Orchid Growing Instructions

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The beauty of the orchid's line and color is known to all who bask in the offerings of the florist's window, but the breathless suspense and expectation that attend the unfolding of the mysterious growth of the orchid plant are known to the grower alone.
The appearance of each new growth and root is cause for rejoicing; the slimy mark of a snail or the cottony warning of the presence of scale is cause for distress.
The habits and idiosyncrasies of every species and plant are subject to absorbed study.
Different methods of growing and the relative merits of hybrids and species are endlessly discussed among fellow growers.
The orchid grower checks his mundane worries at the door of the greenhouse and enters a world that offers surcease even to the heart heavily burdened with sorrow and loss.
However, when the beginner, eager but ignorant, seeks published information on the growing of orchids, he may be discouraged by the dearth of information.
Where growers of garden-variety flowers find an almost bewildering wealth of literature, the would-be orchid grower bumps up against what seems to be a wall of secrecy.
This wall once was impregnable—each orchid hunter, grower, and hybridizer jealously guarded finds from curious and covetous eyes—but today there is an organized effort to popularize the growing of orchids by dispersing information through amateur groups and bulletins.
If the amateur will play fair with the commercial grower, he can obtain much valuable information even from him.
The amateur need only remember the important fact that to the professional the sale of orchids is a means of making a living, while to the amateur it is a means of securing pleasure and perhaps pin-money.
There is now no deliberate conspiracy to conceal information about orchid growing, but there is still too little material available for the amateur.
Many fine orchid books, first printed in expensive limited editions, have been long out of print, and others, published abroad, have not been translated. In the following pages we shall contribute our small share to building the foundation of a more general interest in and understanding of orchid culture.
Beginning with a glimpse into the life secrets of the orchid and continuing through to the rather specialized knowledge required for growing orchids from seed, the aim of the book is to make a fascinating and worth-while hobby available to thousands.
Once the way has been opened, the amateur will find many adventurous and rewarding by-paths to explore on his own.
Now, if your looking for orchid growing instructions, you must remember that there are a lot of different species of orchids and what works for one will not work for another.
There are just too many factors involved in growing orchids. Light, climate, housing, feed, and a whack of others are specific for individual orchid species.
Here’s a hint in growing healthy orchids. Always find out the native land of the orchid and study the climate, light, and environment. From there, you should be able to get a head start on your orchid growing instructions.
This website will also contain a lot of useful information you need to grow your orchid. So, please feel free to roam around the website. I’m sure you will find a lot of useful information that has been tried and tested over time that will certainly help you with your orchid growing hobby.
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See Orchid World

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Welcome to the wonderful orchid world.
Beauty and use seem to go hand-in-hand in the orchid family.
The orchid family varies widely in habitat, ranging throughout the tropics, over the temperate zones of both hemispheres, and even reaching into the fringes of the Arctic.
There is a similarly wide variation in type, with several systems of classification.
The first division is into monopodial and sympodial groups, referring to the habit of growth. The monopodial, including the Vanda and Aerides, grow continuously from a central crown, which eventually appears atop a long stem that has frequently lost its lower leaves.
Phalaenopsis, although monopodial, is stemless, but yearly grows a pair of leaves from the characteristic crown.
The leaves of monopodial orchids are heavy, leathery, fleshy, and capable of storing some quantity of moisture, but the plants must never be allowed to dry out completely.
The leaves of Vanda teres, like pine needles, do not resemble leaves, but are three to four inches long, very slender, round and succulent, and taper to a point.
The sympodial group, of which Cattleya, Laelia, and Coelogyne are notable examples, has a creeping rootstock, with each new growth springing from the base and alongside the last year's growth.
The new growth appears as a swelling or 'dormant' eye that at the proper time will 'break' or begin to grow. In some genera, such as Laelia and Coelogyne, the growths will break in several directions, but in Cattleya usually in only one.
The pseudobulb, a characteristic of sympodial orchids, is a reservoir for food and moisture against times of drought and dormancy. It differs widely according to the different genera.
The pseudobulb of Cattleya is longish, smooth, and rounded; while that of Laelia may be slightly flattened, even in some cases assuming a many-sided angular form. Certain species have pseudobulbs that resemble small pineapples.
The pseudobulbs of Odonto-glossum and Miltonia are much flattened and compressed; those of Coelogyne are very round, short, and prolific; and those of Cymbidium very large, rounded, and stocky.
Dendrobium in many species lacks pseudobulbs, but even the long cane-like flower stems, along which the leaves grow in pairs, are capable of storing food and moisture.
The orchid world is a world of beauty. So, enjoy the rest of this site since all the information is free.
You will find information of how to grow orchids, how to care for orchids, orchid types, housing for orchids, orchid potting, growing orchids from seed, orchid hybrids and so much more. Enjoy the wonderful world of orchids.
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Growing Orchid For Beginner

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When it comes to growing orchid for beginner, no hard and fast rules can be set down for the beginner to follow.
It has been said that each grower in her own greenhouse, within limitations established by the plants, is a law unto herself.
The amount of each element in the light-heat-moisture-air formula will vary according to season, experience, and variety.
One of the things that make the growing of orchids unique and stimulating is the spirited controversy that arises over every aspect of culture.
One of the many points on which there is no incontroversial procedure for growing orchid for beginner, is the matter of how much light should be admitted. It must be decided whether to grow the plants 'soft' or 'hard,' to use the parlance of experienced growers.
The amateur must make his own choice. When it comes to growing orchid for beginner, to grow 'soft' means to shade the plants from the sun so that the leaves remain a beautiful dark green.
There can be no doubt that this method produces the most beautiful plants, but the quality of bloom is a question that cannot be answered so definitely. In 'soft' conditions care must be exercised not to shade to the point where flower growth will be hindered.
When it comes to growing orchid for the beginner, to grow 'hard' means to allow so much light that the leaves have decided overtones of yellow. This method, while marring the appearance of the plant, is said by its proponents to give increased bloom.
Too much light must be avoided, since it will burn the plant and growth will be interrupted. Dry, yellow flower sheaths will at times result from such sunburn, and incipient buds will become steamy and subject to destruction by wet rot. Cutting off the very top of such a sheath with a sharp knife will allow air to reach the bud and may save it.
The claim that growing orchids 'hard' increases flower growth appears logical if the conditions under which orchids grow in their natural state are considered: the natural environment is 'hard.'
It must be remembered, however, that nature controls sunlight in a way difficult to approximate in the greenhouse. Even in those areas where certain varieties grow in so-called 'full sun/ it will be found that drifting clouds give a protection that is absent under intensely directed light in the greenhouse.
Once the orchid grower beginner has made the choice between 'soft' and 'hard' methods, the subsequent treatment must be consistent. If much sun is provided, more moisture and air will be required. If the plants are grown with minimum sun they will require less moisture, but an increase in ventilation may be needed to keep the air sweet.
Too great an increase in heat during the winter is a common error of orchid growers. Plants store up energy during the daylight hours and give off or transpire energy at night. Increase in night heat increases transpiration.
Shorter periods of daylight lessen the manufacture of energy. If the plant loses more energy at night than it is able to store during the day, obviously it will suffer. Orchids are very susceptible to shock of any kind, and they take considerable time to recover—if they ever do. This danger must be borne in mind regarding sunburn, chilling, or energy deficit.
There is the further difficulty of each species' having its own light requirements. Quick reference to conditions in the native homes of the species that the amateur is likely to acquire will illustrate the point. Cattleyas, native to Central and South America, are found hanging on trees in the tropical rain forests.
The burning sun of midday is usually kept off the plant by foliage directly overhead. The grower, guided by this knowledge, lets Cattleyas be exposed to the sun, but provides shade in summer during the warmest part of the day, for sunburn must be avoided.
The increased exposure to sun necessitates a corresponding increase in humidity to prevent the pseudobulbs from shriveling.
Laelias, showy natives of Mexico and Central America, are found growing on rocks in the open sun. They are closely related to Cattleyas, but require larger amounts of both light and air. The grower should find a place for them in the sun, right up under the glass. Sudden temperature changes should be avoided.
Among the sun-worshipers are the Vandas, natives of India, the Philippines, and some Pacific islands. They will not thrive without adequate sun, and they must have corresponding amounts of heat and water. Care must be exercised to keep water from remaining in the growing crown.
The evergreen Dendrobiums, native to the Indian Islands, and Oncidiums, from Central and South America, are also sun-worshipers. Phalaenopsis, the lovely white 'bride's orchids' from the Philippines and the Eastern Archipelago, respond well to sun, but must not be overexposed. A warm, moist atmosphere, with plenty of air, is best for this species. Zygopetalums, found in Brazil, Venezuela, and the Guianas, require moderate exposure to sun.
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Orchid Plant Diseases

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Some of the more common orchid plant diseases include varying degrees of "rot". There are different types and include Bacterial Leaf Rot, Bacterial Root Rot and Crown Rot.
Leaf rot, is another one of orchid plant diseases which appears as a slight discoloration of the leaf. It is in noted as a spot on the leaf. It is not that the entire leaf is a lighter or darker green color. If you catch it late you will note that the spot has gotten larger and has irregular borders. The infected part eventually turns gray. and becomes soft in texture. The remedy is to cut the leaf back to the healthy tissue using generally a clean and if possible a sterile instrument or blade. I like to use a new single edge razor blade and discard the razor blade after it has been in contact with the diseased area. Treat the good edge of the leaf with a bactericidal solution. Or it is possible to sprinkle the spice cinnamon. Then make sure the plant is in a place of good good air circulation.
Another orchid plant disease is Crown Rot which is the same as leaf rot but in a larger area and hasgreater ramification. It takes the uppermost leaf or leaves thus the name "crown". The remedy is to remove the uppermost leaf or leaves that will be soft usually at the attachment to the plant stem. It is important to remove all the diseased area including digging into the crown of the plant with a sterile knife or blade edge. Once again treat the open area with bacteriocidal solution. Or again I like to sprinkle the area with cinnamon.
Bacterial Root Rot shows itself as some shriveling of the lower leaves. This is a common orchid plant disease. Over watering can cause this problem. The treatment here is different and includes re-potting. When you take the plant out of the pot you will notice that the roots are dark and soft. The remedy includes removing the bad roots and the media around them. Because they are soft when you pull the roots to remove they will break off easily. Use a smaller pot this time and re-plant. Do not water for several days and then water less frequently than you have.
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Leaf Burn occurs when the plant is over exposed to sunlight. You will
Leaf Burn occurs when the plant is over exposed to sunlight. You will see some gray-white areas on the leaf. These will usually get better but just keep an eye on it for these spots may get infected.
Bud Blast is the withering and falling off of buds. This can occur either with the bud in the sheath or when they emerge as buds. The cause is usually some sudden drastic changes that the plant undergoes. This may be from a sudden temperature change or light change. It may be also caused by allowing the plant to dry out excessively. It is important to not put plants in front of the heater vents when we bring them into our houses.
Black Spot / Black Leaf. This is common in both the Paphiopedilum and the Oncidium plants. This is caused by either too much fertilizer or not enough fresh water. They are unsightly spots on the leaf which as the name implies is black in color. It may be on the body of the leaf or on the tip of the leaf. Also, check on the air circulation in this area of the orchid plant.
These tend to be the the most common orchid plant diseases. Be aware of them and you probably won't get them!
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Online Gardening Catalogs For Your Information

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Are you searching for gardening catalogs or reading materials regarding gardening? What kind of gardening and plants do you prefer to read about? There is a wide selection of catalogs available online. To facilitate your search for sources, here are a few online catalogs and websites that offer "the best" catalogs that they can easily ship to your place:

1. www.jacksonsnurseries.co.uk

Along with nursery facilities, they offer landscape designing, ground designing and wholesale. They claim that they have the best plant stock price since one will be dealing directly with the grower of the plant stocks.

2. www.mzbulb.com

If you are looking for flower bulbs, McClure and Zimmerman have each and every variety. They have a no fuss website navigation that allows interested clients to easily order catalogs.

3. www.gardennursery.com

Nichols Garden Nursery online gardening catalog unit offers supply of seeds and plants. Claiming that they do this for over 50 years already, they must be one of the best. They offer a 76 page free gardening catalog that could be easily ordered through filling up their catalog request form online.

4. www.gurneys.com

They offer great deals like when one orders one kind of plant, it may mean that one order means two plants. Gurney's also offer a no-risk guarantee and a scheduled shipping of orders according to categories of plants, i.e., roses, herbs, shrubs, and trees, tender annuals, and all other plants and bulbs. It even offers a zip code driven growing zone locator.

5. www.homeharvest.com

Home Harvest Garden Supply offers alternative gardening products, i.e., organic fertilizers, hydroponics, natural insect controls, container, hobby greenhouse, propagation and irrigation supplies and indoor plant grow lights and other rare gardening supplies. They offer an online catalog for every gardening enthusiast.

6. www.jacksonandperkins.com

Jackson and Perkins are known to be one of the best American gardening experts. They are reaching out to other gardening aficionados through their website offering gardening products that could easily be browsed through their catalog. Their product line includes a wide range of plants - new award-winning roses, easy to grow perennials to special outdoor decor. Flowering gifts may also be delivered to worthy recipients just by ordering from their site.

7. www.thegardenwindow.com

This site offers an online catalog that specializes in imported Chinese tree peonies (from Mainland, China).

Free online gardening catalogs may be good source of gardening supply information. One just has to be fine with the light promotion of events and other products that may be sent to his email inbox every now and then.



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Growing Orchids In Greenhouses

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Will controling the climate in a greenhouses help with growing orchids? Is it easier or harder to use a greenhouse? I thought that orchids were difficult?
All these are great questions and relate to using greenhouses as well. You will see an increasing number of folks using greenhouses very successfully with orchids and lots of other plants.
To answer the question simply, So the answer is "Yes you can" use greenhouses for orchids but there are a few stipulations. They will usually do very well and may even bloom more frequently for you.
Now to answer some of the questions raised earlier. An green house can be a very good place to grow you favorite plants including orchids. Depending on the style both the light and temperature can be maintained properly.
Some orchids will do very well in hot, tropical climates, like Vandas. Others like the see a temperature decrease in the night time like the Phalaenopsis orchids.
Your greenhouse will be a special place for you to come and enjoy your hobby. It will be your "sanctuary".
Before you purchase a greenhouse be sure you fully understand what will be necessary to help control both the temperature and the light. For example, Phalaenopsis orchids like bright light but not direct sunlight. They do like a West setting and late day sun. The Cattleya orchids do well in sunlight.
Greenhouses vary both in size, shape and cost. Some use wood as the frame, others use aluminum. It seems that aluminum stands up better to the whims of nature than does wood. It also looks better for a longer period of time.
If you live in the Northern part of the US you definitely will need a heat source for your plants. This could be gas fired small furnaces or electric heat. Remember, when you turn the heat on humidity goes down.Some greenhouses will need to have the humidity controled.
Good ventilation and humidity are very important. Most plants including growing orchids depend on good air circulation. A fan can do this very easily. Be sure to keep the fan clean to avoid the spread of disease from one plant to another.
Growing orchids in greenhouses will allow you to grow plants year round. You plant what you want, when you want to, and how you want. You can control the light, temperature, watering and humidity so you will have a healthy, viable greenhouse for your hobby.
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A Brassia Orchid Species And A Spider

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What does a spider and an orchid plant have in common? Yes, Halloween is a special day. Brassia orchid plant is a name given to these spider orchids.
Indeed, you can see the resemblance to the spider in this picture.

These beautiful orchids are from the Genus Brassia, the spider orchid. The long and slender petals and septals are like spider legs.
They are named in honor of William Brass, a 19th-century British botanical illustrator, this orchid grows in the wet forests of tropical Central and South America, but it is also comfortable in cultivation.
Many species in the genus Brassia orchid plants are pollinated by parasitic wasps, which normally lay their eggs on spiders. The patterns and structure of Brassia orchids resemble a spider in its web enough to encourage these wasps to lay their eggs in the plants' blossoms and in doing so pollinate them.
The flower spike will provide you with a number of these flowers which do resemble spiders along the spike. Brassias are crossed with Miltonia and Ondontoglossums to produce some very pretty orchid plants. Some have flowers that reach about 10 inches in diameter.
And did I mention they are extremely fragrant as well.
They are not hard to grow but do require some specific parameters for their growth. First, spider orchid plants do require either high intensity bright light. This can be diffuse light. They should not have the direct noon-time sunlight.
During the day and into their growth and blooming period they like temps between 65 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit (18 C. - 24 C.) At night the temps for the Brassia orchid plant should be between 55 and 65F. ( 13 C. - 18 C.)
Just after their blooming period these plants need a rest for several weeks. This means that the temperature should be kept on the lower end of the range, 55 - 60 degrees.
As far as watering, they need to be kept moist but not wet during their growing season. The growing period is during the development of the pseudopods which are flat and when the inflorescence (flower spike). After this period you should water only once a week.
Spider orchid plants do need both humidity and air circulation. The humidity is between 50-70%. This is a little higher than most orchids. For air circulation you can use a small fan, but don't point the fan on the plant.
Now when you remember or see a spider you can imagine the beautiful Brassia orchid plant.
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