How to Grow Orchids in Lath Houses

Select a lath house made of a rot-resistant wood, such as redwood, cypress, cedar or pressure-treated pine. Look for a lath house made with 1-inch lath that is spaced approximately 3/4-inch apart; this type of lath house blocks 75 percent of direct sunlight and provides orchids with the filtered sunlight they need for successful cultivation.

Cover the surface of the soil at the planting site with 3 inches peat moss, 2 inches well-rotted compost and 1 inch perlite or coarse horticultural sand. Till the organic amendments into the soil to a depth of at least 8 inches to improve its drainage and aeration. Plant the orchids at the same level that they were growing in their nursery containers.

Provide the orchids with 3/4- to 1-inch of water per week spring through summer. Keep the soil just slightly moist -- never wet or waterlogged. Withhold supplemental irrigation in the fall and winter; most terrestrial orchid species can survive solely on rainfall during these seasons.

Fertilize the orchids in the lath house with a 25-percent-strength solution of a balanced, water-soluble fertilizer specially formulated for flowering garden plants. Apply the fertilizer every two to three weeks during the spring and summer. Cease fertilization in the fall, while the orchids are in their resting phase; resume a regular fertilization schedule in the spring. For best results, always apply fertilizer products according to the manufacturer's directions.

Remove spent orchid blossoms to help the plant maintain an attractive appearance and allow it to focus its energy on developing an extensive root system. Snip the spent blossoms from the orchid with sharpened and sterilized pruning shears, or use your fingers to pinch them off of the plant.