subject: Top 6 Questions On How To Look After Orchids [print this page] I've been looking after orchids for some time now and enjoy every second of it, in fact I enjoy it so much I've spend a lot of time sharing everything I've learned over the years with other people who want to know how to look after orchids too. I'll be the first to admit that it can take a while to get used to caring for them properly but it really, truly is worthwhile in the end.
I've put together a list of the most frequently asked questions I receive about how to care for orchids.
Where will my orchid grow best?
There really is no specific answer to this question. Orchids can be found growing in all conditions around the world so it is totally dependent on your species of orchid but there are a few general guidelines you can follow if you're unsure. Typically, orchids love plenty of shaded light, this means long daylight hours out of direct sunlight.
If you're looking after your orchid indoors then an eastern facing window will most likely give you maximum daylight hours. You'll want to aim for around 10 to 12 hours typical of summer days in a temperate region, but try to provide some shade for your orchid, even a short exposure can burn your orchids leaves leaving unsightly marks. You can diffuse direct sunlight with blinds or frosted glass.
If you're growing your orchids outdoors try to locate them in areas shaded by trees or other structures in your garden such as a greenhouse or fence, but try to maximise their daylight hours.
When should I use a potting medium?
If you're growing an epiphytic orchid using a good potting media or mix is very important, soil just will not do. Common potting mediums include Sphagnum Moss, Fir Bark, Perlite, Lava Rock, Tree Fern and Expanded Clay to name but a few. A good potting media should:
Retain a small amount of moisture
Provide good drainage/aeration
Hold nutrients
Give roots a good surface to cling to
They can be broken down into different grades; coarse, medium and fine and also into natural and man-made. Natural potting mediums will degrade over time, reducing drainage and providing a good environment for bacteria and other creepy crawlies. So you will need to keep an eye on it and replace it when necessary, don't re-pot your orchid too often though as it won't appreciate it and may stop flowering for some time afterwards.
Am I over watering my Orchid?
If your orchids potting medium never gets chance to dry out then chances are you're over watering it. It's often far too easy to over water orchids, especially if you're used to more traditional house plants. Again, it is difficult to give specific measurements of how often to water your orchid but a general rule of thumb is no more than once every one to two weeks. This will vary depending on the species of orchid you are looking after and the potting medium you are using. If you think that your orchid is suffering check that the roots are almost totally dry before you water it again.
My orchids leaves are turning yellow, why?
There could be several different reasons for this, most commonly age. Are the leaves at the bottom of the plant turning yellow? If so you probably shouldn't worry, it is perfectly normal for the older leaves to turn yellow before the die.
If the yellowing is occurring on leaves higher up the plant this tells us that there may be something else wrong. Too much light can cause discolouration of the leaves leaving permanent marks ranging anywhere from light green and yellow to brown and black. If you've moved your orchid recently make sure it has enough shade still.
Over watering can cause root loss leading to leaves yellowing around the tips and water collected on leaves from over watering or watering at night can also cause damage. Give your orchid time to dry out before re-watering it and water during the day. This can also lead to fungal infection, you may see black spots forming in the yellow areas of the leaves. Treat quickly as fungal infections spread and cause lots of damage and you may end up losing your orchid rather suddenly.
Another common cause is cold, make sure your orchid is kept in an adequate temperature range and watch out for nearby air conditioning units piping colder air over your orchid.
When should I use fertilizer for best results?
Use fertilizer during periods of growth, typically summer months. Use a specially formulated orchid fertilizer to replenish the minerals that your orchid uses most. Also, if your orchid is potted in fir bark you should use a fertilizer high in nitrogen to replace the nitrogen leached from this potting medium by the natural bacteria present in the fir bark.
What orchid is best for a beginner?
When you're just starting to grow and learn how to look after orchids there is a lot of information to take in. There are many orchids that are difficult to grow and flower even for seasoned experts. You can relax though, there are also plenty of species and hybrids that are pretty forgiving too. Such as Phalaenopsis, one of the more common orchids for new growers and Paphiopedilum, both are considered to be good beginner plants although they are a little more susceptible to watering problems than some others.
Other orchids that are thought of as being easy to look after can be found in the dendrobium, oncidium, and cattleya families of orchids. There are plenty more but starting out with any of these orchids will allow you a little more room to make the mistakes that we all make without as much of the risk of losing your plant.
