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Here
is just an example of
Part 3a of the 12 Part mini
course on “Insider’s Secrets on Growing and Caring
for Orchids Like a Pro”. Orchid Care and Equipment
You
can of course choose your orchid pots – or any
orchid container – to complement the plant or to suit your
décor. Plastic,
metal, glass, clay (glazed and unglazed) are all commonly used. One
thing you
might bear in mind before potting a prize orchid in a prize pot is to
think
ahead to re-potting time. It is sometimes necessary to break a pot to
avoid damaging
the orchid roots, so you might have to make a difficult decision
between the
two! Most
orchids do not live in the soil, so you cannot
pot them in houseplant mixtures. Instead, bark and fiber based orchid
potting
mixtures are specially designed to support the plants and deliver water
and
nutrients without becoming waterlogged and rotting the
orchid’s roots. Orchids
– like many houseplants – enjoy a humid
environment. An easy way to provide this is to stand the orchid pots on
a
humidity tray. This might be as simple as a tray of gravel –
or a reservoir
with a wire mesh on top. In any case, the objective is to allow the
water to
evaporate around the orchids while preventing their roots from coming
in direct
contact with the water. A
spritz with a hand spray delivers moisture straight
to the orchids foliage and can make the hottest day bearable for
sensitive
plants - but
remember to spray
early in
the day so the leaves are dry by evening. Your
first orchids especially are likely to be quite
tolerant of a range of temperatures, but a decent thermometer that
records the
highest and lowest temperatures will help you choose plants that suit
your
conditions. |
