Much Fertilizer Improper Use of Pesticides Insect Infestation Purchase of Sick Plants Poor Water Quality Inadequate Ventilation Chapter 18: The Ten Most Frequently Asked Questions about Orchids Are Orchids Difficult to Grow? Why Should I Grow Orchids? Do I Need a Greenhouse to Grow Orchids? Are Orchids Expensive? How Long and How Often Will Orchids Bloom? What Makes an Orchid an Orchid? Are Orchids Fragrant? Where Can I See the Best Collections of Orchids? Are Any Orchids Hardy? Are Orchids Parasites? Chapter 19: The Ten Most Common Reasons Why Orchids Don’t Bloom Not Enough Difference between Day and Night Temperatures Too Moist during the Winter Too Little Light Excessively High or Low Temperatures Not Using a Fertilizer or Using One with Too Much Nitrogen Immature Plants Too Low Humidity Disease, Insects, or Mice Not Enough Water Recently Transplanted and Divided
9 Appendix A: Additional Orchid Resources Orchid Societies Online Resources Software Pronunciation Guide: How to Say the Most Common Orchid Names
10 Appendix B: English-Metric Conversion Tables
11 Index
List of Tables
1 Chapter 1TABLE 1-1 Differences between Tulip and Orchid FlowersTABLE 1-2 The Components of a Species Orchid NameTABLE 1-3 The Components of a Hybrid Orchid’s Name
2 Chapter 2TABLE 2-1 Orchid Temperature Preferences
3 Chapter 3TABLE 3-1 Pros and Cons of Various Types of LabelsTABLE 3-2 The Pros and Cons of Various Types of Label Markers
4 Chapter 5TABLE 5-1 Artificial Light SourcesTABLE 5-2 Comparing T5 Fluorescents and LEDs
5 Chapter 6TABLE 6-1 The Pros and Cons of Different Fertilizers and How to Use Them
6 Chapter 7TABLE 7-1 The Pros and Cons of Various Potting Materials
7 Chapter 9TABLE 9-1 Common Orchid Pests and Their Controls
8 Chapter 13TABLE 13-1 Oncidium Alliance Intergenerics
9 Appendix ATABLE A-1 Pronouncing Common Orchids
List of Illustrations
1 Chapter 1FIGURE 1-1: Comparing a cattleya flower with a tulip flower. FIGURE 1-2: Epiphytic orchids have thick roots covered with silver velamen. FIGURE 1-3: Terrestrial and semiterrestrial orchids, like most slipper orchids,...
2 Chapter 2FIGURE 2-1: Maximum-minimum thermometer. FIGURE 2-2: The shadow test is a simple and reasonably accurate way to measure ...FIGURE 2-3: An example of a handheld light meter.
3 Chapter 3FIGURE 3-1: Cutting tools — from left to right: thin-bladed knife, two pairs of...FIGURE 3-2: Potting tools — clockwise from top-left: rubber mallet, dibble, pot...FIGURE 3-3: This compact, lightweight, self-striking butane torch is a breeze t...FIGURE 3-4: A common type of water breaker. FIGURE 3-5: Thumb valves make watering easier. FIGURE 3-6: The most useful watering can is one with a long spout. FIGURE 3-7: Simple fertilizer injectors are easy to use and handy if you have q...
4 Chapter 4FIGURE 4-1: Staking flower spikes of spray-type orchids like phalaenopsis or on...FIGURE 4-2: Plastic plant clips attach the stem of the orchid to its stake, com...FIGURE 4-3: Trim off brown tips of leaves following the natural curvature of th...FIGURE 4-4: Placing plants on pedestals and inserting their growing pot inside ...FIGURE 4-5: This miniature arrangement contains only three small cattleya flowe...FIGURE 4-6: Wrapping the flower stem with florist’s wire. FIGURE 4-7: Wrap the flower stem with florist’s tape. FIGURE 4-8: Add a fern frond to the corsage. FIGURE 4-9: Add a ribbon and a florist’s pin.
5 Chapter 5FIGURE 5-1: The extent of the roof overhang has an influence in the amount of l...FIGURE 5-2: Bay windows increase the size of the growing area and the amount of...FIGURE 5-3: The type of leaf indicates an orchid’s light requirements. FIGURE 5-4: When orchids don’t receive enough light, their foliage tends to be ...FIGURE 5-5: A paphiopedilum leaf with a round or oval brown spot caused by too ...FIGURE 5-6: One of my off-the-shelf four-tube units with three tiers. FIGURE 5-7: An adjustable light fixture like this one is very handy for accommo...FIGURE 5-8: Approximate growing areas for different wattages of high-intensity-...FIGURE 5-9: An egg-crate louver set inside a waterproof tray. FIGURE 5-10: Ceiling fans can be set either to push warm