How to Grow and Care for Orchids

Guide Note

Orchids: Elegant, beautiful, and impossible to grow. Or are they? If you think that the only good orchid is a fake orchid, think again! You can have live, beautiful orchids in your home if you follow the steps in this article to properly grow and care for orchids.

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• Step 1: Select the Right Species of Orchid
• Step 2: Choose a Good Location
• Step 3: Feed Your Orchid Carefully
• Step 4: Repot Your Orchid
• Orchid Pests and Diseases
• Conclusion
• References for How to Grow and Care for Orchids

Orchid Growing Tips

1. Choose the right species of orchid.
2. Place it in a good location.
3. Give it proper light, humidity, temperature and ventilation.
4. Water and feed it carefully.
5. Repot it every two years.

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Introduction

• Orchids have been a symbol of luxury and romance for hundreds of years.¹ Exotic and beautiful, they have an unfair reputation of being difficult to grow, even though there are over 35,000 species of orchid growing in almost every corner of the world save Antarctica.² If orchids can grow naturally in bogs, mountains and rainforests, they can certainly grow in your home!¹ We'll show you how.

About Orchids

• 

  (Creative Commons photo by terren in Virginia)
  The orchid flower is what makes the orchid unique.³

1. Each flower has 3 sepals and 3 petals.⁴
2. Each flower has a center lower petal called the lip.³
   • -Centered in the lip is a column which is a combination of male and female reproductive organs.³

• Orchids are extremely diverse.⁵

1. They are the most rapidly changing group of plants in the world of botany.⁵
2. Thousands of varieties of species of Orchids exist.⁶
3. Hundreds of thousands of hybrids exist.⁶

Types of Orchids

• There are four main types of orchids:⁷

1. Terrestrial orchids grow near the ground, mainly in marsh land.⁸
   • - Paphiopedilums and Cymbidiums are two examples of terrestrial orchids.⁸
2. Epiphytic orchids use their roots to hang onto rocks or trees.⁹
   • -They take in nutrients that fall to them, and absorb sunlight through their roots as well.⁹
   • -Most orchids are Ephiphytic orchids.¹⁰
3. Saprophytic orchids do not have any chlorophyll and grow on decomposing organic material. ⁷
4. Lithophyte orchids grow on hard surfaces like rocks and along the edges of cliffs. ⁷Their long roots help then hang onto the hard surfaces.⁷

Growth Habits of Orchids

• Besides the growth medium listed above, orchids can also be grouped by their growth habits.¹¹

1. Monopodial orchids grow from a single, upright stem.¹²
   • -The leaves are arranged opposite each other.¹²
   • -Examples of this type of orchid include the phalaenopsis and vandas.¹¹
2. Sympodial orchids grow horizontally, sending out new shoots as they grow.¹²
   • -More orchids are sympodial than monopodial.¹²
   • -Sympodial orchids form pseudobulbs, which store water and nutrients.¹²
   • -Examples include cattleya, oncidium, and cymbidium.¹¹

Step 1: Select the Right Species of Orchid

• Before selecting a species of orchid, you first need to look at the general environment of your home.¹³ The rest of this page will walk you through detailed information about your home gardening environment, but the following tips will help you make a few important initial decisions about specific types of orchids that may be best for you:

1. Choose an orchid that likes low light levels, such as Phalaenopsis, if you live in a house that does not get much natural light.¹³
2. Choose an orchid that likes high light levels, such as Cattleya, if you are going to place it near a bright window.¹³
3. Choose an orchid that does well in a cooler climate, such as Paphiopedilum, if you live in a temperate area with lower humidity.¹⁴

Best Orchids for Beginners

• The best overall orchid for beginners to grow is Phalaenopsis, which has long-lasting blooms and can bloom for up to three months.¹⁵ Phalaenopsis is also adaptable and hardy, which makes it easier to grow inside the home.¹⁶ Phalaenopsis are sometimes called the "Moth Orchids" due to the moth-like shape of their petals.⁶

1. Phalaenopsis thrives in medium fir bark.¹⁵
   • -Moderate to low light.¹⁷
   • -Temperatures should be 65 to 85 degrees F.¹¹
   • -Humidity somewhere between 40 to 80 percent.^{17 11}
   • -Do not allow the bark to dry out.¹¹

• According to the North of England Orchid Society, Cattleya orchids make good houseplants as well.¹⁴

1. Cattleya orchids have up to eight flowers on one stem, and require high light levels to bloom properly.¹⁴
   • -Cattleya like high light levels.¹¹
   • -They do well with humidity around 40 to 80 percent.¹¹
   • -Plant Cattleya in course fir bark, and alternate between keeping it wet and dry.^{11 5}
   • -During the winter, reduce the amount of water to once every ten days or so.⁵

• If you live in a cooler climate, you might choose to raise Paphiopedilum orchids, sometimes called the "Lady Slipper".^{14 18}

1. Paphiopedilum orchids can tolerate higher temperatures, but their medium should be kept moist in such conditions.^{18 5}
   • -Do not place Paphiopedilum orchids in full sunlight.¹⁸They prefer to face east or west, with indirect sunlight.¹⁵
   • -Paphiopedilums like moist, but not soggy potting medium, which should be a mixture containing bark, or a peat-based medium.^{18 5}

Challenging Orchids for More Experienced Growers

• 

  (Creative Commons photo by Francis Martin Hain)
  More experienced orchid handlers might like to try growing the following orchids:

1. Vandaceous orchids. Although popular, these orchids are best for experienced growers in part because they require high air movement and high humidity, which can be difficult to achieve, in order to fully thrive.^{19 5}
   • -Vandaceous orchids do not tolerate long, hot periods of weather, nor do they tolerate temperatures under 45 degrees F.^{19 5}
   • -Vandaceous orchids must be watered with good quality water, and only early in the morning.¹⁹
2. Catasetum orchids. Catasetums are very sensitive to handling.¹⁹ These beautiful orchids "shoot" pollen at nearby insects, and a slight brush of a finger can trigger the pollinarium to burst.¹⁹
   • -Catasetum are deciduous, dropping their leaves just before blooming.²⁰
   • -Catasetum like moist, warm air, with bright light.¹⁹

Step 2: Choose a Good Location

• Orchids will grow and bloom beautifully, as long as they are kept in the proper location. They need a carefully balanced amount of light, humidity, ventilation and temperature in order to thrive.

Let There Be Light

• Light is the most important factor in getting your orchid to bloom properly.²¹ Too much light, and your orchid show signs of sun burn: Yellowish foliage, and a weak, dehydrated appearance.²² Too little light, and your orchid will not be able to bloom.²²

1. Make sure your orchid gets enough light!²³
   1. Not giving the orchid enough light is a common mistake made by people who are just beginning to learn how to grow orchids.²³
   2. Although the orchid may look pretty in that dark corner, but leave it there and its leaves will turn limp and dark green, and it will fail to bloom.²⁴
2. Watch the foliage to determine how much light an orchid needs.²¹ The leaves should be a medium light green color to begin with for most orchids.²¹
   1. If the leaves suddenly become very yellow, develop sudden brown splotches or orange patches, this means the plant is getting too much light.²¹
   2. If the leaves turn a dark green, this means the plant is not getting enough light.²³

Humidity

• Different orchids thrive under different conditions of humidity. In general, most orchids do well with a daytime humidity of 40 to 60 percent.²³

1. Cattleya orchids enjoy a daytime humidity of 40 to 80 percent.¹¹
2. Phalaenopsis orchids do well with a humidity level of 40 to 70 percent, although other orchid experts suggest a humidity level of 50 to 80 percent.^{11 17}
3. Paphiopedilum are among the many orchids that thrive in environments with 40 to 60 percent humidity.¹¹

• There are ways you can increase the amount of humidity in your home:²⁵

1. If the air is dry, place the orchid in a shallow dish filled with water and rocks or pebbles.²⁵ The water level should reach to just below the tops of the pebbles.²⁵
2. You can mist your orchid, but do it in the morning, so that it will evaporate quickly in the daytime sun.²⁶ Otherwise, water may sit on the orchid and it will quickly rot.²⁶

Ventilation

• 

  (Creative Commons photo by Bernd Brägelmann)
  The movement of air is vital for the survival of orchids.²⁷ In the wild, tropical breezes help evaporate stagnant water, where bacteria can breed.²⁷

1. Place your orchid near an open window when the weather is nice.⁵
2. In the winter, use a small fan to stir the air near your orchid, and change the direction of the airflow frequently.⁵

Temperature

• Temperature is important because orchids need the temperature to fluctuate 10-15 degrees F between day and night in order to bloom.²³

1. For most orchids, a night temperature of 60 to 62 degrees F is ideal, but it can go as low as 55 degrees F.²⁸
   • -Remove any orchid plants near windows during freezing nights, as the air near the windows may be too cold for the orchid to tolerate. ⁵
2. A daytime temperature ranging between 65 to 80 degrees is ideal.²⁸
3. If it gets too hot during the day, keep the orchid humid and keep a breeze on it.^{28 23}

Step 3: Feed Your Orchid Carefully

• Orchids need to be watered and fed according to fairly strict guidelines.⁵Although not too complicated to grow, orchids can be picky when it comes to water and food.⁵

Watering

• It is important not to over water your orchid.⁵ In fact, over watering orchids is a common mistake many beginning orchid growers make.²⁴

1. Many beginners think that, because orchids are tropical, they like dense, steamy and hot environments.²⁴ They let their orchids sit in wet and soggy pots.²³ This will surely kill any orchid!²³
2. A good rule of thumb is to water when your medium is almost dry.⁵

• The following are some guidelines you should follow when watering your orchid.²⁹

1. Water early in the day.³⁰
2. Water once a week during the winter, and twice a week during warm and dry weather.²⁹
3. The smaller the pot, the more frequently the orchid will need to be watered.³¹

• The type of potting medium will affect how often you need to water your orchid.²⁹

1. Bark dries out more rapidly than moss.²⁹
2. The bottom of the medium, near the roots, might still be wet even if the top is dry.²⁹ Poke your finger an inch into the medium to check before watering.²⁹ Most orchids thrive when the potting medium is allowed to dry out a bit between waterings.³⁰

• The quality and temperature of the water used can affect your orchid's growth.²⁹

1. Tap water often has chlorine or other chemicals in it, which can harm the orchid.³²
2. Rainwater is best for watering orchids.³⁰

Fertilizing

• Orchids growing in the wild take nutrients from nearby decomposing vegetation, bird droppings, or rainwater.³³ Your orchid at home will need similar nutrients, so look for orchid food that contains the following:³⁴

1. Potassium (K), which controls flower and fruit development.³⁵
2. Phosphorous (P), which promotes flower production.³⁵
3. Nitrogen (N), which encourages healthy vegetative growth.³⁵ If your orchid is growing in bark, it will need more Nitrogen than those growing in moss.³⁵

• Use fertilizer sparingly. Orchids do better with too little fertilizer than too much.³⁴

1. Many growers prefer to err on the side of caution, using fertilizers with a ratio of 10-10-10.¹¹ Others like to use fertilizer with a 10-10-30 ratio.¹¹
   • -If your growing medium is bark, some experts suggest looking for fertilizer with a 10-10-30 ratio of Potassium , Phosphorus and Nitrogen respectively.³⁵
2. If your growing medium is not bark, some experts suggest using a fertilizer with a 20-20-20 ratio.³⁴

Step 4: Repot Your Orchid

• 

  (Creative Commons photo by Rebecca partington)
  Orchids usually need to be moved to a larger pot every two years at the very least.⁵It is necessary to repot when the body of the plant, not the roots, has grown over the edge of the pot.³⁶ The best time to move your orchid to a new pot is at the start of the growing season.⁵

1. Choose a pot only one size larger than your current pot and no bigger than that.³⁶
2. Choose and sterilize a cutting tool by passing a flame across it.³⁷
3. Ease the orchid out of the old pot, keeping the roots intact.³⁷
4. Carefully remove as much of the old medium from the orchid's roots as possible, and cut off any dead roots.³⁶
5. Place pebbles and a little bit of the new medium in the bottom of the new pot.³⁷
6. Place the orchid in the pot so that the crown is slightly below the rim of the pot.³⁷
7. Sprinkle the new medium into the pot, letting it sift down among the roots. ³⁶ Push it in gently, but allow for good circulation and do not bury the crown.³⁶
   • -You may need to stake the orchid to steady it.³⁷
8. Lightly water the orchid.³⁷

Orchid Pests and Diseases

• Last but not least, caring for your orchid means keeping a watchful eye out for signs of pests or diseases.³⁸ While the best defense is a healthy orchid, pests and diseases can be dealt with quickly if caught soon enough.³⁹

Pests

• Snails, slugs, aphids, ants, spider mites, and others will want to set up camp on your orchid.³⁹ Keep them away by doing the following:³⁸

1. Keep the growing area free of debris such as dead leaves, flowers, or old bark.³⁸
2. Check your orchid frequently for bugs hiding behind leaves or pseudobulbs.³⁸
3. If you find bugs, use a cotton ball dipped in alchohol to remove them manually.³⁹
4. Use a pesticide, but choose a pesticide created specifically for ornamental plants.³⁹

Diseases

• Viruses, bacterial and fungal infections can all strike orchids.⁴⁰

1. Viral infections have no cure and can strike without warning.³⁸ You can to prevent viruses from attacking your orchid by sterilizing all cutting tools and keeping the area around your orchid clean.³⁸
   • -Symptoms of a virus may include brown splotches and blotches in the leaves, and color streaking in the flowers.⁴⁰
2. Bacterial infections such as brown rot will cause wet, brown spots to appear on the leaves of your orchid.³⁹
   • -Causes include high temperatures and humidity, slugs and snails. ³⁸
   • -Cut away any infected areas with a sharp, sterilized blade, then dust the wound with an ornamental antibacterial agent.³⁸
3. Fungal infections include black and crown rot and usually arise from over watering or by letting water collect in the pot, leaves or flowers.³⁹
   • -Spray the plant with an ornamental fungicide.³⁸

Conclusion

• With the proper care, orchids can grow and thrive in anyone's home.¹⁰ Tend your orchid carefully, and it will reward you with months of bloom and years of life!¹⁰

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References for How to Grow and Care for Orchids

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} Beautiful Orchids: What is an Orchid?
2. ↑ All About Orchids: The Story of Orchids
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2} Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew: Orchidaceae
4. ↑ eFloras: Flora of North America: Orchidaceae Jussieu
5. ↑ ^{5.00 5.01 5.02 5.03 5.04 5.05 5.06 5.07 5.08 5.09 5.10 5.11 5.12 5.13 5.14 5.15 5.16} Horticulture Fact Sheet: Growing Orchids
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1 6.2} University of Illinois Extension: Home Hort Hints: Growing Orchids
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3} Conservatory of Flowers: Guide's Corner
8. ↑ ^{8.0 8.1} Brooklyn Botanic Garden: Hardy Terrestrial Orchids
9. ↑ ^{9.0 9.1} Britannica: Epiphytic Orchids
10. ↑ ^{10.0 10.1 10.2} The Orchid House: Orchids, The Ultimate Plant Hobby
11. ↑ ^{11.00 11.01 11.02 11.03 11.04 11.05 11.06 11.07 11.08 11.09 11.10 11.11 11.12 11.13} Gardener's Supply Company: How to Grow Orchids
12. ↑ ^{12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 12.4} Andromeda Botanic Gardens: The Orchids
13. ↑ ^{13.0 13.1 13.2} Central California Orchid Society: Choosing Your Orchid
14. ↑ ^{14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3} North of England Orchid Society: Popular Orchids Identification and Culture
15. ↑ ^{15.0 15.1 15.2} Royal Horticultural Society: Growing orchids - Cymbidium and Phalaenopsis
16. ↑ American Orchid Society: What is the Best Orchid for Growing in the Home?
17. ↑ ^{17.0 17.1 17.2} Colorado State Extension: Plant Talk: Orchid Phalaenopsis
18. ↑ ^{18.0 18.1 18.2 18.3} All About Orchids: Popular Orchids Identification
19. ↑ ^{19.0 19.1 19.2 19.3 19.4 19.5} Bribie Island Orchid Society: Vandaceous Orchids
20. ↑ CLAN Orchids: Cultural Information Sheet for Catasetum, Stanhopeas, and related Orchids
21. ↑ ^{21.0 21.1 21.2 21.3} The Orchid Society of Royal Botanical Gardens: Light
22. ↑ ^{22.0 22.1} Taunton Fine Gardening: Success With Orchids Indoors
23. ↑ ^{23.0 23.1 23.2 23.3 23.4 23.5 23.6 23.7} Clemson Extension Home and Garden Information Fact Sheet: Orchids
24. ↑ ^{24.0 24.1 24.2} The River Valley Orchidworks Beginner's Guide to Orchids: Orchid Growing Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
25. ↑ ^{25.0 25.1 25.2} Beautiful Orchids: Orchids Love Humidity
26. ↑ ^{26.0 26.1} DIY Network Gardening: Keeping Orchids Healthy and Blooming  
27. ↑ ^{27.0 27.1} Beautiful Orchids: Air Movement: Ventilation
28. ↑ ^{28.0 28.1 28.2} Beautiful Orchids: The Ideal Temperature
29. ↑ ^{29.0 29.1 29.2 29.3 29.4 29.5 29.6} Beautiful Orchids: Watering Your Orchid
30. ↑ ^{30.0 30.1 30.2} Lady Slipper: Paphiopedilum
31. ↑ University of Florida Extension: Tips on Growing Orchids in Florida
32. ↑ University of Vermont Extension: Growing Orchids Indoors
33. ↑ BAR Digest: Orchids and Mycorrhiza: A Lesson from the Wild
34. ↑ ^{34.0 34.1 34.2} American Orchard Society: How Do I Feed My Orchid?
35. ↑ ^{35.0 35.1 35.2 35.3 35.4} Beautiful Orchids: Orchid Food
36. ↑ ^{36.0 36.1 36.2 36.3 36.4} Orchid Society of California: Phalaenopsis Orchid Culture in the Home
37. ↑ ^{37.0 37.1 37.2 37.3 37.4 37.5} Chalet Nursery: Orchid Repotting Tips
38. ↑ ^{38.0 38.1 38.2 38.3 38.4 38.5 38.6 38.7 38.8} The River Valley Orchidworks Beginner's Guide to Orchids: Orchid Pests and Diseases
39. ↑ ^{39.0 39.1 39.2 39.3 39.4 39.5} White River Gardens: Orchid Pests and Diseases (66.3 KB PDF File)
40. ↑ ^{40.0 40.1} St. Augustine Orchid Society: Orchid Diseases (14.4 KB PDF FILE)