Orchids For Dummies. Steven A. Frowine

Laelia

        Leptotes

        Masdevallia

        Miltonia

        Miltoniopsis

        Neofinetia

        Neostylis

        Odontoglossum

        Oncidium

       Paphiopedilum (strap-leaf multiflorals)

        Phragmipedium

        Rhynchostylis

        Zygopetalum

      Low light (1500 to 2000 footcandles)

      The following orchids do well with a low level of light, easily attainable with two to four fluorescent lights or LEDs with equivalent light intensity or on an east-facing windowsill:

       Paphiopedilum (not including strap-leaf multiflorals)

        Phalaenopsis

       All orchid seedlings

      

Many orchids can be grown at considerably higher light levels that are recommended if they’re gradually adapted to this higher light intensity and are in a well-ventilated area. Why would you even try this? Plants grown in higher light intensity tend to grow more compactly and can produce more flowers.

      

Be sure to ask the grower about the temperature, light, and humidity requirements of the orchid you’re considering. Check out its ultimate size. Then match this information with what you know about your orchid growing area.

      Asking yourself these questions

      In addition to considering temperature and light, you want to ask yourself the following questions:

       Does the growing area have moist (humid) air, or is the air very dry? If it’s already humid (50 percent or greater), it’s perfect. If not, your orchids will be happier with moister air. See Chapter 5.

       How much space do you have to grow orchids? If you have plenty of head room, you can grow some of the taller orchids, like cane dendrobiums and full-size cattleyas. If space is at a premium, search out very compact or miniature growers. Part 3 gives you plenty of choices for plants of all sizes.

       When do you want your orchids to bloom? Spring, summer, fall, or winter? In the evening or during the day? Armed with this information, you can pick those orchids that will be in bloom in the season and time of day of your choice.

       Do you have air circulation in the growing area? Most homes have adequate air circulation, but if your orchids are going to be located in the basement or some other spot where the air is stagnant, you’ll want to consider a fan of some type to provide them with fresh air. See the ventilation section in Chapter 5 for more information.

      When you’re armed with this information, you’ll be better prepared to choose an orchid that will thrive.

Growing Tropical Orchids Outdoors

      If you live in an area where you never experience freezing weather, you can enjoy growing your orchids year-round outdoors. Although some orchids can withstand and even prefer sun and can be grown directly in the ground, most of the orchids in this book are ones that prefer at least some shade and are usually grown in pots or on slabs of bark or wood. Hence, building an outdoor structure that has some type of benching and provides a diffused light of about 50 percent shade is a good idea (see Chapter 5).

      Such a structure is also a buffer against high winds. Wooden lath or a saran shade cloth can provide the shade. Make sure you have a water faucet close to this structure so you can water the plants by hand or set up an automatic watering system. A water faucet is also handy in a dry hot climate, and you need to install a humidification system.

Knowing What to Look for in an Orchid

      After you consider your environment, you’re ready to go shopping. You have an idea of which types of orchids will work best where you’ll be growing them, and now you just need to look at a few things such as the plant’s health and age. I fill you in on these factors in the following sections.

      Choosing a healthy plant

      Picking out a healthy orchid plant is essential. Even in the best of circumstances, the orchid that you bring home will have to adapt to changes in its environment. A strong, robust plant has a much better chance of surviving this ordeal than a weak plant does.

      

Here’s a checklist of things to look for when you select an orchid:

       Look carefully at the leaves. They should be stiff, not shriveled or dehydrated. They should also have a healthy green color. Brown or black spots on leaves could mean disease, or they could be harmless; if you find spots, ask the grower about them.

       Look for any signs of insects. Most insects hang out on the new young growth, on the flower buds of the plant, or on the undersides of the leaves. Also check under the pot for snails or slugs.

       Examine the exposed roots on top of the potting material. The roots should be firm and light colored, not black, soft, and mushy.

       Watch out for plants infested with oxalis (which looks like clover). Oxalis is an annoying weed that spreads quickly and is difficult to get rid of after it’s established. The only way to totally get rid of it is to remove all of its roots when you repot. It won’t directly harm the orchids, but it can harbor insects and is a cosmetic distraction.

      

Make sure the plants are labeled. Labels will be important to you later if you want to look up information on growing your particular type of orchid.

Unfortunately, orchids purchased at home centers or grocery stores aren’t often labeled. You can ask the sales associate if they at least know the common name of the orchid. Otherwise, you can look through this book until you find the orchid that looks something like the one you bought.

PLANT SIZE DESIGNATIONS USUALLY USED IN THE ORCHID TRADE BY MAIL-ORDER VENDORS

      Many orchid vendors follow a convention when describing the relative maturity of the plants they’re selling. Here’s a rough guide to terms most used. As you can expect you’ll run into a bit of variation from grower to grower. Here are the size designations you’ll encounter:

       Seedling Size (SS): The orchid will bloom in two to three years or more depending on the type of orchid.

       Near Blooming or Flowering Size (NBS or NFS): The orchid is six months to a year or more from flowering.

       Blooming/Flowering