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 New improved techniques of propagation have brought the Orchid from the realm of the rare and expensive to the now
widely available and very reasonably priced. They are well worth any effort their care demands.
One plant will carry dozens of exotic blooms at once and the flowers last an incredibly long time. Orchids have some particular needs, all easy to provide for.
CARE AND CULTURAL TECHNIQUES GUIDE
Temperature at Nightime
Cool = 10 - 13°C (50 - 55°F)
Intermediate = 13 - 16°C (55 - 60°F)
Warm = over 16°C
A rise in temperature during the day of approximately 6 – 11°C (10 - 20°F) is very beneficial. To decrease temperature, place plants in a cool window or leave nearby window open 1 inch.
Humidity
Low = 30% to 50%
Intermediate = 50% to 70%
High = over 70%
Our homes in winter can be especially dry and static electricity is a sign of this. A humidifier is the ideal solution.
Consider also using a pebble tray, which is simply a deep tray (wider than the plant) filled with decorative pebbles and water. Stand the plant above the water to provide extra humidity or mist the plant daily to increase humidity.
Light Intensity (check while holding your hand approximately 2 feet above the plants)
Low = Almost no shadow at all
Intermediate = A slight shadow can be seen, but not perfectly clear (Bright but not direct on the leaves)
High = A sharp shadow should be seen. (Full sun in winter, dappled light in summer)
Water
Test the medium with your finger to see if it is cool and therefore moist (or use a water meter). Always water early in the day using tepid or room temperature water. Be careful not to over-water.
Infrequent = Allow the pot to dry out completely before the next watering.
Frequent = Water the plant again as it is approaching dryness, but before the pot is completely dry.
Very Frequent = Water the plant when the surface of the potting medium is dry to the touch, even though there is still lots of moisture down below. (In time, you will be able to tell by the weight of the pot whether to water or not.)
Fertilizer
Use about ¼ the recommended concentration of a flowering plant fertilizer such as 15-30-15 or an organic fertilizer.
Repotting
Plants that like very frequent watering will need more frequent repotting. Plants that like infrequent watering will need coarse grade ingredients. Generally, repot in the spring to early summer. However, plants that like to grow in cool situations prefer to be potted in the mid to late winter.
Neglecting to repot your Orchids may cause root rot as the planting medium decomposes.
GROWING TIPS
When growth is present on Oncidiums, Brassia or Cattleya (or anything that forms a pseudobulb) don’t let the plant dry out for too long.
Keep the plant more humid and water frequently to promote more vigorous growth for better blooming. Reduce watering to infrequent when growth is mature and pseudobulb is fully formed.
If you are having problems blooming your Phalaenopsis it may not be getting the change in day to night-time temperature that it needs. (See the Phalaenopsis temperature requirements following). For a second blooming on Phalaeopsis, trim the stem back to where the first flower opened, after all flowers have fallen off. A few branches of flowers might come from the dormant nodes below and give you another 3 months of blooming.
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ORCHID VARIETIES AND THEIR CARE
Brassia
Same as for Cattleya, but cooler in the autumn and more frequent watering.
Cattleya
Temperature – Intermediate.
Humidity – Low to Intermediate.
Light Intensity – Intermediate.
Water – Infrequent
Fertilizer – See Phalaenopsis.
Repotting – See Phalaenopsis, but use only coarse grade ingredients.
Cymbidium
Temperature – Cool.
Humidity – Low to Intermediate.
Light Intensity – High, gradually accustom plant to higher light but not so high that it burns the leaves.
Water – Very frequent.
Fertilizer – use 15-30-15 in the spring and summer months, 25-10-10 in the winter. Stop fertilizing in early September and leave plant outside for a chill, no lower than 40 – 45°F at night for a week or two if possible to promote blooming. Begin fertilizing again in January with 25-10-10.
Repotting – see Phalaenopsis.
Dendrobium
-(Deciduous Type)
Same as for Cattleya, but frequent water in summer and none at all in winter. High humidity in winter.
Oncidium
Same as for Cattleya.
Paphiopedilum
-(Slipper Orchid)
Temperature –1. Strap leaves, plain green and narrow, and soft textured mottle leaf types like to be grown in warm conditions. 2. Types with hard-textured mottled leaves and short wide plain green leaves prefer to grow in cool, intermediate conditions.
Humidity – Intermediate to high.
Light intensity – for plain green leaves intermediate, for mottled leaf types low light.
Water – frequent.
Fertilizer – see Phalaenopsis.
Repotting – see Phalaenopsis.
Phalaenopsis
 -(Moth Orchid)
Temperature – (Warm): 16 - 21°C (61 - 70°F) at night. To promote blooming, decrease the nighttime temperature in September or October for 3 to 4 weeks to initiate new flower spikes.
Humidity – (Intermediate to High) 50% to 80%
Light Intensity – (Low): This orchid is an excellent choice for growing on a fluorescent light stand. Use the four tube system, 3 cool white and 1 specially designed plant light such as a ‘grow-luxe’ wide spectrum. Near a window, an east, south or west exposure is suitable with protection from the strong sun, from early March through to October. This plant prefers bright indirect light, no direct sunlight.
Water – (Frequent): Water the plant through the top of the pot thoroughly.
Fertilizer – Use a 25-10-10 Orchid Fertilizer from April to August for leaf growth. Use a Flowering Plant Fertilizer such as 15-30-15 from September to March to help blooming. Follow the directions on the package for Orchids.
Repotting –Should always be done after the plant has bloomed. Repot every 2 or 3 years, usually in spring. Use a moisture retentive, yet still very free draining potting medium. The medium must allow lots of air back inside the pot immediately after watering. If the potting medium remains soggy and wet, the roots will suffocate and rot. We suggest a mix of medium grade Orchid bark and perlite. The perlite used can be the fine grade for average and smaller sized plants or the extra coarse grade for larger plants. Use some sort of chunky drainage material such as styrofoam “peanuts” in the bottom of large pots that are over 6” in size. A potting medium that we have had great success with is a mixture of 1/2 coarse perlite, ¼ fine charcoal, 1/8 rockwool and 1/8 Orchid bark. Add the ingredients together and wet down while mixing. When using this potting material, be sure to avoid compacting the medium, which may result in the loss of essential air spaces. Tap or vigorously vibrate the pot to settle the medium in around the roots snugly. For small pots (6” or smaller), use this mixture straight but for larger than 6” pots, add some drainage material. (Use more drainage material proportionately with each increase in pot size.)
Phragmipedium
Temperature – Intermediate.
Humidity – Intermediate to high.
Light intensity – Intermediate.
Water – very frequent.
Fertilizer – as for Paphiopedium.
Repotting – see Phalaenopsis, but repot every year or two.
Zygopetalum
As for Cattleya, but cooler in autumn and frequent watering. Do not mist your Zygopetalums as cold water produces spots on the leaves. Water that remains in the center of new growth can cause rot. Watering at the base of the plant is preferable.
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