I bought my first orchid, I need some tips?

You have made a great choice getting orchids and it is a wonderful hobby to get into. Cattleya orchids aren't too terribly difficult but in my opinion Phalenopsis orchids are the easiest and most common. Their flowers in some ways can even be the most beautiful even though all orchids have the most different, colorful, beautiful flowers I know of. They are very rewarding when they bloom.

Here are some tips I wrote on orchid care:

1. Orchids need air circulation, even on there roots. Thats why they are planted in bark and/or peat moss NOT soil

2. Transplant into a slightly bigger pot that has lots of holes in the bottom and sides. You may be tempted too but DONT transplant the Orchid when it has flowers on it unless absolutely necessary. This is too stressful for the plant. Orchids go through cycles, they flower, then they grow a leaf, then they flower, and on and on. Transplant after it grows a leaf and before it flowers.

3. water can save an orchid but it can also kill it. Too much water will grow disease that will kill the orchid too little will kill it for obvious reasons. I would not recommend using ice. The temperature difference could stress the plant too much. I recommend filling up a bucket of water just deep enough to reach the rim of the pot and let the orchid soak there for about a hour. Remember: it is better to be slightly under watered then over watered.

4.Orchids can adapt very easily to air temperatures in a home. as long as it dosent go under 70 degrees F. then your fine. They also need it slightly humid. You can do this by putting a small dish of water next to the plant or misting the plant daily.

5. Orchids dont grow in soil so they have no way to get nutrients other then fertilizer. Get a Orchid fertilizer and follow the instuctions. You can either fertilize a little bit every time you water or fertilize a lot every couple of waterings. Its up to you. Make sure that between every couple of times you fertilize your Orchid you water it with plain water to wash out any salts that built up over time. For light, make sure you Orchid is facing a Eastern or Western sun exposure.

These tips will hopefully get you started!

Good luck gardening!

My co-worker has a big east-facing window in her office and grows marvelous orchids. She has a tray that holds rocks and water (the water does not come up to the top of the rocks). The orchid pots sit on top of the rocks, but not IN the water ... the water provides humidity.

There's more to it, but when I asked her how she grew such beautiful plants and were they difficult to grow, she said it was just a matter of having things set up right. Seeing as our office thermostat is set at 72, it would appear that 80 is not a prerequisite.

http://www.beautifulorchids.com/orchids/orchid_car...