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Caring For Orchids Is Simple - Follow These Tips

By Brian Paul

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Published: 05Sep2010
Word count: 475
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Unfortunately, there exists a common misconception that growing and caring for orchids takes lots of work, and that it is hard to grow beautiful orchids. What must be clear is that anyone can find an orchid to grow, given that there are around 25,000 species and 100,000 hybrids.

Most types of orchids tend not to require any more work than any other house or garden plants. But, some orchids do have special requirements. Before you buy any orchid, be sure to learn about its needs, so you can determine if you have the necessary equipment and skills. The enjoyment of caring for orchids with such spectacular blooms is what makes people fall in love with orchids. In fact, the source of popularity in caring for orchids lies primarily in their unique blooms. Given the right care, you will find that you can keep your orchid looking as good as the day you brought it home.

If you ever received an orchid as a gift, chances are it is a phaleanopsis. Purple or white, they are easy to find and easy to grow.

You should be able to enjoy at least 3 months of blooms on your orchids, if you give them the care they need. Since orchids need light throughout the day, try to place it close to a window, or use grow lights. But you should avoid the midday sun which can be too harsh for these plants, so aim to give your orchid morning and evening sunlight. It is often recommended that orchids be placed in a window on the east side of the house, to capture the early sunlight, while avoiding the stronger midday rays. You can substitute natural sunlight with fluorescent lights that are about a foot above the orchid's flowers but, you still want to limit exposure to normal daylight hours.

Like other houseplants, orchids do best when the temperature is between 55 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Above 90 is just too much for your orchid, and it will probably drop its buds and stop blooming. It is important to make sure that the flower stays moist, but do not over water the roots because it can kill the blooms. Instead, water the plant once every ten weeks, or keep the orchid in a water tray constantly. Place the orchid on rocks in the tray so the roots don't soak in the water.

A great tip to keep the orchid in bloom for the most amount of time as possible is to fertilize the plant before it blooms. Hold off on the fertlizer once your orchid has bloomed. Also, try pruning the older flowers on your orchid and it will hold its blooms longer. That will promote another set of blooms to emerge. With the right care, your orchid will supply you with satisfaction, as it gives you lots of blooms throughout the flowering season.

Brian Paul has been growing orchids for over 20 years. He is sharing his tips on caring for orchids with a FREE minicourse that you can get at http://www.ExpertOrchidTips.com

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