temperatures of 80 to 95 degrees and night temperatures not dropping under 70 degrees.
The orchid may have the most variable habitat conditions of any plant on earth. It grows in rainforests, swamps, tundra, grass-covered plains, deserts, and mountains. It is also one of those plants that requires a specific type of fungus be present before its seed can germinate. The orchid gets nutrients it needs to grow from the fungus, and in return, the fungus gets sugars due to photosynthesis from the orchid. Out of thousands of orchid seeds only one or two will ever find the appropriate fungus and grow into a plant.
People who grow orchids in greenhouses use agar, which is sterile, moist and contains sugar. Many orchids are grown in osmunda fiber or pine bark. Some people mix these materials with vermiculite, perlite or peat. Most orchids need lots of sunlight so putting them in a bright window area is a great location. Water whenever the orchid plant looks dry. Fertilize as necessary and repot every two years. Most of all, don’t ever let an orchid plant get too cold or be in a spot where it could get hit by frost.
Fresh pine bark is also a popular medium but is usually mixed with other elements before use. Materials are sometimes mixed with peat and perlite or vermiculite. Some orchids are even grown in pebbles mixed with bark. Most orchid roots are adapted to being exposed to air and harsh conditions, but cannot tolerate being wet for more than a day or two.
While you are learning how to grow orchids, check out these species that are among the easiest to grow--Cattleyas, Laelias, Oncidiums, and Epidendrumns, Just have a little patience and soon you will be showing off your flowering orchids.