Easy (Indoors) Growing Orchids

[Angurek]

Like Ray said, the term "Easy" depends on what your growing conditions are. Cool growers such as Odontoglossums and the like won't stand a chance here in the south, and warm growers like the Vandas won't grow or bloom properly up north.

I've found members of the Cattleya alliance to be very easy to grow, with the added benefit of having showy, flamboyant flowers. They're pretty tolerant of neglect and mistakes.

The phalaenopsis dendrobiums are also very easy. My very first orchid was a moribund den-phal that was on the half-off counter. That plant perked up completely after a few weeks, even sprouting a new cane. It has grown and bloomed reliably for me ever since, putting out several spikes in the fall. I swear...that plant's a real survivor, refusing to die no matter what I do to it. It's become one of my favorite orchids. The only problem I have with it is that the canes are tall and have a tendency to droop if you don't stake them.

[Graham]

So, essentially, hard is trying to grow a cold-climate-preference orchid in warm conditions, or one that prefers warm conditions in a cold environment?

Easy, on the other hand, would be selecting an orchid that suits the conditions where you live/plan to grow your plant plus providing that specific orchid with the right fuel/food it needs plus providing it with enough water but not drowning it...


________
Graham.

[shakkai]

I'd say that's a fair assessment. For me, growing Masdevallia and other cool growing Pleurothallids is easy because the environment that I have plus my innate tendencies (for example to want to mist every day) suits their growing requirements.

[cupcake]

I grow phals , paphs, dendros, oncidium, miltonias and have a few small plants given by an orchid acquaintance. They are all cool growing. Of course what I really want to grow is big floofy catts! And vanda's, but as I don't have very big windowsills and no double glazing, I prefer not to torture them! Even so I bring all my babies into the dining room every night so they don't get cold.
It wasn't too bad when I only had 4 phals last winter, but now I have 2o odd! And I'm hoping I'll be able to bring them all thro the winter!

[Lindanc]

I found out that easy for me was not easy for others based on my growing conditions, available light, watering habits etc.

I tell friends and family wanting to try a orchid. Look at where you want to place the orchid. What is your sun exposure (if you are going natural light). Here in NC orchids do fantastic outside a lot of the year, we have humidity! So they are only inside a few months of the year.

Is your watering habits where you have a tendency to overwater or do your plants tend to dry out. Go with your habits - you will be more successful.

Me, I will kill a phal every time, then cattleyas do fantastic for me. I have the prefect spot for them (a screened porch and a bay window with a South/East exposure) and when I get busy with work they don't mind drying out some. Other folks may not have the high light and want to water a lot. The Cattleyas wouldn't be too happy with that.

So ask your self the questions and then pick a couple of different ones. You will find what works.

[orchidexpress]

Down here in Texas Phals and Paphs grow and rebloom just from your windowsill. Since I do not live in the cold parts....can not really help. You can get a grow light that has a red-blue spectrum and you should be able to grow anything. Just make sure that it has a red-blue spectrum and not just any grow light. Think about joining you local orchid society to learn what grows best in your area.

Happy Growing!

Lee

[Tsuchibuta]

I've found dendrobiums are the hardest to kill for me at least the den-phal hybrids, but they are a bit trickier to get to bloom consistantly. Phals are probably one of the easiest and the key to them is neglect. The first orchid I ever bought was Phal. Zuma Confection and it came with a card that said to only water once a week with 3 ounces of water, I stuck to the plan and it grew great for me, thus I was hooked. I still have it today though now it has 200+ more friends, and accordingly I have since adjusted my neglect regiment, but it really does work. I gave my mother in law a phal for mothers day 3 years ago and she follows the same 3 ounce rule and it has bloomed for her twice a year every year just sitting on a table that gets a little bit of sunlight.

[Maureen]

I too am a beginner. It's been about a year and I started w/ Trader Joe's orchids. I've only just begun to buy from actual orchidists. Anyway I live in MA. The easiest I've found are oncidiums - the compact type as I also don't have much room - lady slippers and phals. The only ones that have rebloomed (the true test for me) are an oncidium and a dendrobium ( which i've since sworn off of). Easy ,for me, is adaptable to light and temperature changes, and cheap for when I kill one. Orchids for Dummies is a good book, the AOS has a great series for beginners,but you have to join. As for intermediate and difficult - I have't gone there yet.

[Sara]

Ditto about difficulty being a personal thing. I can grow Phals really well, but I killed a Paph. Dens I've had mixed success. I have Den. Iki that I've had for over a year that hasn't bloomed for me. Yet I have a Den. Purple Prince that I just got that is in bloom now, and there is a new spike growing since I bought it.
I also really like Onc. I have a Onc. Tsiku Marguerite that I've had for a year and it grew well this year and has bloomed for the first time under my care!
So IMO, try a Phal and work your way from there.

[Tommyr]

Originally Posted by Sara

Ditto about difficulty being a personal thing. I can grow Phals really well, but I killed a Paph. Dens I've had mixed success.

I'm the opposite. I kill Phals easily but I'm good at Dens., Oncs. and Paphs. Go figure!