Orchids are the most sought after flower in the home garden and commercial trade throughout the world. Orchids grow in just about every area of the world aside from the continent of Antarctica and selected deserts areas. Orchids can be divided into three groups; the sympodials that live in arid climates and store water in a pseudo bulb or large swollen tuberous root. The monopodials are an orchid type that has a rhizome that constantly produces new leaves from an apex. The last category of orchid is the diapodial and is similar to the sympodials, but without the pseudo bulbs.
Orchids produce many hybrids that are naturally occurring as well and bred by orchid enthusiasts. Many are also unaware of their spectacular history and the passionate efforts which have gone into finding, cataloguing and creating the orchids which we benefit from today. In the 1800's the first orchid hybrids was created and hybrids are still being produced to source hobbyist around the world. In the early 1800's Dr Salisbury studied the germination of the orchid and from this much was learned that helped the hobby and industry to spread and supply the market with a sustainable supply and enable more investment in the development of the Orchid trade. In the early 19th century there were only about seven species of exotic Orchids grown in botanical gardens in Paris and Berlin. The Vanilla Orchid was the first to enter Europe in 1510.
When purchasing Orchid for your collection it is advisable to quarantine them for a period of a week or two. Occasionally a plant may harbor disease or insects that are not evident for sometime and quarantining will avert any spread to healthy plants. If any insects like aphids or disease is spotted during quarantine it will be easier to treat one plant than a whole collection. Orchids will occasionally develop problems as most houseplants will, but with observation and patience they can be managed. There will be times when insects attack your orchids. The most customary ones are aphids, scale, mealy bugs, and spider mites. These insects can be very small and a magnifying glass is a very useful tool to have. If a disease or insect is found a positive identification must be made to determine the best handling
Many indoor gardeners desire Orchids because they are one of the greatest kinds of flowers for allergy sufferers. Very few of the many types of orchids cause any pollen-related allergies, and are safe for those allergic to most flowers. As a precaution it is important to know that some orchids may cause a slight skin rash on sensitive individuals.
The most important requirement is light, as with any plant Orchids require the proper amount of light to grow and set blooms.A southern exposure, with indirect light in the morning and afternoon is best. Winter in some areas can be a problem with lighting, if needed fluorescent lighting can be used to supplement the natural sunlight. Plant grow lights have gotten very good at providing the proper light for growing orchids and you can use them in any area of the home and have wonderful plants. Tropical orchids need and grow correctly in organic material, bark and fibers mixed with peat are great for growing orchids. The planting mix must have good drainage but should also hold some moisture. There are special orchid mixes available to make it quite easy.
Orchids grown indoors need to have the humidity monitored to keep the plants supplied with adequate moisture. In addition to watering, pans of water can be placed near the plants or misting can be used to increase humidity. Orchids with thicker leaves will be a bit more resistant to quickly drying than the thinner leaved species. Observation of the soil and leaves will help determine a watering schedule.
Mark is a Florida Orchid hobbyist that has been growing Orchids in his garden for many years.
http://orchids.islandpalmmarketing.com
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