Orchids? There's no mystery about growing orchids,
I spotted a very large and beautiful spider orchid growing in rubble, about 30 years ago. I was scrambling across a scree slope in Victoria, Australia, when I saw it. It had very long petals, perhaps 3 or 4 inches, and was absolutely the most beautiful and fascinating flower I had ever seen. I was fossicking for turquoise (my birthstone) and although I returned to that area many times over the next four years or so, often at the same time of the year, I never saw the flower again. I mention this because all native orchids, anywhere in the world, are at a crossroads. One of those roads leads to extinction. The other road may be their saviour. Hybrid development of orchids has reached a point where the plants being sold at most nurseries are hardy, and well suited to home gardens and hothouses. They have very attractive flowers, and now are being bred by the millions for sale. Hopefully the remnant native orchids will now be left alone, where they are safe from over-collecting, and from further land development. Orchids are relatively easy to grow, if you think about where they come from. Most orchids in nature, would live in a rainforest, growing in the ground, or on a tree, where the air is moist, and where there is plenty of shade. Orchids do not like full sun. In fact there is some research that shows that dappled, moving shade is very beneficial to orchids. If you live in a cool climate, there is no point in buying warm climate plants unless you have a hothouse. There are cool climate orchids that do well outside in most colder areas, check with your nursery before you buy. The old story about being very careful when you buy an orchid is important. Inspect the plant carefully for aphids, rootrot, yellowing leaves, and any other signs of disease. Check for signs of scale or mite. When you get the plant home, you may need to repot it. If not now, you will certainly need to do it next year.
If you are going to put your new orchid in with other orchids, you will want to quarantine it first, just in case it has something that may infect your other plants. Once you are sure the plant is okay, usually when it shows signs of new growth, it’s ready to go in with the others. When repotting, clip away any decaying roots, and any dead leaves. Over or under watering is the reason why most orchids fail to survive after purchase. Generally (but not always) those with thin leaves require more water, and those with thick stems or pseudo bulbs need less. All orchids require very little or no water in cooler dormant periods.
They need a spray with weak fertiliser in the growing period. Remember when fertilising that in nature, orchids obtain their nutrients from rain and breaking down of small pieces of bark and moss, including small insects. They don’t need much fertiliser! A warm shaded porch or veranda, sheltered from the wind is a good place to grow orchids, and if the night is cold, you can whiz them inside if you need to. If you live in a warm climate, most varieties will be fine outside. In a colder climate, there are plenty of hardy plants that you can grow, inside or out. If you have a hot house, you can grow almost any variety. Good luck with your orchids, they are a truly amazing plant! Patrick
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