Etowah Orchids Greenhouse

Few plants are easier. You only need to know some basics for success. Knowing more will enhance the rewards and enjoyment. Ask questions of knowledgeable growers, read a book, join a local and/or the American Orchid Society.

They need light but not direct strong light which can burn the leaves. Filtered or indirect sunlight is best. You can supplement with florescent lights if you don’t have enough natural light. The leaf color should be a nice "apple green" rather than lush dark green which usually indicates too little light and too much fertilizer. Some plants naturally have darker or lighter leaves than others however.

The simple answer is "Don’t keep them wet" and know the needs or your particular type of orchid. Nutrition helps assure a healthy plant. See our guide sheet How to Properly Water and Feed Orchids.

Know what type of orchid you have and its basic needs. It should bloom at least once a year if it is mature, healthy, getting enough light, nutrition, and is watered properly. Temperature is important too. Most orchids can be grown at temperatures that humans are comfortable with, but many need several weeks of cooler nights or more properly a wider difference between day and night temperatures. A day night difference of 10 to 20 degrees F. usually does the trick and it only needs this for about 3 or 4 weeks once or twice a year to convince the plant to initiate the flowering cycle.

When we hear this question the inquirer is usually pointing to roots. It’s natural and desirable for most orchid plants to have some roots exposed and even wandering out of the pot. Remember they probably would be clinging to a tree limb in nature. The special roots absorb water quickly and hold it like a sponge until the plant has time to use it. Exposed roots probably don’t indicate that the plant needs a larger pot.

Repot when the potting mix becomes broken down (often from keeping it too wet), when the roots are in trouble (again from keeping them too wet) or if the plant actually does outgrow the pot. Most orchid plants will need repotting about every two years. Phalaenopsis seldom need larger than a 6" pot. Cattleya and Oncidium orchids may eventually need up to a 10" pot, but most growers divide these and keep the size to 6" pots for ease of culture. Seedlings are in much smaller pots. Over potting into larger than needed pots doesn’t help the plant. It usually puts the plants into danger because of the risk of too much moisture being retained in the potting mix.

Orchid plants can live for many years with proper care. Most are three to seven years old when they bloom for the first time. There are collections with divisions of prized plants that originated over a hundred years ago.

Some plants may be divided every three or so years by the grower while repotting. In nature they produce thousands of seed, but only a few will germinate and grow. Even those need ideal conditions. Mostly, orchids plants are started by seed or are micropropagated (sometimes called tissue culture or cloning) in a sterile laboratory setup. It is a very exacting process. We maintain our own laboratory for orchid production. They take years to grow to maturity, but reward with years of enjoyment with proper care.