Kinds of Orchids For Beginners to Grow

One of the most common questions that a person who is interested in growing orchids at home asks is what are the kinds of orchids that I can grow? It can be an intimidating task for a person new to cultivating these flowers to actually pick a plant from out of the many kinds of orchids available. The care required is great for some species and practically any thing will make another one bloom. So to narrow it down to a few choices that you can pick your first orchid plant from, read on.

Novices need special kinds of orchids that are easy to handle. One is the Oncidium intergenerics. The flowers of this species are generally fragrant and you can see the fruits of your efforts in two rounds of blooming in the year. An orchid of this species is called Comnara Wildcat and is one of the kinds of orchids that looks after itself. Plus, it is highly adaptable and beautiful. The flowers can last up to three months on this plant. Another orchid from this species is the Oncidium Sharry Baby, which has the distinction of smelling like chocolate. The flowers also pop up several times during the year and so are quite rewarding to the beginner.
The Cattleya Orchid group is easy to grow and equally rewarding among the different kinds of orchids. This type of orchids needs adequate amounts of light. Some kind of supplementary light system needs to be put up for these plants, any artificial plant light will do. The plants in this group are larger than the Oncidium species plus the blooms don't last quite as long either.

Phragmepediums are another lot that a beginner could experiment and learn from. These kinds of orchids need much brighter light than most other orchids. They are also a lot more sensitive to watering and fertilizing needs. In fact too much fertilizer can actually make its leaves turn brown. That is when you must let the fertilizer that has accumulated disperse before adding any more. In rare cases you might even have to wash and re-pot. Try to avoid this and use only as a last resort.

Two more kinds of orchids are the phalaenopsis and the paphiopedilum hybrids. They are the original and prototypical beginners orchids. They will bloom well under any windowsill conditions that they face. They don't need too much light and their lighting conditions are similar to those of African Violets. They are also highly adept at managing to flourish under any level of humidity. Both these kinds of orchids do not have pseudobulbs. You must also be careful with their watering. Don't underwater them or over water them. They store the nutrients they need and the moisture in their leaves and roots. Any nutrient problems will thus show up very quickly. So you need to be on the alert for them as sometimes they show up far too fast for you to be able to reverse the situation.

The adaptability of the orchid plant is a lesson in tenaciousness that one could learn from. These cultivated orchids are naturally not the same as the wild orchids found in nature. They are stunted in most cases to allow for easy handling and transporting. That is the main reason that a lot of people are able to grow these kinds of orchids at home.

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Caring For Orchids - How Difficult Can it Be?

We know that caring for orchids is no mean feat and to ensure that our plants are vibrant and healthy we must look after its basic needs. Orchids are delicate plants but with a little loving care, plenty of time and the right knowledge you can become an expert at caring for orchids. The first thing you must ask is where are you going to grow these plants? The location is of paramount importance in caring for orchids as all the other factors. There are three options here, the first is indoors, second is in a greenhouse, and third is outdoors. We will now consider the pros and cons in each case.

Starting with indoors, despite the air conditioner and the furnace causing the air inside the house to lose moisture, you can grow orchids here. The actual challenge is not in making the plants survive but in caring for orchids to allow them to bloom. The pretty flowers brighten up any drab room that they might be in. The gentle perfumes, associated with quite a few of the species, are an added plus.

Examine the room in which you plan to keep the orchid. Does it have a window or a bright light that will help in caring for orchids? Remember the plant does not need direct sunlight so even a fluorescent light can be used to simulate ideal light conditions. The temperature should hover around the 60 degree F mark. In caring for orchids, remember that it should not be too hot or too cold. If you do take the plant out in the day time remember to bring it back into the house at sunset before the temperature dips. To provide the correct amount of humidity and moisture you should place the pot in a gravel tray and keep the gravel moist with half an inch of water in it. Also don't be afraid to open out the windows when the weather is nice and warm. Air circulation also lays a crucial part in caring for orchids. If you are planning to grow your orchids indoors or on a window sill you should pick up one of these variants Moth Orchids or Lady Slippers.

Let us move on to the next location, that of the greenhouse. Maintaining the right temperatures, humidity, light and water conditions is much simpler in an organized greenhouse. The key feature to remember in a green house, while caring for orchids, is that a fifteen degree difference in night and day time temperatures must be maintained. If they are kept in the open to get good air circulation, make sure that they get plenty of water to make up for the evaporation. In the warmer season you might have to water them even twice a week. Remember to shade the light for the species that cannot thrive in bright light. You can choose to grow just about any species of orchids that man can cultivate in a proper green house.

This brings us to the last location, outdoors. A damp area with a temperate climate is what you will need to ensure when caring for orchids in the garden. They might attach themselves to trees and you can plant them in the ground instead of pots as well. Though having them in pots makes it easier for you to shift them when needed. During the peak winters it would be advisable to take them into warmer areas such as a garage or even into the living room.


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