3 Important Things You Must Do For Optimum Orchid Health
You've found a beautiful orchid at the store and brought it home. But now it's looking droopy and one of your other orchids appears to be a little sick. Do you know why? What has happened? What three things must you always do in order to ensure your orchids have optimum health? This article discusses those questions and provides three clear, easy to follow tips for growing orchids indoors that everyone interested in orchid gardening needs to know.
Tip number 1: Ensure your new orchid isn't contagious:
The minute you bring a new orchid into the house put it in a room by itself and plan to isolate it for 3 weeks or longer, keeping it well away from any other plants you have.. This allows you to make sure that if pests or diseases came in with the new orchid, that they won't spread to any other plants you own. Nothing fancy is needed,just place your new orchid or orchids in a separate room and check frequently, at least once a day, for any signs of disease or insects Examine the leaves, buds, and every part of the plant closely, taking special care to look at the underneath side of the leaves. If no insects or signs of illness show up after three weeks then you will know that it is safe for your other plants to place your new orchid where you actually want it to grow.
Tip number 2: Don't bother it
Once you have decided where you're going to place your orchid in your home, turn the plant so that the flower spike is getting the correct amount and kind of light - and then leave it there. You'll be tempted to turn it around as the spike begins to grow, but please note that it is important not to move the way the plant is facing as long as the flower spike is growing. If you do, the spike will twist and turn in order to face the light again, and this surely will result in a warped, distorted spike. Be patient and wait until the orchid is finished blooming. Plants grow toward the light and you want your orchid to look natural, not bent or resemble a pretzel.
Tip number 3: Provide the right pot
NEVER place an orchid directly in a decorative pot. Orchids are highly sensitive to glazes used in ornamental planters. So much so that they can become extremely ill if not die all together. However orchids are usually sold in pretty, attractive glazed pots. Such pots look good when on display and the retailers don't intend to keep them on the shelves for very long. But this practice almost guarantees that the consumer is going to wind up with a dead orchid - which they likely will blame on poor watering or other causes instead of what really happened - the orchid absorbed toxins from the glaze in the pot it was planted in and expired.Always make sure that your orchids are planted in orchid pots, and then place that container in a larger decorative pot if you wish to use one. If you have any orchids that are growing in decorative pots now, repot them at once.
Orchids aren't difficult to grow if you know what you are doing and the first step is to realize that they aren't normal houseplants. They do need a bit more care and are more picky as far as their environment goes. But with a little research and some time you can have a houseful of marvelous orchids - or at least one stunning specimen sitting on a table.
For more healthy orchid tips and information on growing orchids indoors please visit Indoor Orchid Gardening. You'll find information on topics such as orchid diseases and pests, the proper way to water orchids, orchid lighting and much more.
You've found a beautiful orchid at the store and brought it home. But now it's looking droopy and one of your other orchids appears to be a little sick. Do you know why? What has happened? What three things must you always do in order to ensure your orchids have optimum health? This article discusses those questions and provides three clear, easy to follow tips for growing orchids indoors that everyone interested in orchid gardening needs to know.Tip number 1: Ensure your new orchid isn't contagious:
The minute you bring a new orchid into the house put it in a room by itself and plan to isolate it for 3 weeks or longer, keeping it well away from any other plants you have.. This allows you to make sure that if pests or diseases came in with the new orchid, that they won't spread to any other plants you own. Nothing fancy is needed,just place your new orchid or orchids in a separate room and check frequently, at least once a day, for any signs of disease or insects Examine the leaves, buds, and every part of the plant closely, taking special care to look at the underneath side of the leaves. If no insects or signs of illness show up after three weeks then you will know that it is safe for your other plants to place your new orchid where you actually want it to grow.
Tip number 2: Don't bother it
Once you have decided where you're going to place your orchid in your home, turn the plant so that the flower spike is getting the correct amount and kind of light - and then leave it there. You'll be tempted to turn it around as the spike begins to grow, but please note that it is important not to move the way the plant is facing as long as the flower spike is growing. If you do, the spike will twist and turn in order to face the light again, and this surely will result in a warped, distorted spike. Be patient and wait until the orchid is finished blooming. Plants grow toward the light and you want your orchid to look natural, not bent or resemble a pretzel.
Tip number 3: Provide the right pot
NEVER place an orchid directly in a decorative pot. Orchids are highly sensitive to glazes used in ornamental planters. So much so that they can become extremely ill if not die all together. However orchids are usually sold in pretty, attractive glazed pots. Such pots look good when on display and the retailers don't intend to keep them on the shelves for very long. But this practice almost guarantees that the consumer is going to wind up with a dead orchid - which they likely will blame on poor watering or other causes instead of what really happened - the orchid absorbed toxins from the glaze in the pot it was planted in and expired.Always make sure that your orchids are planted in orchid pots, and then place that container in a larger decorative pot if you wish to use one. If you have any orchids that are growing in decorative pots now, repot them at once.
Orchids aren't difficult to grow if you know what you are doing and the first step is to realize that they aren't normal houseplants. They do need a bit more care and are more picky as far as their environment goes. But with a little research and some time you can have a houseful of marvelous orchids - or at least one stunning specimen sitting on a table.
For more healthy orchid tips and information on growing orchids indoors please visit Indoor Orchid Gardening. You'll find information on topics such as orchid diseases and pests, the proper way to water orchids, orchid lighting and much more.
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