How Do You Plant An Orchid ?
Though some orchids belong to the 'greenhouse only' variety, there are many which can be grown in a home environment. |
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Costlier than your common houseplants, make sure you are aware of the growing conditions beforehand. In the wild, orchids are usually perched high on trees, and get their nutrients from rain, air and decaying vegetation in the surroundings, conditions that you will need to create for successful cultivation.Orchids need high humidity. So, rest your plant on a humidity tray filled with pebbles and water.
The pots should not sit directly on the pebbles though. Ideally you should invert a pot over the pebbles and then set the orchid's pot on it. Alternately, you could also hang the orchids above the tray. Both will make sure that there is good drainage. Water your orchids once a week when the soil has become dry. Take care that the soil is never soggy for more than a day or two after watering.
During the growing season, use water soluble orchid fertilizer to feed your plant. Each orchid type requires different amounts of light. If natural sunlight is a problem, then you can use florescent grow lights, ideally for 14 hours a day.
Readymade orchid potting mixes which are easily available at your local garden center is ideal as a growing medium. It is inexpensive, easily available, and blends well with the soil, giving it the right amount of acidity as well as texture. You can also create your own potting mix by combining all or any of these: ground tree fern stem, osmunda fiber and ground bark.
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