How to Grow and Get an Orchid Into Production

Orchid Selection

• Clemson University Cooperative Extension horticulturists recommend three orchid species for container culture: Phalaenopsis, Cattleya and Dendrobium. Nancy Doubrava and her colleagues at Clemson assert that the plants in those groups adjust well to life as houseplants, require simple care and produce attractive flowers. A local nursery or the county cooperative extension service can provide additional advice on which one out of the three species is the best match to your specific home conditions.

Species Descriptions

• Phalaenopsis orchids are more commonly known as moth orchids, a reference to the petal arrangement that looks like the insect in flight. They produce thick 8-inch-long leaves and pink and white flowers that expand 3 inches across. Cattleya orchids are native to tropical America and have a built-in water-storage compartment. As a result, they require less irrigation than some of their relatives. Dendrobium orchids, also called bamboo orchids, have thick, segmented stems that look like those of the lucky bamboo, hence the flower's common name. Different Dendrobium varieties produce 1 to 2-inch blossoms in pink, white, yellow, purple and green. Some flowers display two colors.

Potting Mix

• Orchids are terrestrial plants when they grow with their roots grounded in soil. Cattleya, Dendrobium and Phalaenopsis are species that have aerial roots. Orchids in those groups attach themselves to rocks or tree trunks and their exposed roots draw moisture and nutrients from the air. At home, those plants need a very airy potting mix. Use a blend labeled for orchids, which contains no soil. The product is usually a mixture of fir bark, tree fern fiber, peat, charcoal and volcanic stones. Grow the orchid in an unglazed clay pot, from which water evaporates quickly. Special pots for orchids also exist that have more drainage holes than usual and speed up drainage.

Environment

• At night, maintain the minimum room temperature at 65 F for your Phalaenopsis; at 60 F for a Cattleya; and at no lower than 52 F for Dendrobium orchids. Raise the heat by 10 degrees during the day. Place the planter in a tray filled with pebbles and water. The rocks elevate the pot, keeping the drainage holes above the water level and the roots from rotting. As the water in the tray evaporates, it moisturizes the orchid. At the same time, run a fan on low speed in the room or leave a window open. The ventilation prevents fungi, which thrive in humid environments, from attacking the plant.

Nutrition

• Adequate water and fertilization are a must for your orchid to get into production and bloom on schedule year after year. Irrigate your plant when the potting mix becomes dry down to 1 inch below the surface. Apply water until it begins to drip out of the pot’s drainage holes. Select an orchid fertilizer or a water-soluble 30-10-10 formula for your plant. Feed it monthly at the rate listed on the product label. Suspend fertilization after the plant blooms until you notice new leaves unfurling. Drench the plant with water whenever you notice a white crust on the surface of the potting mix. The substance is an accumulation of fertilizer salts, which you need to wash off the soil to prevent damage to the orchid.