Considering the investment of time and energy involved in growing orchid seeds, it’s strongly recommended that you don’t attempt to get your seeds from orchids of dubious parentage – such as your Moth Orchid from the grocery store.  You should only invest in orchid seeds from a qualified grower.

Some of the issues of orchid seeds to be aware of before you attempt orchid seed germination:

• Orchid seeds must have an embryo to be viable, although the embryo does not guarantee viability.  To check for the presence of an embryo, the seed is usually viewed by a microscope;
• Orchid seeds don’t have an adequate supply of nutrients to thrive; therefore, nutrients supplied by a fungus are needed for germination.  In the early 20^th Century, a method was found to grow orchid seeds in a sterile culture with sugars and other nutrients without the fungus, which is the flasking method detailed below.
• Orchid seeds must be handled in a completely sterile environment to avoid contamination.

Orchid Seed Flasks

Orchid growers who have the facilities to sow orchid seeds use sterile flasks to sell seeds and seedlings.  They place seeds in a single flask, called the mother flask, until they are large enough to be on their own.  They are then transferred in a process called replating.  At the replating stage, the seedlings are put into sterile flasks with a richer medium.  They normally stay in these flasks for up to one year.

When the flasks are sold, they should be properly identified and the date they are flasked should be noted.  When the seedlings are removed from the flask, they need to be potted into a moist, humid environment.  They can then take two to ten years before flowering, with most species flowering within three years.

Seed Pods

If you happen to get a seed pod on your orchid, you have two options to attempt growing an orchid from seed:

• Orchid nurseries may offer flasking for orchid seeds.  They take your seed pod and use their sterile facilities to flask them for you.  Prices for this service vary.
• Before flasking was an option, some growers attempted to sow their orchid seeds in the same pot as the parent orchid.  While not the most successful method of orchid propagation, it can work.  Simply sow seeds from the pod around the roots of the parent plant.  With the moisture from normal watering and the fungus from the parent plant, orchid seed can germinate.  As soon as the seedlings can be handled, pot them on their own and hope for the best.

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There are six orchid propagation techniques that are commonly used.  Two of these methods are best left to the professionals in sterile lab conditions:

Seed: Orchid seeds are the size of a speck of dust, making it nearly impossible to handle under normal home or greenhouse conditions.  Between the size of the seed and the need for completely sterile conditions, growing orchids from seed is best left to the professional growers.

Meristem Tissue Culture:  It’s about as complicated as it sounds.  Unlike many plants which can be propagated from cuttings using basic techniques, the orchid must have tissue cultures removed from the plant under completely sterile conditions and propagated in an autoclave or pressure cooker and specialty flasks.  It’s not a method for beginners or the faint of heart!

With a little trial and error, there are other methods to propagate orchids that can be attempted under normal conditions by the novice.  The simplest method is the good old perennial propagation method of division:

Division

When an orchid has outgrown its pot – divide and conquer.  Rather than simply repotting, take the opportunity to divide the orchid.  Not only will you have more orchids, but you stimulate new, vigorous shoots on the original plant.

The key to successful orchid propagation using division is using sterilized tools and surfaces.  Many growers recommend Physan 20, a general purpose germicide which controls the disease spreading contaminants.  The other key to success, make the largest division possible, as it’s the larger plants that produce the most flowers.

Back Bulbs

Orchid back bulbs are the older growth of the orchid that is normally removed during repotting.  They can actually be repotted to propagate orchids, but it can take over three years for the orchid to flower.  The length of time involved can make it seem to be an exercise in futility for all but the most patient of orchid growers.

Keikis

Keiki (pronounced kay-key) is the Hawaiian word for child, so it’s only fitting that it’s a method of orchid propagation.  Keikis are produced by the common Moth Orchid as the little nodes along the stem.  Once two or three leaves and roots are developed, it can be removed with a sterile blade and repotted.  It can take up to six months between the keiki appearing and it being ready to be on its own in a separate pot.

Aerial Cuttings

Dendrobium orchids produce aerial shoots or bulbs on older growth.   They take three to four months to develop roots and then can be detached and repotted.  Aerial cuttings are usually a successful method of orchid propagation, as the plant is nearly full grown before being removed.

The Bottom Line

Orchid propagation is not normally a complex procedure for the more common and easy to grow varieties of orchids.  The key to success in propagating orchids – patience, cleanliness and knowledge.

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To determine the best lighting conditions for orchids, it’s best to remember their origins.  Most orchids hail from tropical jungles where they grow in the air, rather than in soil.  For that reason, they’re used to getting filtered, indirect light from the overhead tree canopy in warm moist conditions.

For determining exactly what type of orchid lighting is needed for your plant, it’s best to make sure it’s properly identified to give it the proper growing conditions.  It is the lighting conditions that are often at the root – no pun intended – of any orchid problem, particularly orchids that won’t bloom.  In fact, 90% of the time, the cause of a non-blooming orchid is insufficient light.

Natural Orchid Light

For many common orchids, such as the Phalaenopsis, Moth Orchid, the best lighting condition is a bright window.  East windows are perfect, south and west facing windows are acceptable.  During the cold Northern winters, southern exposure may be needed.

Other varieties of orchids, such as the Cattleya orchid which is so popular for corsages, hate direct sun in the middle of the day which can cause sunburn.  East or west facing windows are best, and with southern windows, a sheer curtain can help filter sunlight.

Artificial Orchid Light

For homes and greenhouses that can’t offer proper lighting conditions for orchids, consider artificial lighting.  Fluorescent and incandescent lights placed from six inches to one foot above the leaves is normally sufficient in the home.  Keeping the lights on 12-14 hours per day to simulate the normal day/night lighting cycle for orchids will provide optimal growing conditions.

In the greenhouse, some shade should be provided for the orchid to avoid too much sun.  If you hold your hand approximately 12 inches above the orchid’s leaves, and don’t see a shadow, that is just the right amount of light for the Moth Orchid.

While you can’t always expect to find the perfect lighting conditions for your orchid right away, your plant will tell you what it needs:

• Deep, dark green leaves are normally a sign that the plant is not getting enough light;
• Grassy green colored leaves mean lighting conditions are optimal;
• Paled leaves with brown or black splotches indicate too much light and patches of ‘sunburn’ are forming.

As is the case with most aspects of orchid care, having an orchid that’s properly identified is the first step to providing the best orchid light and care.  Watching your plant and listening when it tells you it’s not happy, is the second step.

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Like any product, large discount stores can often offer an item at a lower cost.  This is the case for orchids as well.  Common orchids, such as the Phalaenopsis, the Moth Orchid, can often be found for under $20 in grocery stores and ‘big box’ stores such as Home Depot or Lowes.  While you’re getting an orchid for a good price, you’re buying an orchid in which you don’t even know the species and therefore the proper care.

Orchid growers may not always have the lowest orchid prices, but you know what you’re getting.  Quality growers will provide orchids that are properly identified, along with care requirements.

Proper orchid identification includes the Latin name for the genus, which will be in italics.  It can be abbreviated to just one letter or the first few letters;

P or Phal for Phalaenopsis

E or Epi. For Epdendrum

The second word is the epithet that is also in italics, which indicated the origin, a name or a characteristic.  These two words make up the species name, and this is needed to properly identify the orchid.

For example: P. violacea or Phalaenopsis violacea – a purple Moth Orchid.

Common Orchids

Growers offer the more common varieties of orchids at reasonable prices, usually in line or slightly higher than the discount stores.  While the price may be slightly higher, you’re getting a product that has been properly cared for as well as invaluable growing advice.  Expect to pay from $15 to $50 for more common orchids.  The older the plant, the more it will cost.  Seedlings and flasks are the lowest priced orchids, as they can have as many as five more years of growing before they bloom.

Rare Orchids

Expect to pay $50 and up for the rarer varieties of Orchids, even for younger seedlings.  Flasks, on the other hand, tend to cost less, as they often have several years to go before the plants bloom.  Flasks contain orchids that have been propagated in sterile lab conditions and may have as long as one year until they are reading to pot as seedlings.  As seedlings, they then require a year or more of nurturing until they are ready to bloom.

The Bottom Line

For beginners, consider starting with more common varieties or orchids to avoid expensive mistakes.  While orchid prices can range from discount to luxury, consider the cost of seeing your investment in bloom for the first time:  priceless!

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Orchids with Pale Leaves

The most common ailment for orchids is pale or yellow leaves.  It may not be an ailment at all – it could just be the natural aging process that occurs when the leaves age and die off.  This would most likely occur on foliage at the bottom level.

For younger leaves, paling and yellowing in foliage is normally caused by too much light and not enough nutrients.  Move the orchid to a lower light location and feed with a fertilizer that is specific to orchids.  Another cause of yellow leaves – a stressed out orchid due to low temperatures.  Make sure your plant is not getting cold drafts nor temperatures under 55 degrees, which can happen if it’s set on a window sill in a cold climate.

Orchids with Deep Green Leaves

Deep, dark green leaves are not a good sign, it is the light, grassy green colored leaves that indicate optimum orchid health.  While the orchid is healthy with the deep green leaves, it needs a little more light to truly thrive.  Try moving it to a sunnier location, not direct sunlight, just more of it.

Orchids with Brown Leaves

Brown splotches on orchid leaves, particularly at the folds or tips, is caused by sunburn.  Too much direct light has scalded the leaves, so move the orchid to a location where it can get more indirect light in this instance.

Orchids that Don’t Bloom

One of the most often heard complaints from orchid owners – “My orchid hasn’t bloomed in two years or more”.  If the orchid is otherwise healthy and not blooming, most often the cause is not enough light.  Any plant that flowers, even shade plants, needs sunlight to bloom.  Moving the plant gradually into brighter lighting conditions, even just sliding it closer to the window, is your best bet for finding the right exposure without send the plant into shock.

As you can see from the most common orchid problems, the light level is normally the culprit.  Different species of orchids have different light requirements.  Make sure you know what type of orchid you have and what the lighting requirement is for that species.  Buying from an experienced orchid grower or nursery will ensure that you have a properly identified, happy and healthy orchid.

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The key to orchid success, or that of many plants for that matter, is to understand their original habitat.  The orchid is a tropical plant that does not grow in the ground, but typically anchors itself to trees or shrubs.  It is for that reason that the potting medium, which for many houseplants is potting soil, is actually a lighter, airier substance such as tree bark.

Since orchids are like little sponges, meaning their roots grab whatever moisture and nutrients wash over them, they tend to hate overwatering.  In fact, overwatering then letting the roots rot in the excess moisture, is a surefire way to kill an orchid quickly.

In general, there are two types of easy care orchids to choose for a flowering houseplant:

Phalaenopsis

The Phalaenopsis is an easy care orchid commonly called the Moth Orchid, as the flowers remind one of a moth in flight.  While there are hundreds of types of Moth Orchids, in general their care requires:

• Light watering allowing the orchid to dry only slightly between watering.  Since Phals, as their known in the orchid world, don’t have a method of storing water and nutrients except in the leaves, they should never be allowed to dry out completely;
• Humid conditions that can be simulated with a pebble tray with water to generate humidity;
• Bright, indirect sunlight – east windows are ideal, south and west facing windows are acceptable if proper shading prohibits sunburn inducing direct lighting.  In cold, northern climates, southern exposure may be needed during the winter.

Dendrobium

Dendrobium orchids are easy care, but not as popular as the Moth Orchid.  Dendrobiums tend to lose their leaves in the winter, while the Phalaenopsis orchids remain green throughout the year.  Dendrobiums tend to have the same care requirements as the Moth Orchid during their growing phase, but since they also have a resting phase in the year, they should be watered less during that time.

There are some tried and true generalities that will help you identify the easy orchids that will thrive as houseplants;

• Orchids with thick, hard leaves tend to like more sun, the thinner-leaved orchids can handle less sunlight;
• Orchids that have white roots with green ends can handle drying out between watering, while orchids with brown roots tend to like a more moist environment and more frequent waterings;
• Orchids that have pseudobulbs, a swollen, bulbish stem, can handle drying between watering a bit more than other orchids, as the bulb stores water and nutrients for use.

Choosing an easy orchid for beginners is your best bet for your first investment in the orchid world.  Learning their likes and dislikes, as well as what happens when they aren’t happy, is going to help any houseplant, even the orchid, pay off by flourishing and flowering with show-stopping results.

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Nearly 95% of the orchids that are sold in grocery stores and big box retail stores are Phalaenonpsis – the Moth Orchid.  Phals, as they are called in the orchid world, are one of the easiest to grow types of orchids, and they put on a good show.

Now comes the tricky part of orchid identification – once your orchid is identified as a Phal – there are nearly 60 different species of the Moth Orchid.  Then take it a step further and you’ll see that under each species are literally hundreds of hybrids.

For most plants, the next major category used below family is the genus. Because the orchid family is so large, botanists use intermediate categories between the family and genus, categories that can be helpful because they show how the plants in the different genera are related.

For example, a properly identified orchid would be the Orchidaceae Phalaenopsis violacea ‘Gulfstream’:

Orchidaceae:  The family name, which is often left off of the official name tag.

Phalaenopsis:  The category that helps group the orchids by characteristics.

Violacea:  The genus of the orchid;

‘Gulfstream’:  The specific name of this plant, called a clonal name if the plant has received an award by the American Orchid Society.

If you purchase an orchid, always try to have it properly identified – it helps you provide the proper care.  You may need to just be satisfied with the orchid and category identification. 

Different categories within the Orchid family that will help you identify and care for your orchid:

Phalaenopsis:  The most popular choice for beginning orchid enthusiasts, this group is voted most likely to be found in the grocery store and most likely to succeed as a houseplant.

Cattleyas:  The corsage orchid – beautiful, fragrant and surprisingly tolerant and easy to grow.

Cymbidiums: Long leaves and tall spikes normally produce up to 20 large flowers.

Dendrobiums:  With over 1,200 species, Dendrobium orchids are quite popular and range in size from just a few inches to over three feet in height, with long reedlike stems.  It’s these sturdy stems that make them popular as a cut flower.  Dendrobiums are often mistaken for Phalaenopsis, as their flowers look similar.  But there is a major different between these two groups, Pahelaenopsis orchids are evergreen while Dendrobiums typically shed their leaves in the winter.

Oncidiums:  Oncidium orchids boast fragrant sprays of small flowers which usually have unusual color combinations.  They are indoor/outdoor orchids and are used as both houseplants and within sheltered garden areas.

Paphiopedilums:  Paphs are known as Lady’s Slippers and are one of the most intriguing orchids.  Their waxy, exotic blooms put on quite the display and can last over a month on some varieties.

Vandas have become quite popular over the last few decades.  They are compact and symmetrical with richly colored two inch blooms that can last up to two months.

In some cases, you may never get past the first step of orchid identification.  To know exactly what you are getting when purchasing an orchid, it’s important to buy from experienced orchid growers who can properly identify their products.

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1.         Identify

Not all orchids have the same care requirements.  With over 25,000 types of orchids, it can be daunting to choose and maintain one.  First and foremost, identify the type of orchid you would like to grow based on your experience.  The Phalaenopsis or Moth Orchid, the most common and inexpensive variety, is also one of the easiest to grow.

If you already have an orchid, or are planning on purchasing one, use a knowledgeable nursery or grower to ensure you are getting a properly identified plant so you can maintain it based on its specific needs.

2.         Know the Basics

Most orchids are tropical, exotic plants.  Like most tropical plants, they need light, humidity and the proper growing medium.

Light: Orchids prefer medium amounts of light, not direct sunlight.  If choosing a windowsill, your best bet will be an east or west facing window.

Moisture: Many orchids are native to rainforests, they love humidity.  Since the air in the home is drier than a rain forest, you’ll need to provide humidity to the air.  The easiest way to do this is a pebble tray.  Rather than placing your pot flat on a saucer, fill a small tray with pebbles.  The moisture runoff from watering will settle in the pebbles and evaporate to generate humidity.  It also helps keep the roots of the orchid from setting in too much moisture which will cause root rot.

An orchid should be watered thoroughly once or twice a week, depending on the weather.  It’s watered more when it’s warmer, less when it’s cooler.

Soil/Medium: Unlike most plants, orchids do not grow in soil, but in the air. Their roots attach to trees or rocks where their spongy roots capture moisture and nutrients that wash over them.  Therefore, you want to provide an environment similar to their native habitat, which means they don’t belong in regular potting soil.  Pots of bark or moss are best for planting and growing orchids.  There are specific potting mediums available on the markets that offer the best balance of bark and peat moss that will keep your orchid happy and healthy.

3. Maintain

You’re not always going to care for your orchid perfectly, it takes some fine tuning.  If you start to notice issues, you need to make the changes to bring it back to health.  Common problems that growers run into when caring for orchids are:

• Yellow leaves:  Indicates too much light, a location change is necessary.
• Darkened leaves:  Not enough light, change location or provide additional lighting.
• No flowers are produced:  Conditions have to be just right for an orchid to bloom.  Check the light level, moisture level and temperatures and adjust if necessary.  Many orchids go dormant during certain times of the year, usually winter, and you can cut back on water and fertilizer during that time.
• Cottony spots on the foliage:  This is caused by mealybugs.  Kill them!  Use rubbing alcohol and gently wipe down the leaves.  Rinse with clean water.

With literally thousands of types of orchids to choose from, caring for any type of orchid can be broken down into these easy steps so you can enjoy it for years to come.

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“How do I care for my orchid?” is the most frequently asked question heard in the orchid community.  The answer is both easy and complicated:  it needs food in the form of an orchid fertilizer, along with light, air and water. If you don’t give your orchid those items in the right mix, you need to adjust one or more elements for optimum health.   That’s the easy aspect of orchid care.

For the best health of an orchid, take that answer and dig a little further down to learn how to really have your orchid thrive by fertilizing properly.  So for the whats, whens and hows of orchid fertilizer, read on…

What

While the light, air and water for orchids are self-explanatory, what type of fertilizer is best for an orchid to thrive?  The answer to the care of the orchid usually can be gained from looking at its native habitat.

Orchids grow on trees or rocks, not in soil.  Their roots are like little sponges soaking up nutrients from whatever happens to be in the area.  Decomposing plant material, rainwater nutrients, and even animal droppings, help feed orchids in their native environments; so it makes sense to fertilize them with a mix of these items.

Orchid fertilizers should contain the following:

• Phosphorous, which helps the plant bloom
• Nitrogen for growth
• Potassium, which helps the flower
• Calcium for added strength
• Magnesium to help produce food
• Sulfur to help produce proteins

Plant fertilizers have three numbers on their label, known as NPK, the mixture of Nitrogen, Phosphorous and Potassium.  These numbers show the balance of those three items in that order, such as 20-20-10.  Most orchids prefer a balanced orchid fertilizer, such as 20-20-20.  Some growers, who use tree bark as the growing medium, prefer a higher Nitrogen content and use a mix of 20-10-10.

When

While preparing to bloom, an orchid needs more fertilizer, so it’s best to feed it on a weekly basis.  While it is dormant every other week, even monthly, is sufficient.  Many growers prefer the weekly/weakly rule of thumb, using smaller doses on a regular weekly basis to produce more consistent growth.

To help promote blooms, many orchid growers switch to a ‘bloom booster’ orchid fertilizer just before the buds on the orchid begin to form.  It comes in a 3-12-6 formula.

How

Use fertilizer after watering; do not fertilize a thirsty plant.  Follow directions on the label, as fertilizers can vary in application.  While orchid fertilizers come in different forms, such as spikes, liquid or granules, most growers prefer a water soluble formula.

Providing an orchid with life’s little necessities – air, food, water and light – will keep your orchid happy and healthy for you to enjoy for years to come.

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There are two surefire ways to kill an orchid and novice orchid growers are probably doing both to their poor beauties as we speak.  First is over-watering, then, to put the nail in the coffin, these well-intentioned newbies do not use the proper orchid potting material or potting mix; they use potting soil.    It’s an easy mistake to make. Those lightweight pieces of bark or moss in the orchid pot look like temporary potting material, and plants need dirt and water to grow, right?

Wrong!  Orchids don’t grow in dirt.  They grow on rocks and trees.  They have spongey roots that soak up moisture and nutrients from anything they can – rainwater, decomposing leaves and even animal droppings.  The best way to make your orchids happy is to simulate their natural environment as best you can, and that starts with using the best potting mix for orchids.

So, what is it, you ask?  Generally, orchids do best in the following potting materials, either individually or a mix of two to three organic and inorganic materials.  The most popular choices are:

• Fir bark – inexpensive and easy to find, fir bark decomposes slowly but does not have great water retention properties.
• Coconut husk – inexpensive and lightweight, it holds water well but can decompose quickly.
• Redwood bark – inexpensive and lightweight, it holds water well and decomposes slowly.
• Sphagnum Moss – has a good mix of water retention and aeration as long as it’s not packed too tightly.
• Tree fern fiber – this can be difficult to find, but has very good drainage and slow decomposition.
• Perlite – While this is lightweight, it can hold too much water if used alone.
• Lava rock – Good drainage and no decomposition, but can be too heavy to use alone.
• Charcoal – While charcoal is slow to decay, it absorbs toxic substances.

Since the orchid needs the proper mix of potting material to hold some moisture while aerating, experts tend to use just the right ratio of organic and inorganic potting mixtures from the substances above.  The exact ratio usually depends on the type of orchid.

If you’re a beginner to the wonderful world of orchids, you’re probably starting with a Moss Orchid or Phalaenopsis, which likes fir bark.  But using a general orchid potting mixture, which can be found already made up and bagged at most nurseries and big box stores, is just fine for the more common types of orchids.

When choosing a potting mixture for orchids, make sure you know exactly what type of orchid you have to help you best choose the potting material.  Buying orchids from a nursery or experienced grower is the best way to ensure you have a healthy, properly identified orchid which, in turn, helps you give it the best care and growing environment possible.

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