Basic Culture Tips
LIGHT, LIGHT and LIGHT!
Herein you will find some of the best kept secrets of successful orchid growers.
Okay, okay I may not have all the answers for every grower but I can tell you what seems to work for most. The single most important factor in growing (Blooming) orchids is LIGHT. Without proper light you, me, no one will really have much success in getting plants to perform well. Yes you might have a few flowers here and there. Orchids are so adaptable to varying conditions that they will even bloom in an unlit room. As an experiment I placed a pre-spiked Phal in the pantry area of my kitchen on Jan 1. Yep, by the third week in January I had flowers. And by April 15 the plant was in full bloom with 10 flowers. But leaving the plant in a dark location will do absolutely nothing for its long term health and vitality. In other words it would start to go down hill and perhaps bloom with one or two flowers the following year (maybe). If you can't provide the correct light for your orchids, try growing them under lights. Many successful growers will grow their plants under lights in the basement during the winter months and then summer the plants outdorrs during the warmer months here in the Northeast. I've seen this type of treatment used to revive the 'sorriest' of orchids. Give your orchid the proper amount of sunlight and part of the equation for success will be met. When I say part of the equation I mean equation. Everything in moderation. Remember you are taking plants out of there natural conditions and creating a contrived environment for them. Lets say that you place your plants next to a window facing East-South-East. You will need to monitor the plant for a few days around the time of each quarterly seasonal change. By monitor I mean really pay attention to how the plant looks and feels. Touch the leaves to determine the temperature. If the leaves feel hot then there will eventually be a problem with growth (at best). If the leaves feel really warm you risk the chance of burning! A small whisper fan placed near the plant area running 24/7 will do wonders in improving culture. The fan is just as important when growing under lights. Remember that most of the orchids we grow are epiphyte in nature; that is, air plants. These plants LOVE air movement. In nature they are usually getting air movement caused by the wind blowing around at 10-20 MPH. Think about Florida or Hawaii and the breezes coming off shore or up or down the mountains. Those breezes are what plants need. Walk into any commercial orchid place and you will find fans blowing the air. Lots of fans! Try for a nice gentle flow so that the leaves can be seen moving lightly. I leave fans on in my greenhouse continuously day and night. If you don't feel good about running them 24/7 then at least leave them on during the daylight hours. A simple timer will allow a more automated system thereby allowing you more time to attend to other aspects of culture.
Water Quality/ Fertilizer and Superthrive
Another tool many orchid growers use is SuperThrive. Superthrive is a liquid added to the fertilizer and contains B vitamins and other 'secret' ingredients. You have probably seen the product advertized in garden mags. One drop per gallon is reccomended, and there are lots of mysterious claims, rewards, and boasts that don't make much sense are written on the label. Anyway, I feel that the stuff really works to help give the plants a boost in the spring as the light starts to come back and the days begin to get longer. I usually use 5-6 drops per gallon along with my fertilizer. I use Superthrive in the early spring months until around June 15. I think it helps to give the plants a boost along with the increase of light intensity and warmer temperatures. I use it with every application of fertilizer.
Speaking of fertilizer I think that one of THE best ones right now is the MSU formula. Michigan State has developed 2 different formulas that can be used with tap water or with RO or rain water. Many growers are now using the MSU formula and I have heard some who say that they would not be without it. Many fertilizers have had their 'day' and each is probably 'okay' as long as they are used in moderation. In early spring, we begin increasing the concentration and frequency of fertilizer so that by April/May, we are using about the equivalent of 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon of fertilizer per gallon of water.
We recommend using either rain water, reverse osmosis, distilled water or water from a dehumidifier as they do not contain 'salts.' If tap water is used please flush the pots totally so that the leached salts will reabsorb into the water and be washed out of the pot. I tell my customers to buy a bottle of distilled water and flush the plants with it once a month. Distilled water and spring water are NOT the same! Spring water will contain the same or even more dissolved minerals as tap water or well water in some cases. After the addition of fertilizer a TDS meter is used to test the total dissolved salts. Since orchids generally thrive in places where very low amounts of fertilizer is supplied (passing birds, monkeys, organic teas or just dust from the air) they really do not want heavy concentrations of fertilizer. Give them either a weak solution every watering (weakly/weekly) or alternate with pure water and then fertilizer. Also many orchid growers suggest using a variety of fertilizer formula over time to accomplish a more balanced diet.
How to Water Orchids
Correct watering of orchids requires observation of the plant's natural growing environment. Some growers seem to pick up the technique easily while others ere on the side of under or over watering the plant until its demise. It sometimes helps to understand the environment where the plant originates to know how to water orchids.
Think about the environment of epiphytic orchids growing in say in South America. As an example we will discuss Cattleya orchids first.
Summer: During the rainy season (in the summer) when it rains it usually pours. The orchids growing in the tree branches are drenched with water. Cattleya roots grow in thin layers of moss and lichenes and also attach themselves to the bare bark of the tree. When it rains, it pours down with such intensity that all the mosses and lichenes and any residual organic material is totally soaked. Once the rain stops, the roots are then able to come to dryness rather quickly since they are open to the breezes and dappled sunlight shining through the tree branches and leaves.
We should try for the same watering method at least once a month in our growing area. Since the roots are growing in pots they cannot breathe as well as they would normally do in nature. Water heavily for 30 seconds or longer at each pot. This 'flushing' of pots is extremely beneficial to Cattleya orchids. Not only does this type of application saturate the mix, it brings the needed air to the roots through siphon action. I recommend flushing pots just once a month since this type of application is time consuming and labor intensive for most. Since Cats like to dry out quickly I often enlarge the pot holes in both clay and plastic pots. The enlarged holes allows air to pass through the mix more easily.
Alternate waterings should occur when it is not practical to flush pots. The application then can just be the simple addition of water until the mix appears saturated. They subsequent application of water depends on the dryness of the mix in each growing area. That frequency can be determined by using the 'pot stick' or label that should accompany every orchid. Four to five days after watering the orchid, the stick can be pulled out of the mix and tested for moisture. This is a simple method I often use when I am not sure if the plant requires water: "If the pot stick is wet, then do NOT add more water" Wait a few days and check again. The easiest and most sensitive place to check that moisture level is the cheek or the underside of ones arm.
