Orchids are one of the most exquisite plants on this planet. They have a different kind of beauty and the flowers that bloom from them are equally stunning. That is why is you want to grow your orchids well, you need to understand every aspect of planting orchids. One of them is the soil used.
I will elaborate on this because there are different kinds of soil. There is the terrestrial kind that makes use of Rocks and Cherbles to plant flowers in. Then we have the epiphytes that are plants that grow naturally on Trees and huge branches that hang in the air.
I will only focus on the terrestrial; there are other systems that the orchids can be planted in but I will only focus on the terrestrial for now. The terrestrial require huge amount of sunlight and if you are able to bring them inside to be able to care for them, you are assured of great blossoms. You would be wrong thinking that it is enough sunlight to make them bloom. The rays aremagical to the orchids and they need light to convert carbon dioxide to food. If direct sunlight is blocked by something or by the Tree or raise light above the orchid, the plant will become inactive and will not start blooming.
Some terrestrial orchids are capable of living off the sun only during their growth period. blossoming period is only two to three months long. This orchid uses up more energy than the other orchids, so you have to be careful not to over expose the orchid to its environment.
Light is necessary and the type of light that is in the atmosphere is also important for the orchid to bloom. Different species of orchids have different light requirements. A good example is the Phalaenopsis orchid. The leaves of this orchid are very thick and look as if they need a very wide open space to be able to grow successfully. On the other hand, the Vanda orchid’s leaves are thin and look like a small potato. You need to find out the type of orchid that you have so that you can find out the requirements for light and temperature.
If you are determined to keep your orchid inside the house, you should power the orchid’s light system with an electric current. You may have to move the orchid to another window of the house or use a tree branch to support the orchid. Even if you could bring the orchid to a different window, the artificial light will not be as effective as the natural light.
Artificial lights can be used as an alternative to natural light. The orchid grower will need to repeat this process several times a day if he wants the orchid to bloom.
The orchid is very sensitive to temperature and you need to keep this in mind. It is possible to bring the orchid to a temperature that is not too cold for it. If you want the orchid to bloom, you need to make sure that it is as warm as possible. Normally, the maximum temperature for the orchid to bloom is about 50 degrees Fahrenheit and not less than 45 degrees Fahrenheit. Some types of exotic orchids require a temperature of 40 degrees Fahrenheit to even grow correctly.
The humidity for the orchid grower should be maintained in the range of 40 to 80 percent; the higher the humidity, the more delicate the orchid will be to temperature changes.
We discussed the light at the beginning of this article. The amount of light is what determines whether the orchid will bloom or not. However, some orchids have very bright lights at the surface of the water. Even if you are using very bright lights, the water will evaporate very quickly because of the very bright lights. If you do a background check on the leaves to determine if they are getting sufficient light, the orchid will show you a great benefit. If you prune the leaves by a quarter of its size, you will see a dramatic change in its appearance. The leaves will be more robust and energetic looking and this is a signs of a healthy plant. When you use orchid lights, remember to position them approximately one foot above the orchid’s leaves. If you use a fluorescent light, move the light a little closer to the orchid’s roots. If you use an incandescent bulb, a one foot distance would be fine.
If the orchid will be located in a very confined space, it is recommended that you use some sort of grow lights or tiered trays.
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