Growing Orchids for Beginners
Here you’ll find tips on growing orchids for beginners,
as well as information on how to grow orchids. Growing orchids is easy
when you take to time to select orchids that match growing environment
in your home.
The Orchidaceae family is large and
varied, with 28,000 species growing in a wide range of environments.
Orchids can be found growing in tropical rainforests, clinging to a
tree limbs, or growing on rocky ledges.
In the 1800s,
orchids were taken from their natural habitats and sent to wealthy
patrons (who could afford the expense). Orchids are now widely
accessible and more affordable due to new methods of
propagation.
Thousands of plantlets can be grown in test tubes from a small
piece of a parent plant, although the orchids cultured from these
tissues do not begin blooming until they are five to six years old.
Species
that produce the larger blossoms are still best when grown in a
greenhouse environment, where light, temperature, and humidity are
ideal.
Growing
Orchids for Beginners – Understanding Orchid Flower Parts
The male and female parts form on organ, called the column. For
pollination to take place, the right insect must be drawn into the
flower and crawl around.
Orchids do produce seeds (which are
very tiny) as well. They require the presence of fungi before they can
germinate and grow. Orchid hybrids can be successfully created by
germination in agar jelly. It is possible to cross-breed different
species as well as genera.
The basic orchid bloom is made up of
three petals in the inner whorl, and three more petals (sepals) in the
outer whorl. Orchid flowers are designed to attract bees, insect,
birds, and even bats. They can grow from the pseudobulb, apex, or a
node between the leaf axil and plant axis.
A pseudobulb is a
storage organ that is located on the stem between two leaf nodes.
Flowers that grow from the orchid's apex develop in the center.
Axillary orchids are monopedial and can bloom many or just a few petals.
Growing
Orchids for Beginners - Growth Habits
Orchids
grow in two ways in the wild. They grow in trees or in the ground.
Orchids that grow in trees are called epiphytes (air plants). Orchids
that grow in the ground are called terrestrials (earth plants).
The following two terms describe the growth habits of orchids:
Monopodial,
or upright orchids develop stems that emerge from a crown, or foot.
When the plant matures, flower spikes emerge from the stem – in the
midsection between the leaves. Two orchids that are typically
monopodial are Lady’s slippers and moth orchids.
Sympodial, or
creeping orchids, develop a shallow creeping rhizome. A green shoot
that will eventually flower emerges from the tip of the rhizome.
Sympodial orchids include cattleya, dendrobium, and oncidium species.
Growing
Orchids for Beginners – Selection and Care
When
selecting an orchid, the most important factor to consider is whether
or not you can provide the ideal conditions for the orchid to grow and
thrive.
Environment and care requirements will vary slightly by orchid
species – if you are growing orchids for the first time, be sure to research the different types of species and
orchid care requirements before making a purchase.
Growing Orchids for Beginners - Environment and Care Requirements
Temperature
– What is the ideal day/night temperature range?
Humidity –
How much humidity does the orchid require? Will it be above what is
considered “normal” indoor humidity?
Air Circulation
– Can you provide adequate fresh air circulation?
Water Requirements
– How often will the orchid need to be watered? Will it increase during
the growing period?
Fertilizer Requirements
– How often? How much?
Potting
Requirements – What is the appropriate potting medium,
container, or
mount? How often will the orchid need to be repotted and/or
propagated?
When you are ready to buy an orchid,
look for plump roots, with no bruises or soft spots on the crowns.
Purchase mature plants that are on the verge of producing a flower
spike.
Be aware -
orchids in full bloom, or are on the verge of
blooming are usually priced higher than those that are not ready to
flower.
More Information Related
to Orchid Care
Get
to Know the Different Types of Orchids