How to Make an Orchid Nursery in a Basement

Set the basement up with several artificial lamps and lightbulbs, a fan and a heater for environmental control. Put a thermometer in the middle of the room to monitor the temperature.

Pot the orchids in small 1- to 2-gallon pots with drainage holes to start. Orchids do best in small, tight containers but require the drainage of the holes. Use clay pots to maintain air circulation in the orchid foundations.

Use loose, quick-draining nonsoil potting mediums for orchids. These plants prefer dry foundations and thrive in fern matter, wood chips, gravel, perlite and peat moss.

Keep the artificial lights on for 10 to 12 hours every day. If your basement has a window, monitor the orchids in the square of natural light and move them if it gets too bright. Orchids thrive under artificial lights and need indirect or partial natural light.

Maintain temperatures of at least 45 to 50 degrees F for cool-growing orchids, 55 to 60 degrees F for intermediate orchids and 60 to 68 degrees F for warm-growing orchids. Grow only one group of orchids for best success and maintain the entire basement at one temperature. Use the heater and fan to maintain these temperatures when necessary.

Fill pans with water and gravel and place the orchids in the pans. This water evaporates over time to maintain humidity for the orchids. Refill the pans as necessary to maintain humidity levels of 50 to 80 percent.

Water the orchids with 2 inches of water every seven to 10 days as necessary. Allow orchid potting material to dry before you add water; orchids prefer dry foundations to wet ones.

Feed orchids every two to three weeks with water-soluble orchid fertilizer. Mix the fertilizer at one-quarter power, per manufacturer directions, and use this mixture for watering the orchids at the appropriate time.