Easiest Orchids for Beginners?
 

Is it true that Phals are the best choice/easiest Orchids for beginners to take care of? I'll be going to a garden show soon and am planning on buying an orchid (or two :lol: ) and want to learn in a way that is going to minimize my frustration and build some confidence. Also, can anyone recommend anything else that I should specifically take advantage of buying while I have the chance to at a better venue than a supermarket? Thanks!

Depends on your location really.

The trick with phals is to learn not to overwater them. Once you can do that, they grow ok.

Forum members from your area can give you better advice. :)

Depends on your growing conditions, but yes, as long as your house doesn't get too cold, Phalaenopsis are usually the easiest orchids to start out with, as they don't need a lot of light - as drone says, you need to learn not to overwater them, particularly if they're in sphagnum-based potting mix.

If you're only going to get a couple of orchids, there isn't much specialised gear you need that you can't get at a supermarket!

It really does depend on the growing area. How much light do you have? What's the humidity like? Are there cold drafts in the winter? What's your tap water like? What kind of heat do you have in the winter? They like bright to moderate indirect light, they do well in a range of humidities but will be really happy above 50%, they like to almost dry out completely between watering and can tolerate a wide range of water types - moreso than most orchids. Cold drafts from upstate NY winters will cripple or kill them - so be careful.

As for supplies - perhaps look for a good, balanced, urea free orchid fertilizer. Phals need a regular fertilization regimen so you should use a product that's appropriate for orchids (no urea as a nitrogen source).

Good luck!

-J

I actually think phals are difficult to grow.
They will be purchased in flower and the blooms usually last a good long time but...for them to survive for years, they are not easy. They are popular though :blushing:

Oncidiums are supposed to be very easy to grow and conditions in the home are quite suitable. Their humidity requirements are much less than phals and they grow continuously as opposed to cattleyas which will have specific times for rooting and flowering.

I would do a bit of research on the growing conditions of what you think you might like to grow.
The AOS has print outs on their website I believe of brief synopses of culture for different types of orchids and that is a good start.
Then you can narrow down what to buy :twocents:

I think hardy orchids are the easiest to grow.

Just plant them into the garden and watch them grow.

I personally think Phals are the worst orchids for beginners.

Surf through the myriad of posts regarding issues with Phals and you'll know exactly what I mean.

They're not the easiest for experienced growers either. Although experienced growers tend to have a radically easier time with them once they know how to acquire and search out healthy specimens to begin with, learn how Phals are marketed differently from how they actually grow, and have learned to eventually troubleshoot their own problems and solve them.

One of the problems with most man-made hybrid Phals is that they come in in such an atrocious state of health, that they present a lot of problems to someone 1st starting out with orchids (this is especially true of Phals coming from places like The Home Depot, OSH, or Lowe's, etc.).

The other problem is that they are not potted in potting media that has you (the beginning orchid grower) in mind. The moss it's in has everything with the nurseries that sell them in mind. Most beginners don't realize this until they're members of orchid forums (or sometimes not even after that).

Species Phals are a bit trickier to manage because they require you to take everything you've learned about successfully growing Phals and tighten up your game.

Phals have unusual growth habits and need growing conditions that some beginners may have somewhat of a difficult time getting a quick grasp of in the beginning. I won't go into details about this unless there's a request for it.



You want my recommendation for an easy beginner's orchid...

Bletilla striata

Everyone and their mothers sells this plant.

It is 100% terrestrial.

It is cold tolerant.

It can be potted easily.

If it ever freezes, just bring the pot inside.

The flowers are nice and showy.

They're mildly fragrant.

You grow this thing like any spring bulb. Simple.



If you want an easy epiphyte to grow, try growing the epiphytical Laelias, like:

Laelia anceps
Laelia purpurata
Laelia tenebrosa


Or...


Try Anacheilum (formerly Encyclia):

Anacheilum fragrans
Anacheilum cochleata
Anacheilum radiata


Or...


Epidendrums:

Epidendrum calanthum
Epidendrum nocturnum (native to FL!)


This is just scratching the surface.

I have to concur with the opinions that Phals are tricky for beginners, I think they're often a first orchid mainly because of their ubiquity. I find Phals easiest to maintain when mounted, as this basically eliminates the possibility of overwatering and avoids or mitigates other pitfalls like crown rot and mealybugs.

For a good beginner orchid I'd recommend Dendrobium hybrids or species within section Dendrobium (AKA 'nobile-type'). The species can have a strong seasonality that some people find tricky, but most of the hybrids are extremely forgiving and all will reward you nicely for neglecting them half the year. Mini hybrids like Princess, Yellow Chinsai, Stardust, Kokomo, etc. take up very little room and seem especially tolerant of cultural problems.

--Nat

You can also try:

Brassavola Little Stars


Or...


Brassavola nodosa

I forgot...

Bletilla striata has the added advantage of even having a total noob to orchids being able to grow them from seed without any special care.

Just grab a pot. Put in a little potting soil. Surface sow. Put in indirect bright light. Water when dry. And within a month, they'll sprout.

It's pretty much like sowing the seeds of your favorite small seeded perennials.

Beats having to grow orchid seeds in a sterile bottle any day! :biggrin:

I would not recommend Phals as a beginner orchid. Once you figure out their culture they are easy to grow and bloom. However, they have about zero tolerance for culture mistakes. Orchids that have pseudobulbs are a little more forgiving. If you screw up and the roots rot the big fat old bulbs will usually be enough to keep it going until it grows new roots. It's kind of a nice safety net. Phals don't have a safety net.

LOL I have bought Bletilla striata many times and never had one do well....might be they were in the pkg to long at the store ..whatever reason they have never proven easy for me ...easy is going to depend entirely on your grow area and your experiance with plants in general In my opinion.

As for phals never had one from home depo or Wal Mart fail on me but I had several years of experiance killing mail order dens and finaly discovering how to grow them before I tried a phal ......and that was with out a internet forum to turn to for advice....

The answer is truly pick something that is not too expensive that you like and try one ....

I found Phaius extreamly easy to keep alive and growing but it took 3 or four years before I rebloomed one,and that was entirely due to advice recieved from OB members on how to grow one.....

Quite a divergence of opinions here. One person's easiest is someone else's impossible, and that doesn't end up being very helpful for a beginner.

You really do need to research the requirements of various types and decide on something you can provide the right light and temperature for. Start with 2 or 3 different types, make sure you get printed instructions from the vendor, and take your time to pick out healthy plants.

At many orchid shows or garden shows you can find a friendly stranger who is more than willing to answer a few questions or help you pick out a healthy plant. Just break the ice by remarking on an attractive plant and ask if they are already growing orchids.

The most important 'anything else' you can buy is a book that gives basic information about a variety of orchids. You will be more confident going forward if you have something written to rely on and learn from. And don't leave the garden show without finding out what fertilizer you need and picking some up if you don't already have something appropriate.

Whatever plants you choose they should be in bud or in flower so you get some immediate gratification, take your time to pick out healthy ones, and stick to things well within your budget so it won't be too painful when you lose one - and EVERYONE kills a few sooner or later. Unlike some others I would still recommend Phalaenopsis as a first plant to consider. I would also recommend Paphiopedilum Maudiae types, Oncidium hybrids, Ludisia discolor, and Anacheilium and Phaius are good suggestions others mentioned - but it all depends on what conditions you can give and how much space you have.

Whatever you end up with the forum is here to help you along.

Hmm...

I've bought them from every place but an orchid nursery and they've done wonderfully more often than not.

The wholesale nursery that supplies these retail nurseries or garden centers is Van Bleom Gardens. Yup, the same company that sells tulips and daffodils and such to places like The Home Depot, Lowes, OSH, and just about every nursery or garden center in the United States.

I always pick out the ones with the most number of large shoots. They should look like a large dog's canine teeth.

If the tuberous growths show any signs of molding or rotting, I don't purchase them.

I grab a pot that's about the same size as the tuberous growth, and I put some woodland type potting soil, (with or without limestone, or dolomite, it really doesn't matter) and put it in bright indirect light. I put limestone in there because I know they're native to China, and China is "the limestone capital of the world". If the potting soil doesn't drain well, I just add more perlite or pumice to the mix. They're grown outdoors all year round. I allow it to dry out between waterings. I don't water at all when they drop their leaves. I resume watering during very late winter to early spring.

It has problems when it's grown too warm during dormancy. If they're kept warm during the period when they're supposed to be dormant, they just keep growing and exhaust themselves to death in the long run. But other than that they're really easy for me to grow.

They should not be grown out in heavy snow. They can handle very light frost, only if they're protected. For safety, I wouldn't go below 36 F.

The ones you're experiencing problems with might be getting eaten by snails, slugs, cutworms, or locusts. Particularly if they're grown in the ground.


A couple of side notes:

They grow from stem tubers. Don't be surprised that the tubers end up turning green.

Compared to some other terrestrial orchids that are very stingy with root growth, Bletilla striata grow roots pretty freely and produce a good number of them as well.

LOL Phillip we never see on in a pot already growing here ...they sell them as a bulb in a pkg of sawdust and I am assuming badly stressed .....I would probably if I saw some in Say Houston at a garden center indeed try again assuming it was more old dryed out starts that were doomed that made me fail so often...

Well, even if they're in little baggies with sawdust...

If you ever try again, try looking for tubers that look like plump bear claw doughnuts or the rhizomes of ginger.

I'm also sowing some Bletilla striata seeds, and they look like they're about to germinate soon.

If they make it to a good size, I might consider selling them.

Whoa. THANK you for all the great suggestions & advice! I ask one question and I find I have learned so much from everyone - you're the best! I definitely picked the best forum!

And, I have to tell you, I am "officially" smitten with an orchid and MUST have it. This is from Philip's suggestion. He said that the 'Laelia purpurata' was a good choice, so I looked it up. I adore the white one with pink. It is to die for!! As soon as I go to the Garden Show, THAT is the one I'm hunting for! I'm also going to make sure to get some proper fertilizer because I don't have any (I only have other plant fertilizer right now). THANK YOU EVERYONE!

well you should also look at the forum on s/h or "semi-Hydroponics"....its a great way to grow many orchids as well ...and you can also grow orchids in Hydroton without doing s/h instead of bark and overwatering is much harder to do ...

I find phals easy to grow, and I also live in the Northeast- they tolerate the low light in the winter that we have up north. I've also had good luck with phal type dens.
But, I also have good luck with Masdevalias- go figure.
I highly recommend the book "Understanding Orchids" by Cullina- it's my bible.

Easiest Orchids for Beginners?
 

And rather than spend good money on books, get thee to thy Public Library and check out some books both on general care as well as specialized care.
Personally, I have good success with intergeneric hybrids as well as practically anything in the Cattleya alliance.
Beverly A.

"Understanding Orchids" is a very good book on growing orchids.

As you can see from all of the comments, what's easy depends on how the orchids needs mesh with the particular environment AND the growers habits (especially watering).

People have recommended both high light and low light orchids, as well as orchids that like to be a little wetter, and some that like to be drier.

The key is to know your own conditions, and pick something that will flourish under those conditions. If you ask your question again, but phrase it "what is a good beginner orchid that will grow under ------", you will get more meaningful and applicable responses. Based on the number of responses, you can see we all care and want you to succeed, but I really don't know how actionable the responses (other than Cullimas book) really are.

By the way - I think you probably have pretty low light levels, if the leaf color on you departed phal is an indication.

PaphMadMan has an excellent point. Some can grow orchids that others just can't. Don't pay too much for an orchid in the beginning. You really don't want to fall out and cry if it dies.

I personally have had great success and great tragedy with phals. It depends on the state of the plant when you get it, the area you decide to grow in and the light that it gets. I have learned the hard way to keep water out of the leaf crotches of phals and that re-potting when I get it is very important. Clear pots are the best, for phals, to determine when to water. Some people can lift the pot and tell by the weight if a plant needs to be watered, I have to see the roots. I only use bark, because I can't trust moss, rather I can't trust myself with moss. A desk lamp that can be bent to your requirements, with a daylight cfl is a good thing to have. I have some phals directly under the light, their leaves have a deep purple tinge to them, and others I have about a foot away. They all do well with growing and one flowers fairly regular. I also have a Maudie type paph that blooms like mad and another paph that hasn't bloomed at all. Dens that do well and dens that don't do well. Catts that have been rescued and are recovering. All my plants are in the same part of the house, under 4 lamps and might get watered when I remember. But, I also don't grow species plants. Hybrids are way more forgiving.
I use only Brita filtered water to water my plants and fertilize quite irregular. I have noticed that neglect was good for some chids, not so much for others, but they bounced back. My humidity in the winter runs about 23%, and I still get blooming orchids. A phal that is blooming now and an Oncidium that is spiking.

It really depends on your environment and the plant you decide on. Find a plant you like and ask what kind of temps and light it needs, along with humidity. If your environment lacks something, see if you can supplement it's requirements.
Most important don't get discouraged by any failures, growing orchids is always a learning experience. If one dies, buy another kind of chid. When you are more confident, then try the one you killed again.
The OB is an excellent resource for any questions. It's also an excellent outlet for sharing your triumphs. Good Luck!

You can grow small plants like cactus, Bonsai etc.These are houseplants that can be planted indoor.You can use LED lights for their proper growth as it produces less heat and are inexpensive.LED lights also help in proper functioning of photosynthesis by providing light.

I'm also a beginner and started with phal's because they are the cheapest and easiest to buy in my country. The hardest part is not overwatering. I've read almost every post on phal's now and still I overwatered my phal's!!!!!!!!
Main message is that you can read alot but still you have to try it out yourself.
Most people say that you have to water phal's every 4-14days depends on temp and humidity.
I started to water my phals every 14days (indoor growing, humidity at 50-60%), I still overwatered them. I'm now watering them every 21days and now they are doing fine. But you have to figure this out yourself,

Hello & welcome!

Just wanted to fill you in just in case you do buy a phal. One of the most important tips that I learned here is to use a bamboo skewer twisted down into the growing medium to determine if it's time to water your phal. If it's nearly dry, it's time to water. Otherwise it's only too easy to drown your chid.

Best wishes and happy growing!

Phals are great but can be finicky to rebloom depending on your conditions. Many Paphs seem to be easier to rebloom and grow. Seattleorchid.com is quite helpful in pointing you in the right direction. Inquire and they are happy to help you out!