Orchids for Beginners

The last post was all about interesting attributes and intriguing stories about orchids.  Now that your appetite is expanding for orchids, we’ll teach you how to grow them!  There are lots of interesting species orchids, but the easiest to grow are some of the new hybrids.  Once you get your feet wet with the orchids described below, you can branch out into more intersting varieties.  You will have the confidence and the green thumb to keep growing.

Phalaenopsis Hybrids

There are a lot of ways you can describe a Phalaenopsis orchid.  Some people call them the “Yews” of Orchids.  (Meaning, they are so common, like foundation plantings of yews, that they aren’t interesting.)  Their common name is the “Moth Orchid,” because the flowers look like moths.  These days, you can get these orchids at anywhere from Smith and Hawken to Home Depot.  They come in every imaginable color.  Here are the details you need to grow them.

Light:  Bright, diffused light.  NO direct sunlight.  (That will burn the leaves)

Water:  Water consistently when growing media dries out.  Do not leave it in a swampy soil.

Temperature:  Can tolerate temperatures as low as 55 degrees.  A cold night/warm day alternation will help spur blooming.

Humidity:  Does not like a drafty location.  Likes high humidity, but not wet leaves.  Sit pot on top of tray with pebbles and water to evaporate.

Feeding:  Feed with a dilute liquid fertilizer while plant is actively growing (pushing a flower stalk or new leaves)

Pruning:  Keep an eye on roots.  When you re-pot the orchid, trim off any brown roots.  Healthy roots will be fleshy and green.

Growing Medium:  This depends a lot on your individual watering habits.  If you tend to over-water, you will want to plant your orchid in medium sized bark.  If you under-water, you can pot in moss, which retains moisture.  Because the moth orchids are epiphytes (grow on trees), they do not like to sit in wet soil.

Dendrobium Hybrids

Dendrobiums are one of the other easy care orchids that you cand find almost anywhere.  If you properly care for them, they will reliably bloom.

Light: Overhead light source, full morning sun, shady mid-morning to mid-afternoon

Water:  Needs to dry out between waterings.

Temperature:  Prefers 80 degrees during the day, and 65 degrees during the night.

Humidity:  Likes 60% humidity, making it an ideal houseplant

Feeding:  A high nitrogen fertilizer  (25-9-9) can be used at one teaspoon per gallon, year-round

Pruning:  Does not need to be pruned frequently.  You may prune off flower stalks that are completely brown, but leave stalks that are still green so that they my photosynthesize and feed the plant.

Growing Medium:  Dendrobium orchids thrive in finely ground bark.

Ludisia discolor (Jewel Orchid)

Jewel orchids are grown more for their foliage than for their flowers.  They have lushly velvet textured dark green leaves with red veins.

Light:  Low light

Water:  Regular watering, when soil dries out

Temperature:  Likes temperate conditions (between 60 to 80 degrees)

Humidity:  Likes high humidity

Feeding:  Is not a heavy feeder

Pruning:  Grows like a weed!  You can divide this plant like you would divide a perennial and re-pot

Growing Medium:  Can grow in almost any soil.

The above three orchids are the perfect houseplants.  They are well adapted to the growing conditions of the home, and are impressive to visitors!