Caring For Orchids Does Not Have To Be Difficult

By: Brian Paul .... Click on the author's name to view their profile and articles!!!

Many people believe that growing and caring for orchids is challenging and tedious. What has to be clear is that anyone can find an orchid to grow, given that there are around 25,000 species and 100,000 hybrids.

Most types of orchids tend not to require any more work than any other house or garden plants. But, some orchids do have special requirements. Before you buy any orchid, be sure to learn about its needs, so you can determine if you have the necessary equipment and skills. The enjoyment of caring for orchids with such spectacular blooms is what makes people fall in love with orchids. In fact, the source of popularity in caring for orchids lies primarily in their unique blooms. Given the right care, you will find that you can keep your orchid looking as good as the day you brought it home.

One orchid type that almost anyone can grow is the popular phaleanopsis This is the popular white or purple orchids that are available due to the fact that they are easier to care for than some of the less common varieties of orchid plants.

You should be able to enjoy at least 3 months of blooms on your orchids, if you give them the care they need. Since orchids need light throughout the day, try to place it close to a window, or use grow lights. But you should avoid the midday sun which can be too harsh for these plants, so aim to give your orchid morning and evening sunlight. It is often recommended that orchids be placed in a window on the east side of the house, to capture the early sunlight, while avoiding the stronger midday rays. You can substitute natural sunlight with fluorescent lights that are about a foot above the orchid's flowers but, you still want to limit exposure to normal daylight hours.

For best results, keep your orchid's environment between 55 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Orchids that are in weather that passes 90 degrees will start to lose their buds or will stop blooming at all. Keep your orchid in a moist, humid environment, just like where it grows naturally, but don't over water. Giving your orchid a complete drink of water every ten weeks should work fine, or you can put your orchid ontop of a tray with water in it. Place the orchid on rocks in the tray so the roots don't soak in the water.

In terms of fertilizing, try to do this before your orchid blooms so it blooms longer. After your orchid has bloomed, you should stop fertilizing. In addition, if you prune the old blooms on your orchid, you can keep it flowering longer. That will promote another set of blooms to emerge. Give your orchid the right care, and it will reward you with healthy growth and beautiful blooms throughout the flowering season.

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Caring for orchids is easy, and you will get great results by following these simple tips most people ignore.

Brian Paul has been growing orchids for over 20 years. He is sharing his tips on caring for orchids with a FREE minicourse that you can get at www.ExpertOrchidTips.com

Note: The content of this article solely conveys the opinion of its author, Brian Paul