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Care for Your Orchids
Orchid growers, whether beginner or experienced, all want the same
thing — success in growing their plants. Several factors will
determine the ease or difficulty you will have in growing orchids.
Consider these factors:
- Where you will grow your plant
- How much light you have
- The temperature variations
- How much time you will have to invest in your orchid collection.
A beginning orchid grower will want to purchase an established
plant, preferably one which is in bud, with one or two flowers open.
Although this may be slightly more costly initially, the chances
of successful growing are higher. More experienced growers may experiment
with growing seedlings, orchids from flasks, or even propagation.
Light:
Orchids vary in their need for light, depending on variety. The
Phalaenopsis, for example, is on the lowest end of the light requirement,
whereas the Vanda is at the highest. As a general rule, most orchids
will grow and thrive in as much light as they can tolerate without
burning. Diffused light is the best orchids will not generally
tolerate direct sunlight. A darker growing environment may be augmented
with grow lights. Check your specific orchid for individual light
requirements.
Temperature:
Temperature ranges for orchids are generally divided into 3 categories:
warm, intermediate and cool.
Exact temperature may vary, however, these are the most common
ranges:
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- Warm
80-90 degrees F - day
65-70 degrees F - night
- Intermediate
70-80 degrees F - day
55-65 degrees F - night
- Cool
60-70 degrees F - day
50-55 degrees F - night
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Many orchids, like people, prefer intermediate temperatures, however,
some orchids actually require a significant temperature change between
day and night in order to grow well. Check the care specific to
your plant to be sure. An over-under thermometer will help you to
check the temperature ranges in your growing environment.
Humidity
Ideal humidity range for most orchids is between 40 and 70 percent
during the daytime. An important thing to keep in mind is that humidity
is measured as the amount of moisture in the air, not on the plants
or in the potting medium. Humidity may be measured with a hygrometer,
which may be purchased in many nurseries or hardware stores.
There are several ways to increase humidity around the plants.
In a greenhouse, watering the floor will raise the humidity level.
For house growing, the easiest is to set your plants on trays filled
with gravel, rock or marbles. Make sure that the bottoms of the
pots do not sit in water. It is also a good idea to remove the rock
or pebbles every month or so and wash them in a mild solution of
bleach and water to remove algae or bacteria. A small fan blowing
over the water will help to evaporate the water and increase humidity.
Commercial or home humidifies may be purchased to help increase
humidity. If you need to be away, you may put your humidifier on
a timer during the day.
Air Movement
Moving air is essential to orchids. Stagnant air, combined with water
sitting on leaves or plants is an invitation to fungus and bacteria.
Moving air helps to reduce these risks. Air movement helps to evaporate
any water, and also helps cool the leaves as temperatures rise, and
eliminates cold pockets of air which may develop. Ceiling fans are
an ideal source of air circulation for orchids, however, you may also
run a small, inexpensive fan, directing the air movement away from
the plants. In the greenhouse, you will need to run enough fans so
that you do not have dead-air space.
Growing Environments
Many orchids may be successfully grown in the house, the greenhouse,
and out-of-doors, depending on your geographic location, whereas some
are very specific about their environments. Checking with local growers
and orchid enthusiasts in your area will help you to grow orchid plants
successfully, and in the environment in which they will thrive.
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