Basic Culture Tips

LIGHT, LIGHT and LIGHT!

Herein you will find some of the best kept secrets of sucessful orchid growers.
Okay, okay I may not have all the answers for every grower but I can tell you what seems to work for most.  The single most important factor in growing (Blooming) these babies is LIGHT.  Without proper light you, me, no one will really have much sucess in getting plants to perform well.  Oh sure you might have a few flowers here and there.  Orchids are so adaptable to varying conditions that they will even bloom in the an unlit room.  As an experiment I placed a pre-spiked Phal in the pantry area of my kitchen on Jan 1.  Yep, by the third week in January I had flowers.  And by April 15 the plant was in full bloom with 10 flowers.  But leaving the plant in a dark location will do absolutely nothing for its long term health and vitality.  In other words it would start to go down hill and perhaps bloom with one or two flowers the following year( maybe.)  If you can't provide the correct light for your orchids try growing them under lights.  Many sucessful growers will grow their plants under lights in the basement during the winter months and then summer the plants outdorrs during the warmer months here in the Northeast.  I've seen this type of treatment used to revive the 'sorriest' of orchids.   Give your orchid the proper amount of sunlight and part of the equation for sucess will be met.  When I say part of the equation I mean equation.  Everything in moderation.  Remember you are taking plants out of there natural conditions and creating a contrived environment for them.  Lets say that you place your plants next to a window facing East-South-East. You will need to monitor the plant for a few days around the time of each quarterly seasonal change.   By monitor I mean really pay attention to how the plant looks and feels.  Touch the leaves to determine the temperature.  If the leaves feel hot then there will everntually be a problem with growth (at best) If the leaves feel really warm you risk the chance of burning!  A small whisper fan placed near the plant area running 24/7 will do wonders in improving culture.  The fan is just as important when growing under lights.  Remember that most of the orchids we grow are epiphytes in nature; that is, air plants.  These plants LOVE air movement.  In nature they are usually getting air movement caused by the wind blowing around at 10-20 MPH.  Think about Florida or Hawaii and the breezes coming off shore or up or down the mountains.  Those breezes are what plants need.  Walk into any commerical orchid place and you will find fans blowing the air.  Lots of fans!  Try for a nice gentle flow so that the leaves can be seen moving lightly. I leave fans on in my greenhouse constantly.  If you don't feel good about running them 24/7 then at least leave them on during the daylight hours.  A simple timer will allow a more automated system thereby allowing you more time to attend to other aspects of culture. 

Water Quality/ Fertilizer and Superthrive

Another tool many orchid growers use is SuperThrive.  Superthrive is a liquid added to the fertilizer and contains B vitamins and other 'secret' ingredients.  You have probably seen the product advertized in garden mags.  One drop per gallon and lots of mysterious claims rewards and boasts that don't make much sense are written on the label.  Anyway, I feel that the stuff really works to help give the plants a boost in the spring as the light starts to come back and the days begin to get longer.  I usually use 5-6 drops per gallon along with my fertilizer.  Speaking of fertilizer I think that one of THE best ones right now is the MSU formula.  Michican State has developed 2 different formula that can be used with tap water or with RO or rain water.  Many growers are now using the MSU formula and I have heard some who say that they would not be without it.  Many fertilizers have had their 'day' and each is probably 'okay' as long as they are used in moderation.  In early spring we begin increasing the concentration and frequency of use of fertilzer so that be April/May we are using about the equivalent of 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon of fertilzer per gallon of water.

We recommend using either rain water, reverse osmosis, distilled water or water from a dehumidifier as they do not contain 'salts.' If tap water is used please flush the pots totally so that the leached salts will reabsorb into the water and be washed out of the pot.  I tell my customers to buy a bottle of distilled water and flush the plants with it once a month.  Distilled water and spring water are NOT the same!  Spring water will contain the same or even more dissolved minerals as tap water or well water in some cases.  After the addition of fertilizer a TDS meter is used to test the total dissolved salts.  Since orchids generally thrive in places where very low amounts of fertilizer is supplied (passing birds, monkeys, organic teas or just dust from the air)they really do not want heavy concentrations of fertilzer.  Give them either a weak solution every watering (weakly/weekly) or alternate with pure water and then fertilizer.  Also many orchid growers suggest using a variety of fertilzer formula over time to accomplish a more balanced diet.

How to Water Orchids

Correct watering of orchids is a cross between art and science that requires observation of the plant growing in your environment.  Some growers seem to pick up the correct technique quickly while others struggle for years or until they have over or underwatered the plant back into stradust.    Its only by close observation of when the plant acutally needs water does one get the hang of it.  It helps to understand the habitat where the plant originated to know what type of growth and rest period the plant must have to thrive. As a simple method of telling a would-be grower how much water we often say: "If the pot stick is wet, then do NOT add more water"  However, I do plan to go into more of this in detail as this page increases to let others know in detail when and when NOT to water certain types:

When to water Paphs:
When to water Cattleya:
When to water Oncidinae: