Welcome to the Care Tips section where you will learn how we take care of our orchids. Most
of the methods we use are described in the video, "Anyone Can Grow Orchids...Even You!" by
Nature's Bounty Productions. This videocassette can be purchased through us, so make sure to ask us about it. These methods are used daily in our greenhouse and we hope that
you get the same success we have had with these methods.First of all, orchids have five basic needs such as Light, Water, Fertilizer, Humidity, and Air Circulation. You will need to learn all of the five basic needs to grow your orchids properly. This section is divided up in sections to make it easier for you to navigate through to find out what information you need.
Light
If you have too much light the plants will burn. The leaves might turn yellow or red and will eventually fall off. If you have a bloom, the flowers will not last long and if they are budding, most cases the buds will turn yellow and will not open. If there is not enough light the plants will not grow properly. The plant will have a hard time to bloom. If it does bloom, the flowers might be pale and smaller than when you purchased the plant from the grower.
So the easiest way is to know how much light your orchids need. For example: Cattleyas and Vandas need at least 3,000 to 3,500 foot candles of light to grow and bloom properly, wheras Ascocendas only need 1,500 to 2,000 foot candles to live healthy and bloom properly.
We recommend that you ask the grower you purchased the plants from how much light the plant you purchased needs to grow. Remember, you invested your money on a plant that you want to grow, and it is important that you keep your plant as healthy as possible. If a grower you are buying orchids from can not give you any information in growing your orchids, go to someone else to find an answer. Make sure the person you are asking knows what they are doing. Remember, a blind person leading another blind person, will always end up in a ditch.
You're probably wondering, "How can I find out how much light my plants receive now?" Well the answer is simple, we use a light meter. Light meters are not too expensive. You can probably get a pretty decent one for around $30.00 - $35.00. Which is a small price to pay to keep your plants healthy and blooming.
Water
Some orchids require a bigger water schedule than others. Plants in wooden baskets with free roots require more water than plants in a pot with a medium such as bark. Our strongest recommendation for the beginners is to not overwater your orchids. Remember this: Your orchids will last longer when they are dry than when they are always moist.
When the orchids are always moist, the leaves tend to turn yellow and fall off. The roots will often rot and the plant will eventually die. So it is really important that you pay close attention when you water your plants. The easiest way to find out is to stick a pencil in the pot until it reaches the bottom. If the tip of the pencil is wet hold off watering for another couple of days until it is dry. This will keep you roots from rotting and it will make your plants grow healthier.
The important thing is not to panic. The reason is because people tend to water more when the plant looks like it's dying. That is the worst approach when dealing with orchids. The best way is to always observe how you take care of your plants and learn from your personal experience.
Fertilizer
Fertilizer is always best applied in a dilluted form, somewhere in between 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoons per gallon of water. You're probably saying, "That's not enough." Well the reason why so little is less is better than too much. Over feeding can also make a plant really sick. If you feed yourself too much all of the time, what do you think will happen? Well you will probably get sick and have a hard time processing the food. Just like your orchids, if you feed them too much, they will not be able to process all of the food and eventually the plant will die.
Humidity
Our reccomendation is that if you decide to put your plants inside the house, be sure to always mist them. Another way you can solve the humidity factor is to use a humidity tray. A humidity tray is a shallow tray with a layer of gravel in shallow water. You can elevate the plant and place it over the tray. But be careful, make sure you do not place the plant into the water. This is important because if you do, the roots of the plant will soak up the water making it too moist. When this happens, the roots will decay and the plant will die. So make sure you're careful when you use a humidity tray.
Air Circulation
If you don't receive good air circulation, a way to improve the circulation is to use a electric fan. Make sure the fan you use has variable speeds so you can adjust it when you need it. All you really need is a slow speed for the fan. Try not to use a fast speed because you don't want the plant stems or flowers breaking. A gentle breeze will be more than enough to dry your plants.
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