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General Orchid Care



General Orchid Care: Light, Water, Fertilizer, Potting, Summering Outdoors



Light





Orchids tend to be categorized into one of three groups: low-light, intermediate or high-light. As such, people are often told to grow their plants like "insert orchid genus here". The problem with this advice is the amount of variability within each group of orchids. But it does give us a starting point.


Better advise might be to give your orchid as much light as you can without detriment to the plant. But what does that mean?

Generally speaking, the more light you can provide your plant, the better it will grow and flower for you. At some point, too much light starts to harm the plant and you will need to moderate how much light you provide.

If a plant isn't used to a lot of light (particularly direct sunlight) you can damage it, so slowing acclimating the plant to more light is important.


As we said, knowing whether your plant is a low-light. intermediate or high-light orchid is a start. Begin by giving your orchid as much bright, indirect light as you can. Only the most sensitive of low-light plants will be harmed by too much indirect light. If your plant prefers intermediate to high light, provide an hour or two of direct sunlight in the early morning our late evening when the sun's rays are less intense. Feel a leaf of your plant while it's in the direct sun. If it is warm to the touch, it may be too much light. Remember to acclimate your plants slowly to more and more direct sunlight.

Besides burned leaves, you'll know your plant is getting too much light as the leaves begin to bleach-out, loosing their bright green color. When (if) this happens, reduce the amount of light and take note that this is the maximum amount of light for this plant.

Another method of knowing the maximum light level for your plant is to simply observe its flowering habit. If it's blooming regularly and you're happy with its flower production, then consider it good. There's no need to stress the plant with too much light, just to see how much you can get out of it.



Water & Fertilizer





WaterLike light requirements, different orchids have different water needs. Generally speaking (and there's always exceptions to the rule) the more light an orchid requires, the more the orchid will want to dry out between watering. For example high-light orchids like Cattleyas, Dendrobiums and Vandas will want to dry out completely between watering. Lower light orchids like Paphiopedilums and jewel orchids will want to remain moist. Then there are orchids like Phalaenopis and Oncidiums that like to go slightly dry between watering, while retaining some moisture deep within the pot.Your watering regime then, depends on the needs of your orchid NOT on the day of the week. Too often we are asked how often to water. Or we are told: "I water once a week". Our answer is simply to water when the plant needs it, not when your schedule tells you to.

The quality of water you use, can be important with some orchids. Most orchids do fine with municipal water sources or well water.
Never use water that has gone through a water softener. The salt levels can adversely effect your plants, if not kill them. In our area, the local tap water is fine for most of our orchids. If you're having problems growing your orchids and you suspect the water, the best advise is to use rain water, water from a dehumidifier or air conditioner, or bottled water to prove this out.

Probably the most important information in this section is when you water, water well. Then don't water until the plant needs it. Don't worry about drowning your orchid when you water. Give it a good drink. You can't 'over water' your plant when you water, you can only water it too often. Providing excess water will also help wash out any salt buildup you might have in your mix.
Fertilizer
Most orchids don't require a lot of fertilizer. When fertilizing, we advise watering your orchids with plain water first. After several minutes (or even up to an hour or more) fertilize with an all-purpose fertilizer that has been diluted to 1/2 to 1/4 strength. An all-purpose fertilizer is one that has approximately the same amount of Nitrogen, Phosphorous and Potassium in it's makeup. Something like 10-10-10 or 20-18-20. The numbers don't need to be exact - just close.
Fertilizing once a month is usually plenty.



Potting & Mixes





What mix do I use?

It has been said that you can grow almost any orchid in any media or mix as long as you water it according to it's needs. With this thought in mind, we advise you to choose the potting mix that fits the needs of your orchid and your watering habits.
For orchids that like to go dry between watering, we use a bark mix. Cattleyas and Dendrobiums are prime examples of these type of orchids. Our bark mix contains coconut husk chips which act as sponges, absorbing water for pockets of moisture between waterings. Spongerock and bark provide ample air flow around the roots as well as something for the roots to adhere to.

For orchids that prefer (or need) constant moisture, we like to use long fiber sphagnum moss. It holds a lot of moisture while allowing ample air flow around the roots. Unfortunately, when used in pots larger than 4-inches in diameter, the weight of wet sphagnum moss can smother the roots. In these cases, a bark mix is our media of choice.

One exception to this, is our slipper orchids. We use our bark mix for Paphs. and Phrags. because the bark mix allows for better air flow around the roots. In these cases, we simply water more often.

We especially like sphagnum moss for our Oncidiums and Phalaenopsis orchids because we let the moss tell us when it's time to water: When the top of the moss goes dry, it's time to water. If in doubt - don't! Wait a day or two, then water. We know that moss, even though it's dry on top, it's still moist around the roots deep within the pot.


Pots: Plastic vs. Terracotta/ceramic pots

Simply put, you can use either. Both work. We use plastic whenever possible for the following reasons:

1) Plastic retains more moisture, longer

2) Re-potting is easier because roots don't glue themselves to plastic like they do to clay pots - Therefore there is less damage to the roots when re-potting

3) Plastic is lighter and easier to hang in our greenhouse and less cumbersome to transport.

4) Sterilizing plastic pots is easier than clay pot.


When the advantages of using clay outweigh the advantages of plastic, we use terracotta. We never use 'orchid pots' (the ones with the holes in the side), since there is no advantage to using them and the holes only cause problems when repotting. If you like the looks of the orchid pots (and we DO!!!) we suggest slipping your plastic pots inside the decorative orchid pots while displaying your plants and flowers.


Pot size

Choose a pot size to fit your orchid roots. Don't 'over pot'.

Use a pot that's large enough to fit your roots into and allows, just enough room, to get your mix in and around the roots. No more than that. More orchids are killed by potting them in pots that are too big.

A pot that is to large does not allow for ample air flow around the roots. This causes rot. If you can fit your roots back into the pot they were in, and still fit the mix in, and round the roots, then use the same pot.

This brings us to our most important point: Re-pot every year. The whole idea behind re-potting is to replace the old mix BEFORE it breaks down and rot your roots. You will also what to re-pot your plant when you first get it. Chances are, when you first receive your orchid, it is long overdue for re-potting. Repotting now, also gets your plant into a mix that you are familiar with and can work with. Sometimes, what's on the surface, isn't whats found below!!!
This also gives you an opportunity to inspect your roots. Your roots are your window into the health of your plant. The more roots you have and the healthier your root system, the healthier your plant will be. It is often said: Grow your roots and the rest of the plant will follow.



Summering out side





There are many reasons for considering to grow your orchids outside. Particularly for those of us who do not live in tropical areas. For many, summer conditions are much better suited for growing these tropical beauties than our indoor conditions permit. Better light, humidity, and air flow to name a few advantages.
There are also some downsides to growing out of doors as well. Excessive rain, pests and wildlife can all be problematic.
So the key to housing your orchids outside is to have them in a 'protected' area. By this, we mean:
1) Out of the elements where you can control when your plants get watered
2) Away from the pesky wildlife, like squirrels, deer etc.
3) Off the ground to help prevent pests from getting into the pots.
4) And perhaps most important: A place that provides the light your orchids need. It's important to make sure your orchids aren't getting too much direct sun where they are burned or their leaves become bleached out.

We have found that our east facing porch with an overhanging roof is ideal for many orchids. They get the direct morning light with bright indirect light for the rest of the day. They are protected from the rain while critters rarely venture onto the porch. Unfortunately, our porch can't hold all our plants, so we have 'shade areas' built out of the portable car ports made from steel tubing and plastic covers with added shade cloth for added protection from the afternoon sun.

If you do summer your plants outside, re-potting them in the fall as you bring them in for the winter, is a great opportunity to make sure they do not carry any pesky hitchhikers. Since we have so many, Fall is when we give everything a prophylactic spray to all our plants with a simple horticultural oil.


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sales@orchidenterprise.com | (202) 459-1352