Advice for growing orchids

 

        Here we offer advice for the growing of some widely spread types of orchids. If you wish advice for the growing of other orchid species, we suggest you contact us. We can come to your aid by consulting our library which contains over 150 books and publications.

 General Advice       Cattleya        Cymbidium         Phalaenopsis          Vanda

 

 

General Advice

         Orchidgrowing is not very difficult; especially in the case of the orchids you can buy in stores. All you have to do is to respect the lighting, temperature and humidity conditions in the place you want to grow the orchid. It is recommended to choose the orchid according to the conditions you can offer, and not the other way round. In favorable conditions, orchids offer splendour for along time; Phalaenopsis can bloom for a whole year, without a pause.

         For maintaining the humidity, a pulverizor is recommended. One is not absolutely necessary however. Orchids can grow even without the pulverization of water. When we water them, the water has to be poured to the roots only.

 

 

 

Cattleya

 

These orchids can be split into to cathegories:

 

season January February March April May June July August September Oktober November December
light penumbra penumbra shadow shadow shadow shadow shadow shadow shadow shadow penumbra penumbra
temperature n:8C   d:15C  n:8C    d:15C n:12C d:18C n:12C d:18C n:14C d:20C n:14C d:20C n:14C d:20C n:14C d:20C      n:14C       d:20C    n:14C    d:20C   n:12C   d:18C    n:8C      d:15C
water weekly weekly 2-3/ week 2-3/ week weekly weekly weekly weekly 2-3/ week almost daily almost daily 2-3/ week
growth     flowering flowering flowering        vegetative  vegetative  vegetative  vegetative

 

season January February March April May June July August September Oktober November December
light penumbra penumbra penumbra penumbra shadow shadow shadow shadow penumbra penumbra penumbra penumbra
temperature n:12C d:18C  n:12C  d:18C n:12C d:18C n:14C d:20C n:14C d:20C n:18C d:22C n:18C d:22C n:18C d:22C      n:14C       d:20C    n:14C    d:20C   n:12C   d:18C    n:12C    d:18C
water weekly weekly 2-3/ week almost daily almost daily almost daily almost daily weekly 2-3/ week 2-3/ week weekly weekly
growth      vegetative  vegetative  vegetative  vegetative  vegetative   flowering flowering flowering  

 

 

 

Cymbidium

 

        Cymbidiums are to be found most commonly as cutflowers, in our country as a single flower in a nice box. Cymbidium can however also be found in pots. They will have 1-3 stems on which tens of wonderful inflorescenses will grow. Cymbidium is a scented orchid! They prefer a cold-temperate environment

 

season January February March April May June July August September Oktober November December
light penumbra penumbra shadowa shadow shadow shadow shadow shadow shadow shadow penumbra penumbra
temperature n:8C   d:15C  n:8C    d:15C n:12C d:18C n:12C d:18C n:14C d:20C n:14C d:20C n:14C d:20C n:14C d:20C     n:14C     d:20C    n:14C    d:20C   n:12C   d:18C    n:8C      d:15C
water almost daily weekly     2-3/ week almost daily almost daily almost daily 2-3/ week weekly 2-3/ week 2-3/ week
growth flowering flowering     vegetative vegetative vegetative vegetative vegetative vegetative flowering flowering

 

 

 

Phalaenopsis

        Phalaenopsis are the most well known orchids. They are of exotic origin and prefer more constant growing conditions. The roots coming out of the pot are not to be cut! It is recommended to get them very wet in one watering session, rather than keeping them humid all the time. The leaves should be cleaned with a damp cloth from time to time to remove dust.

 

season January February March April May June July August September Oktober November December
light penumbra penumbra much shadow much shadow much shadow much shadow  much shadow much shadow much shadow much shadow penumbra penumbra
temperature   n:18C   d:22C   n:18C   d:22C   n:18C   d:22C n:20C d:25C n:20C d:25C n:20C d:25C n:20C d:25C n:20C d:25C     n:18C     d:22C    n:18C    d:22C   n:18C   d:22C    n:18C    d:22C
water 2-3/ week 2-3/ week 2-3/ week 2-3/ week almost daily almost daily almost daily almost daily 2-3/ week 2-3/ week 2-3/ week 2-3/ week
growth flowering flowering vegetative vegetative vegetative vegetative vegetative vegetative vegetative flowering flowering flowering

 

 

 

Vanda

        Vandas can grow for up to 2 m, but only in a greenhouse environment. With time, many Vanda hybrids have been created. These can be grown in the house or the apartment. Vandas need a lot of light. The roots should be allowed to dry up between two subsequent watering sessions.

season January February March April May June July August September Oktober November December
light penumbra penumbra penumbra shadow shadow shadow shadow shadow penumbra penumbra penumbra penumbra
temperature   n:18C   d:22C   n:18C   d:22C   n:18C   d:22C n:20C d:25C n:20C d:25C n:20C d:25C n:20C d:25C n:20C d:25C     n:20C     d:25C    n:20C    d:25C   n:18C   d:22C    n:18C    d:22C
water weekly 2-3/ week 2-3/ week 2-3/ week almost daily almost daily almost daily almost daily almost daily almost daily 2-3/ week weekly
growth   flowering flowering flowering flowering vegetative vegetative vegetative vegetative vegetative vegetative flowering

 

For these pieces of advice, we consulted the work:  Joachim Erfkamp, Orchideen; Verl. Franckh- Kosmos, 2004, Stuttgart.

 

 

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