Beginner Help

[peggy2187]

This article was found on another site representing it was through AOS. Thought it might help others.

A guide for FAQ from the american orchid society

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This should be used as a guideline as everyones growing conditions are different from the next. I thought that some of the info here could help some people who have just received their first orchid and are looking for some basic advice.

What is the best orchid for the home?
The simple answer: Phalaenopsis. Many homes have insufficient light levels for the reflowering of most orchids. However, there are a few orchids that prefer lower light and will reflower under home light conditions. Home light means light provided by a slightly shaded south window, or an east or west window. One of the most widely available orchids of the mass market types is also the best for the home -- the phalaenopsis or moth orchid. These plants will grow easily under the same conditions enjoyed by African violets. Another good choice, but usually only for those already initiated in orchid appreciation, are the paphiopedilums or lady's-slipper orchids. These, like phalaenopsis, have relatively attractive foliage, and will reflower in home conditions giving weeks of floral display. Both need to be kept evenly moist. Don't allow to fully dry out, and regularly fertilize with a weak dilution of just about any available fertilizer.

How often should I water? The simple answer: Allow the plants to approach dryness, gauged by pot weight or by the pencil trick (the point of a sharpened lead pencil will darken with moisture if the plant has enough water), and apply enough water that it runs freely through the pot. Never allow any potted plant to "sit in its own water." Flowering plants may require more frequent waterings to make up for the greater burden of the flowers. Plants will require less water when not in active growth (generally winter months), and more while growing (generally spring and summer months). Increased frequency of watering will not make up for a poor root system. If roots are not plump and alive, repotting may be called for (see FAQ below), or the plant may have been recently repotted by the vendor, in which case it will require raised humidity to compensate for the lack of supporting root uptake. Last, plants will thinner, softer foliage will generally require more water than those with harder, more succulent leaves. Plants with pseudobulbs (as dendrobiums and cattleyas) generally like to dry out more between waterings than will those without (as phalaenopsis).

Do they need to be fed while they are in flower? What should I be feeding my orchids?
The simple answer: Yes, if anything, flowering plants need extra feed. Your plants will need to be fertilized with a product appropriate to the media in which they are grown. In general, plants in a bark-based mix will need a fertilizer high in nitrogen (usually in a 3-1-1 ratio), while a balanced food will do for all others (usually a 1-1-1 ratio). If in doubt, feed with the same balanced fertilizer you use for your other container plants. Orchids will do far better with too little fertilizer than with too much. The old adage, "feed weakly, weekly" is very appropriate. Feed every week with a dilute solution. It is far easier to remember than "Did I feed last week, or not?"

Where do I cut the flower spike when it is finished?
The simple answer: In most cases, cut at the base of the spike with a sharp, clean tool. Of all of the more commonly available orchids, only phalaenopsis -- the moth orchid -- will rebloom from its old spike. When most orchids have finished blooming, the spike should be cut off with a sharp and clean blade as close to the base of the spike as is practical. Phalaenopsis will generally rebloom given a little extra care. The spike should be cut between the scar where the first flower was and the last node on the stem. One of the lower nodes will then initiate and generally produce flowers within eight to 12 weeks. Younger or weaker plants may not rebloom. It is also a good idea to cut the spike off entirely by midsummer to allow the plant to grow for next year's bloom.

When I should repot? The simple answer: When fresh rooting activity is expected (generally in the spring) or is very evident, generally every one or two years. Fresh rooting activity is best shown by the nice green root tips on plump white roots. Often, the main "flush" of rooting will come from the base of the plant (in the case of phalaenopsis), or from the developing newest growth (in the case of dendrobiums and other orchids with pseudobulbs). Orchid plants need repotting for one or a combination of two main factors: Potting mix breakdown, often evidenced by dead roots; or plant overgrowing the pot, growing over the edge. In the first case, a larger pot may not be required, just replacement of the growing media. In the second case, the plant may require dividing or may simply be shifted into a larger pot. Fresh media should always be used. A good general rule of thumb is to pot for the bottom of the plant, the root system, and not for the top, the foliage. Freshly repotted plants should be placed in a shady, humid area until continued new root growth is observed. In general, if in doubt, pot in the spring.

What is the best potting material?
The simple answer: Whatever your vendor or source recommends and stocks is best. Orchids, in general, will grow satisfactorily in many different potting mixes if watering and fertilizing are adjusted appropriately. That is, if the basic requirements for moisture, root aeration and support are accommodated, the most readily available media in your particular area is probably the one that has proven to work the best. Orchids are grown today commercially in a variety of media, from straight fir bark, to sphagnum moss, to the increasingly popular peat-based mixes best exemplified by Pro-mix. Watering frequency is generally inversely proportional to the porosity of the media used; in other words, the faster the mix drains, the more often you will have to water. Complicating the answer is the knowledge that many, if not all, of the most often seen potted flowering orchid plants in garden centers and other sales venues have been potted into larger containers in fresh media almost immediately prior to shipping. This is for very practical reasons -- the container and fresh mix look more attractive to consumers, and the plant can be grown in the smallest possible pot until the last minute, keeping bench space fully utilized. Such plants need to be carefully watered with the increased water needs of the flower spike balanced against the lower potential uptake of the disturbed root system.

Where can I get a wider variety of plants?
The simple answer: At an orchid nursery. Orchids are available today in many garden centers and home supply centers that, even as recently as five years ago, would never have stocked such "exotic" items. However, they will not have the wide range of types available from the traditional orchid nurseries. When you are ready to have a broader range of types, you will want to visit a nursery that specializes in orchids. There you will find the wide range of the orchid family more completely represented, as well as expertise and supply items not always available at the everyday garden center. The AOS's Grower and Vendor Listing here at our Web site is an invaluable tools in locating the orchid nurseries in your area. Look for local orchid societies in your area and join one! AOS Affiliated Societies generally have monthly raffle tables featuring nursery-raised plants or divisions of members' plants. Annual auctions, monthly door prizes and vendors' sales tables are other events often found at orchid societies, as well as the invaluable knowledge and experience of seasoned growers.

My orchid's leaves are wrinkled and leathery ... Why?
The simple answer: Lack of water or dehydration. The next step is to determine why the plant is not getting sufficient water. First, look to the roots. If the roots appear healthy, white or green and plump, and medium is in good shape, suspect underwatering, especially if the roots are white and the pot is very light. If, on the other hand, the roots are in poor condition, suspect root loss. If the plant has no roots, it cannot take up any water, no matter how much you give it. In this case, the cause may be root loss owing to overwatering or medium deterioration, or a recently repotted and poorly established plant. The immediate solution is to raise humidity in the plant's vicinity to reduce stress on whatever roots there may be, and then deal with whether to repot or to simply wait until the plant establishes in the fresh medium.

Can I grow orchids out-of-doors?
The simple answer: Yes, in some areas ... Especially if you live in a frost-free or nearly frost-free area, there are a wide variety of orchids that will grow very happily with light shade out-of-doors year round. Where winters are cold, orchids can be grown on the patio or under trees in the warmer months when frost does not threaten. This if often a wonderful solution for orchid growers in colder climates, and enables the plants to grow so much better than they would if left indoors all year. Growers in frost-free areas and with cooler summer nights (below 60 in August and after) can grow cymbidiums, one of the finest of all garden orchids. Where summer nights are warmer, many varieties of vandas and cattleya types are appropriate.