Here
is just an example of Part 4a of the 12 Part mini
course on “Insider’s Secrets on Growing and Caring
for Orchids Like a Pro”.
Balancing
Humidity And Ventilation For Orchids are also critical in Taking Care
of Orchids.
Much
is written about temperature and lighting conditions
for growing orchids, but humidity and ventilation are of equal
importance in
creating a complete environment that is suited to these sensitive
plants.
Of
course, there is often a conflict between the two factors
– it can be difficult to maintain humidity levels while also
ensuring good
ventilation – so this is one area of orchid care that has few
facts and
figures, leaving much to the skill and judgment of the orchid grower to
arrive
at the correct balance.
It
is also true that orchids have different requirements for
humidity and airflow, not just between different genus and species, but
even at
different stages in their life cycle. Resting or dormant orchids for
example,
will be less tolerant of high humidity and will not process as much
moisture
through their foliage as they would during a period of strong growth.
Background
levels of humidity are best maintained by
regularly damping down the growing area; watering the floor, benches,
and even
walls. The objective is to build up a reservoir of water that is
absorbed in
gravel on the floor, in the wood of the benches, in the stone of the
walls –
and then released slowly in proportion to the heat that falls on it.
To
supplement background humidity, handheld sprays can be
used to spritz or mist (depending on their settings) plants at specific
times
of the day, and overhead spraying or misting systems can be installed
to
automate the process in large orchid houses.
Spraying
makes the hottest days tolerable to orchids that
might otherwise suffer badly, so be prepared to give these specimens an
extra
misting at the hottest time of the hottest days.
|
