subject: Six Orchid Growing Tips to Consider [print this page] 1. Climate Conditions Generally, orchids fare best in conditions that range from 75 85 degrees Fahrenheit. However, there are other orchid species that prefer colder climates.
2. Proper Lighting You should always look to give your orchid morning and late afternoon sunlight placing it in an eastern facing window is best. This is because they're native tropical environments provid low lighting conditions where they receive sun and shade throughout the day. At noon, the sun is too strong for your orchid to be placed outside. When your orchid gets too much sun, it will let you know because of its yellow leaves. If this happens, just place it in the shade.
3. Fertilizing Look to give your orchid plant water-soluble fertilizer about once to twice a month, regularly. If you neglect to do this, its yellow leaves will let you know that it is malnourished. If the potting media is arid, make sure that you water the plant before you apply the solution.
4. Potting Orchids prefer a pot that allows for air to circulate through the root system. They originally grew out of trees where their roots were exposed to the air. When you're potting your orchid, make sure the pot you place it in has at least one hole at the bottom of it. You should never place soil in the pot this will suffocate the plant and restrict the water to freely flow out of the bottom.
5. Potting Media Most orchid plants prefer bark or New Zealand sphagnum moss. Both allow for greater air circulation and easy drainage for excess water. New Zealand sphagnum moss potting media should always be given less water than bark because it retains moisture and prolongs the orchid's point of saturation.
6. Watering Methods The amount of water you give your orchid will generally be dictated by the time of year and/or the climate conditions you manually set in your home. On average, however, you should be watering your orchid one to two times every month. In the summertime, your orchid plant should be watered more frequently, whereas, during colder periods, you should water it less often.
