How to Take Care of Orchids

Nigell Howell's book gives you modern, practical tips on growing the most colorful, healthy and orchids.

Nigel's book shows you...

• Step-by-step guide for beginners including watering, temperature, humidity and more...
  
• Step-by-step guide for experts of how to pollinate orchids, propagating orchids, growing from seed and more...
  
• Find out how much light your type of orchid needs.
  
• Does your Cattleya need to be watered at different intervals to your Epidendrum? It certainly does...
  
  Plus several bonus books...
  Green Thumb Gardening
  10 Best Orchid Articles
  and more!

The Amatao Residence in Cambodia has opened the first private botanical garden in the country. I'll let you read this press release. What an oasis it sounds like! If I ever make it to Cambodia, I'm definately going to stop here, view the orchids and relax at the tea house!

Cambodian Orchids Private Garden

If you want to order your own fresh orchids in bloom, visit the Aloha Orchid Nursery, where you can order beautiful orchids as a gift or just for yourself!

In order to take care of orchids in your home, correct watering is vital. Orchids like moisture, but too wet or too dry can both cause long term damage. Watering about once a week during the warmer summer months is usually adequate, and adding fertilizer once a month will help keep the plant healthy.

Beware that when the top of the potting medium is dry the roots may still be moist. Therefore always check the soil about an inch below the surface. Only water if the soil or potting medium about an inch below the surface is dry.

Paying attention to the moisture level every few days will help you learn your plants individual nature and watering preferences. Smaller pots dry out faster and need more frequent watering. Conversely, larger pots can be watered less often.

Different potting mediums hold moisture in different ways as well. For example, Spagnum moss stays moist longer than shredded bark and can help reduce the frequency of watering.

The roots of your orchids should never soak in standing water. If you are using an evaporation tray as discussed in the humidity article, be certain that the top of the water level is below the root system of the plant.

Taking care of orchids in your home is easy, and once you understand the subtle ways your plants communicate their watering needs, you will never have to second guess yourself!

Click here to visit Aloha Orchid Nursery, where you can order beautiful orchids in bloom as a gift or just for yourself!

Care of orchids in your home is as easy as finding a sunny window sill or curtained window, watering on a regular basis and feeding your orchid a special orchid fertilizer that is available at any garden store.

Moderate to high light orchid species include dendrobium, Cattleya and Vanda species. These orchids can tolerate a lot of light, but be careful the leaves do not get too hot. You can test this by simply feeling the leaves, if they are much hotter than the surrounding air, they need a little bit more shielding from the sun.

If you are interested in finding orchid gifts for a friend or family member who is already taking care of orchids in their home, click here to visit the Aloha Orchid Nursery online.