Orchids Care
(i) Watering
How much water does orchids need depends on several factors including temperature, weather, the time of the year and the type of orchid. Plants use up more water in warm weather through transpiration, and also because It is generally warmer during summer and this is the main growing season for many orchids. While growing, orchids use up more water in producing leaves and pseudobulbs, pumping them full of food and water ready for the winter. On dull days, even in summer, plants use less water as they do not photosynthesis much when light levels are low.
Check your orchids every few days to see how quickly the compost is drying out, and to get know how heavy the post is when just watered and how much light it becomes when dry and in need of water. During the plant’s growing season, try not to let it dry out too often as this can lead to weak growth an the resulting pseudobulb may not flower very well. As most orchids grown in cultivation are epiphytic, avoid standing them in water as the roots will become too wet and rot. Always water your orchids from the top and let the excess water drain through.
In a green house, keep the pant on open, slatted benches to ensure that the excess water runs away from the pot. With indoor orchids on windowsill trays, move the plants to the sink to water them and leave them on the draining board to let the water run through before replacing them on the windowsill.
(ii) Feeding
Orchids are light feeder, in the wild that do not receive many nutrients where most of them grow, high up in the trees of the rainforests. Nevertheless, they will benefit from added fertilizer and those that are growing in inorganic potting mediums will rely on it. It is best for beginners not to worry about complex mixtures of different nutrients. Choose one brand of fertilizer and stick to it, at least for the whole of one season.
If you have mixed collection, different orchids may be growing at different times, so apply the basic rule of feeding when the plant is growing. During the growing season, the plants will benefit from a high-nitrogen feed to boast their growth. As the season comes to an end, switch to a high-potash fertilizer, which will help to ripen the pseudobulbs and encourage the flower spikes to appear.
(iii) Applying fertilizers
Liquid fertilizers can be unreliable, because if not shaken thoroughly before each use some of the nutrients can be left in the bottom of the bottle as sediment. Granular feeds can be diluted into a solution whenever required and will not go off so easily. However, take care to keep them in an airtight container to prevent moisture getting in and turning the feed into a hard mass. The best time to apply fertilizers to your orchids is when you water the plants. Add the fertilizer to the water and pour through the compost. You can also put the feed solution into a hand sprayer and apply it as a foliar feed with a fine misting over the leaves. Do not keep the mixed solution for too long as the composition may change over time, especially if left in sunlight.
As orchids do not like a strong feed, dilute the granules in double the amount of water recommended for normal houseplants and apply this on average every third watering during the growing season. This can be gradually decreased in autumn, then started again at the low rate in spring and increased to the summer programme later in the year. For those orchids that may still grow during the winter, mist lightly with a weak foliar feed on bright days when the plant will be able to make use of the extra food.
(iv) Humidity
A humid atmosphere is essential for all orchids. Humidity levels should be kept high during the summer when the plants are in active growth, but can be allowed to fall in winter when they are dormant.
Mist over the foliage of orchids in the home twice daily, using rainwater or softened water to prevent marking the leaves. Orchids on bark need vey thorough misting, since this is the only method of providing them with moisture.
Humidity can be provided by standing containers on trays of special expanded clay pellets available from orchid nurseries. Growing orchids in close proximity to each other and to other plants also increases humidity.
(v) Staking
Orchids with tall flower stems (most monopodials) need staking, since the weight of the flowers can cause the container to fall over. Plunge a thin stake into the growing medium near the flower stem as it emerges. As it grows, tie the shoot to the stake with short lengths of either wire or twine. Do not tie it too tightly or you may cause damage to the stem.
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