Lawn & Garden - Orchid Plant Care
About Orchid Plant Care
Introduction
Orchids are the largest and most diverse family of flowering plants in the world. It has two basic growth types: The monopodial such as phalaenopsis, and the sympodial such as cattleyas, laelias, and paphiopedilums. The monopodials are those where flowers are produced from the stem between the leaves, usually alternately from side to side. Sympodial orchid has a rhizome which sends out a shoot that develops into a stem and leaves and eventually produces flowers. Although each variety of orchids requires slightly different plant care, growing orchids is not really difficult and require very little care as long as it is given an atmosphere that best fits the home environment.
Light Requirement
Light is a key element in helping orchids flourish as a houseplant and the level of light that the plant receives is also an important consideration. Most orchid variety requires very bright light in order to grow and flourish. However, too much exposure to direct sunlight may cause plants to burn. Too little light, on the other hand, can also prevent plants from flowering. It is best to grow orchids near a window with supplemental lighting which can be a combination of cool white fluorescent and warm white.
Temperature Requirement
To ensure optimum growth, orchids need to have a daytime temperature ranging from 70 to 80 degrees F and a night temperature of 60 to 62 degrees F. Temperature fluctuation is necessary for orchids to have long-lasting blooms.
This means that orchids must produce energy in the form of carbohydrates during the day when the temperature is high and store that energy at night when the temperature drops.
Ventilation
As most houseplants, orchids do best with good ventilation. Proper air movement helps evaporates stagnant water trapped during watering where fungi and bacteria breed. It also helps orchids tolerate intense light without getting burnt leaves. Fresh circulating air provides a continual source of carbon dioxide and without it; the plant may eventually die from rot or infection.
Air movement in the house can be improved by opening windows during summer time to allow fresh air to come inside. During winter, an oscillating fan would be ideal to provide gentle breeze to the plant.
Watering
Orchids need good drainage and should be watered only when dry. It is recommended that watering be done once a week during winter time and twice a week during warm or dry weather.
The type of potting medium must also be taken into account when watering. Bark tends to dry out more quickly than sphagnum moss. Potting medium should always be damp but not soggy and it should not be allowed to get extremely dry also.
Misting or spraying of orchids is a must and should be done regularly using distilled water. But the plant should not be over-mist as it can cause high levels of leaf bacteria which can lead to premature decay of the leaves and the plant’s root system.
Re-Potting
Orchids are slow growers compared to other houseplants; hence, repotting can be done only once a year or every two years. Orchids don’t necessarily need a larger pot when repotting as the plant tends to concentrate its energy on root growth when transferred to an overly large pot, rather than developing new growth or foliage. When repotting, container must be filled with about 70% soil especially formulated to provide lots of air pockets for fragile orchid’s roots. It is also best to place the pot on top of a gravel-filled tray. Gravel should be kept wet and the bottom of the pot should be above water level. This will provide a very good humidity to the plant.
