Basic growing stuff - Orchid Board

s1ren · #1 11-29-2006, 04:57 PM

Serious beginner here, apologies in advance for my ignorance.

I see a TON of info here on the boards about mounting and S/H growing...but what are the other options? Are there any 'chids that grow in plain old soil? What's the scoop on the bags of bark chips they sell for orchids at nurseries - is that stuff any good (seems to me like it would rot and harbor bacteria, but what do I know)?

People mention ferts a lot, too...but I haven't seen it explained what kind of ferts these things require, or why they need what they need.

Can anyone give a very basic, general primer for someone who's never done this before? Or point me in the right direction?

'Preciate it.

Tony · #2 11-29-2006, 05:18 PM

The AOS culture sheets are a great place to start. They are here.

There are few orchids that grow in soil, Ludisia and Vanilla are two that are common in cultivation. Most of the orchids we grow are epiphytes (grow on trees) or lithophytes (grow on rocks), and require better drainage and air circulation than soil can provide.

Bark is the most common medium used for growing orchids, and is great under most conditions. Additives like perlite, charcoal, sphagnum, and many others are often mixed with the bark to tailor it's drainage and water retention to the grower's preference. It will break down and rot in time, generally a bark mix is good for two or three years, after which the plant will need to be repotted in fresh bark.

Fertilizers are a topic of much debate, every grower has their own brand, schedule, and dosage that they will swear is the best. To start out, use a balanced fertilizer once a week at half strength, and after you see how your plants react you can adjust as necessary. A fertilizer's label will have three numbers on it, these are the nitrogen, phosphate, and potassium content. A balanced fertilizer will have the same number for each, or at least close. I use Aussie Gold 7-8-6 for my collection, but there are plenty of other quality fertilizers on the market.

cb977 · #3 11-29-2006, 08:31 PM

Well done Tony

Thanks

S1ren,
You'll see as you read through all the information available that as Tony said...everybody believes theirs is the best regimen if their 'chids are growing well. I've come to realize that the way I grow mine is a mix of bits and pieces of everything I've read. Once you read into what your options are, choose plants that would work well in your situation, whatever that may be.
Take the basic information that is available to you, mix it up a little and then don't be afraid to experiment a little.

justatypn · #4 11-29-2006, 09:07 PM

Tony, well done and the AOS sheets are an excellent source of information. Do you grow indoors, outdoors, greenhouse, viv??? Knowing a bit about your environmental growing will make a huge difference, resulting in experimenting. Your chids will tell you if they are not happy. If at anytime your in need of understanding do no hesitate to ask we have all had to start from square one so to speak, with trial and error training.

mounting info: http://www.clanorchids.com/mount.html
Camp Lot A Noise Tropicals has a lot of basic information.

Take a stroll over to http://www.firstrays.com/free_info.htm and you will find s/h info.

Tindomul · #5 11-29-2006, 10:39 PM

Hi S1ren! Here are some books to help get you started. If you are like me, you will read them and then fall in love with orchids. Cause I can't read about a subject and then not obsess over it

Or maybe thats the other way around??

Anyway:
http://www.orchidboard.com/bookreview

Wendy · #6 11-30-2006, 12:27 AM

I can't add anything to what is already posted. Great advice guys!

s1ren · #7 11-30-2006, 09:01 AM

Wow, you guys, thank you for all the great info! Thanks for the AOS website, Tony - I hadn't seen that place before (I've been mostly poking around this board).

Sounds like the ferts I have on hand for my indoor and outdoor gardens will be a good start - I have enough stuff "in stock" in my garage for my garden that I could start my own garden store, hehe.

Justatypin, if you were directing that question to me - I don't actually have any orchids yet...I fell in love with some big, bright cattleyas that I saw last month (see my gallery), and have been here reading about orchids ever since. I'm keeping my eye out everywhere I go, now (and boy, are those little yellow oncidiums EVERYWHERE!).
I'll be growing indoors when I do get started (my outdoor areas are in blazing direct sun all day, and very hot and dry) - which is great, for me. I love my houseplant jungle, but I'm getting a little bored with green. Really ready for some color in my living living room!

Tindomul, I'm the same way - when I get into a new hobby or interest, it's all I can think about for the next six months or more, and I spend all my time educating myself and trying to become an expert, hehe. Bores the heck out of my friends, lol, but it's a lot of fun. I hope I have the enthusiasm for the knitting I'm about to take up that I have for plants, hehe. *visualizing thrown knitting needles sticking out of the walls*

Thanks, everyone! I've got some studying to do.

cb977 · #8 11-30-2006, 09:16 AM

S1ren, you say "my outdoor areas are in blazing direct sun all day" which makes me think VANDA if you would be able to mist them a few times during the day, drenching the roots

Whatever you decide on...welcome to wonderful world of Orchids

Your friends here on OrchidBoard will help you along the way...soon enough, it'll be you giving advice to the next newcomer

s1ren · #9 11-30-2006, 09:33 AM

Vanda, huh? I'll check those out. I wouldn't be able to mist them while I was at work..but wait...hmm, an excuse to get one of those nifty patio misting systems!

Course, it was 80º yesterday - and right now it's 34º!

Oy.

Quote:

Your friends here on OrchidBoard

A very apt statement, from what I've seen - I can NOT get over how nice you all are! To me, to each other, just in general. What a fantastic group of people.