Orchid Care Blog

Friends of orchidists often remark that growers...

Here are more orchid-growing tips (continued from my last post)...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Friends of orchidists often remark that growers spend much time in the greenhouse, seemingly doing nothing but brooding over the plants.

But there is purpose in this 'brooding.

' Careful inspection of the base of bulbs will occasionally reveal a need for repotting that would be missed by cursory observation.

If growth of the new bulb progresses too far or if the roots become too long, it is almost impossible to repot without knocking them off.

New growths appear as though by magic but may remain undetected for a considerable time unless the plant is watched closely.

It is an incidental reward of such care that other damage may be avoided.

The base of a bulb is a favorite hiding place for scale, and the pest may have injured the new shoot before being discovered.

Sometimes, too, it is found that the new eye has been buried in the medium and the new growth has rotted off.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I'll post more orchid care tips soon!

- Sara

It should never be done unless the...

Here are more orchid-growing tips (continued from my last post)...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It should never be done unless the plant is in active growth.

Repotting in flower sheath is inadvisable, since it usually results in loss of the flower.

The ideal moment is just before the tiny new roots break through the tissue.

If the plant can be caught at just this time and repotted without injury to these budding roots, they will immediately take hold of the new medium and the shock will be comparatively slight.

There are some plants that are such prolific and vigorous growers that they put out new growth and a flower sheath at the same time.

In such cases it will be wise to repot when the bulb has attained a size larger than that of the previous year, provided that no dark shadow of bud appears at the base of the flower sheath when the plant is held to the light, and that the roots show sign of strong and immediate growth.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I'll post more orchid care tips soon!

- Sara

Just as important as housing and balance,...

Here are more orchid-growing tips (continued from my last post)...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just as important as housing and balance, repotting may appear to present almost insuperable obstacles to the inexperienced grower.

The difficulties, if advice against overcrowding the greenhouse has been heeded, will not prove to be so great.

Repotting is not something that can well be postponed, for, once the precise moment for repotting is past, it is best to hold the plant over for another year-the only exception to this being in extreme cases involving the life of the plant.

This enforced holdover may result in retarded development and the appearance of a smaller new bulb.

Next season's flowers may be fewer and poorer or there may be no flowering at all.

It is one of the paradoxes of orchid growing that the plants require repotting at regular intervals, yet they resent shock and suffer from the procedure if every circumstance is not just right.

The best time to repot varies by genus but in most cases it is soon after flowering when the live eye at the base of the most recent pseudobulb begins to swell and form a new growth.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I'll post more orchid care tips soon!

- Sara

Constant watchfulness and faithful observation are perennial...

Here are more orchid-growing tips (continued from my last post)...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Constant watchfulness and faithful observation are perennial 'musts/ but they and the details of maintaining balance will soon become second nature to the beginning orchidist.

The gradual realization of the dream of having the fragrant glory of the tropics at hand will be the reward.

WITH the appearance of the long-awaited first flower in his greenhouse, the amateur quite justifiably feels a warm glow of achievement and pride.

He will find, however, that this is no time to bask in the glory of the moment, for, almost overnight, the greenhouse has quickened with life.

New growths glow a healthy red and the emerald-green tips of new roots peep from the potting mixture and even from breaks that are apparently dead roots.

These are signals that the potting season is at hand.

The demand of the orchid for periodic repotting is another characteristic setting it apart from other plants grown under artificial conditions.

It is common to most orchids out of their native environment.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I'll post more orchid care tips soon!

- Sara

It is advisable to have the water...

Here are more orchid-growing tips (continued from my last post)...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It is advisable to have the water supply analyzed and a remedy for deficiency suggested by a local chemist.

Some growers collect rain for watering, but if this is done they should be sure that the roof has not been sprayed with any injurious paint or stain.

Other growers dip watering cans into vats containing water whose pH has been altered by the addition of acid.

Hydrochloric acid is most frequently used, but resultant acidity should be checked by some sort of acid meter.

It is wisest to consult a chemist about exact methods.

This introduction to the techniques of balance may seem un 1 Distilled water is neutral, being neither acid nor alkaline, and has been designated as pH 7 (pH-parts hydrogen), the number seven representing this neutrality.

Numbers above 7 denote increasing alkalinity; numbers below 7 increasing acidity.

Water of 4.5 to 5 has sufficient acid content for orchids.

duly complicated, but the amateur should not be discouraged, because these techniques will actually be less involved than they sound in the telling.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I'll post more orchid care tips soon!

- Sara

Light spray over the top of the...

Here are more orchid-growing tips (continued from my last post)...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Light spray over the top of the potting material supplies enough moisture to prevent shriveling.

Damping is the simplest of the watering operations.

Its virtue is enhanced because it is hard to do damage with this method.

It consists of watering down the walls, floors, paths, and benches between the pots.

In most climates this should be almost a daily procedure, omitted only when the house is too cold or the outside air too damp.

But there is one caution that should be heeded.

It is popularly believed that orchids grow in steamy jungles.

This is a misapprehension.

What takes place in the jungle is rapid evaporation.

Steam is injurious to orchids, and when the house is being damped down, care should be taken not to play the water on hot pipes.

Finally, it is imperative that the plants have water with an acidity reading of approximately 4.5 to 5 pH.1 Where the local water supply is very alkaline, some method of putting it on the acid side must be arranged.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I'll post more orchid care tips soon!

- Sara

The amateur will soon learn to recognize...

Here are more orchid-growing tips (continued from my last post)...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The amateur will soon learn to recognize signs of well-being or need in his plants.

Jewel-tipped roots and fat, rosy growths are indications of health.

Root growth is usually, though not always, apparent, and pots indicating healthy roots can be watered more frequently than those where root growth is doubtful.

The latter should be treated to plentiful overhead spray.

This brings us to consideration of the importance of the overhead spray.

Orchids appreciate diffused water as they do diffused light.

A fine spray makes a hot, dry day bearable for all the plants.

A daily spray is routine except for dark, cold days in winter; at the height of summer two or more sprays a day will be gratefully re ceived.

Daily light spraying over the potting material is prescribed for tiny seedlings, backbulbs without roots, sick plants, and newly potted plants.

Healthy roots attest the value of this treatment.

Some growers pot with damp material and allow the newly potted plants to go without pot watering until roots show.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I'll post more orchid care tips soon!

- Sara

They need cooler conditions during dormancy. When the...

Here are more orchid-growing tips (continued from my last post)...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

They need cooler conditions during dormancy.

When the new growth is made and the joints of the cane begin to swell, indicating initiation of flower growth, they must be given large amounts of water and moved to a warmer spot.

It will be helpful to the grower to have some method of marking plants after watering so that he will not water them again too soon.

Segregating plants of one kind is not very satisfactory, since orchids are individuals and one will dry out sooner than another.

Marbles or colored stakes in the pot may answer the purpose.

But no mechanical system is infallible and any system must be supplemented by close observation.

Signs of need for watering are easily distinguishable.

The experienced grower 'hefts' or weighs the pot in his hand: if light, watering is indicated.

The dry pot leaves no ring on the bench.

The appearance of the potting material is an indication, but not always an accurate one.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I'll post more orchid care tips soon!

- Sara

Phalae-nopsis, also pseudobulb-less, must not be allowed...

Here are more orchid-growing tips (continued from my last post)...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Phalae-nopsis, also pseudobulb-less, must not be allowed to dry out entirely.

Watering of this species must be done with care to prevent water from remaining in the crowns, a condition that is conducive to the growth of fungus.

Oncidiums must not be allowed to shrivel.

They need a great deal of water when growth is being completed and flowering is beginning, but require less after flowering.

The bulbs of Cym-bidiums should not be allowed to shrivel.

Standing pots on damp gravel on the floor seems to give them the warmth at the top and coolness below that they find congenial.

They prefer water at the roots at all times, but the potting mixture should be well drained and not soggy.

Cypripediums have no bulbs and require copious water at the roots.

Odontoglossums also require much moisture at the roots, and must be kept cool and shaded.

Evergreen Dendrobiums will require a moderate amount of water at the roots at all times, but the deciduous Dendrobiums must be allowed to dry out thoroughly during dormancy, at which time they resemble dry bamboo canes.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I'll post more orchid care tips soon!

- Sara

Yet, if there is any doubt, it...

Here are more orchid-growing tips (continued from my last post)...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Yet, if there is any doubt, it is far better to err on the dry side.

Dryness will deter growth, but too much moisture will kill the plant.

If water remains in the pot and does not dry out in a week or ten days, it is likely that the roots will have rotted off.

The pseudobulbs will shrivel and the leaves droop.

Many amateurs mistake this for an indication of dryness, and treat the pot to another drubbing, thus rotting the remaining roots and probably killing the plant.

A plant that shows signs of shriveling from lack of roots will often respond to a daily gentle overhead spray.

Laelias and other plants with light, heat, and air requirements similar to the Cattleyas need about the same watering treatment.

Laelias like slightly more water after complete growth and before flowering.

After flowering they will require slightly less.

Vandas, since they are without pseudobulbs, must have water at all times, but their lusty aerial roots will take care of some deficiency in watering by taking moisture from the air.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I'll post more orchid care tips soon!

- Sara