Archive for the ‘Growing orchids’ Category
Orchid Care – Growing Orchids That Are Guaranteed To Thrive
Species By Species Guide To Orchid Care:
Cattleya Orchid Care
Cattleya thrives on 1500 to 2000 foot candles bright filtered light, with no direct sunlight. The leaves should be light green in color, leathery and stiff in texture. They like a warm environment, preferably temperatures between 85 to 90 F daytime and dropping to between 55 and 60 F at night time.
Allow the soil and plants to dry out between watering then give a thorough watering.
Cymbidium Orchid Care
This orchid requires higher strength foot candles between 2000-4000. They can be grown outdoors in areas where there is no heavy frost. They require filtered sunlight with good air movement and plenty of light for flowering. Color of foliage is yellow/green. They can withstand night temperatures between 45-50 F during fall and winter in order for them to flower. Day temperatures should be at least 20 to 30 deg higher.
Water when almost dry and protect them from heavy rains. They don’t like to stand in water. Fertilize at the same ratio as the Cattleya Orchid.
Dendrobium Orchid Care
These orchids thrive indoors with foot candle lights of 1500 to 3000 with no direct sunlight. Day time temps should be between 75 to 85 F and night temps approximately 60 F.
Masdevallia Orchid Care
These require 1500 foot candles, bright filtered light and no direct sun. The color of the leaves should be medium green in colour. This plant needs a cooler environment, good air circulation, and daytime temperatures of between 70 to 75 degrees F and night time about 50 degrees F. Masdevallia orchids should be kept moist at all times, but not swamped with water.
Oncidium Orchid Care
The Oncidium requires 1500 foot candles, bright filtered light and no direct sun. The leaves should remain light green in colour. The Oncidium Orchid can tolerate a vast range of temperatures. Daytime temps should be between 75 to 85 degrees F and night temps should be no lower than 55 F. Oncidium Orchids must be allowed to dry out between each watering. During active growing season you can increase the watering period.
Odontoglossum Orchid Care
This plant requires bright filtered light and no direct sun. Leaves should be a medium green colour with a slight pinkish tinge. They like a cool environment and good air circulation. Daytime temps must be 70 to 75 F. Night temps must be 50 to 55 F. Water when plants are almost dry. Don’t let them dry completely.
Paphipoedilum Orchid Care
These require lower foot candles between 600 to 2000 candles with bright filtered light and no direct sun. They have a mottled leaf. Preferred daytime temp is 75-80 F and night temperatures approximately 50 to 60 F.
Phalaaenopsis Orchid Care
This plant will require modest 1000 foot candles of bright filtered light and no direct sun. The leaves should be a glossy medium green in color and each leaf should increase in size. It needs warmth with plenty of good air movement, and temps of 75 to 95 F daytimes.
Vanda Orchid Care
2000 to 4000 foot candles with bright light are required and no direct sun. The leaves are light green in colour. Day time temperatures should be warm 75 to 85 F. At night it must not drop below 60 F. For fertilization follow instructions on package for each species. Repotting is required every 2 years.
Photographs by Greg Steenberg
Mystery of Growing Orchids
The beginnings of the orchid family are shrouded in mystery. Since most orchids are epiphytic that is, having aerial roots through which they accept sustenance from the minerals in the damp loaded air of the tropics they have left no traces such as the fossilized vestiges of ground upward plants. Dr. E. Soysa, text in Orchid Culture in Ceylon, advances the delightful and plausible, if unproved, concept the orchids antedated the fossil era, but in their passion of light ascended plants to discharge the advancing jungle.
There they lived, died, dried up, and floated away, departure no remnant. Whatever the start of the orchid family, it cannot be doubted that the orchid family is very old, judging both by its great range and its well center structural development, attainable only through the passage of time.
The orchid is among the major and most decidedly urbanized of the hide families, with some fifteen to twenty thousand species. A sagacious sort has lavished every means to insure the perpetuation of this darling newborn. She has provided the flower with all the charm and pull of a fairy princess to win insect vassals to execute the sacrament of annoyed pollination.
Nature has decreed that the orchid should be dependant on some past insect agent, and the secondary relative is a wonderful example of cooperation between the bury and animal kingdoms. The premier means of perpetuation in plants, obstruct pollination is required in all but a very few species of orchids. In the few bags of person pollination the seeds are frequently arid.
The insects performing the mass of irritable pollination adapt with the species and are as diverse as the ingenious contrivances by which the orchids develop them. It is in every defense a reciprocal arrangement, the deposit receiving the repayment of fertilization, the insect the largess of food and drink. Each species typically has its particular insect, as is exposed by the unusual means each flower uses to attract its insect.
Darwin first renowned a stunning example of this specialization. On a stumble to South America he had an opportunity to see a yard of Angraecum sesquipedale. This starry colorless flower, a rare orchid of Madagascar, has a curiously elongated lip containing a nectary, about eleven inches long, that holds one and the half ounces of the adorable fluid formed by the honey secreting glands. Darwin immediately predicted that some day a moth with an antenna at slightest twelve inches long would be discovered to be responsible for cross pollination of this abnormal orchid.
In time such a moth was found and was duly named Xanthopan morgani praedicta. In this particular alliance it is probable that the moth would starve lacking the orchid and that the orchid would become destroyed lacking the moth. Such high specialization has insured the purity of species that has manifest the evolve of the orchid family.
This specialization is reflected in the really mixed forms of the reproductive organs. These organs lie within the lip, more scientifically known as the labellum, along a fleshy enlargement called the string. The anther effected stamens are regularly sealed together into the stake, and a projection of this elongated fleshy organ is the rostellum, whose objective seems to be to split the pollen and the stigmatic nook, hence minimizing the jeopardy of self pollination.
The anthers produce tiny fine grains of bountiful pollen, commonly seized together by a mysterious viscid fluid that hardens on exposure to air and is not affected by coil or spit. The stigmatic cavity with its bright ovum (egg) waits at the `marrying` insect to deposit pollen from another flower.
Jules Sims
http://www.articlesbase.com/gardening-articles/mystery-of-growing-orchids-754757.html
The Mystery Behind Growing Perfect Orchids
The beginnings of the orchid family are shrouded in mystery. Since most orchids are epiphytic that is, having aerial roots through which they receive sustenance from the minerals in the moisture laden air of the tropics they have left no traces such as the fossilized remains of ground growing plants. Dr. E. Soysa, writing in Orchid Culture in Ceylon, advances the delightful and plausible, if unproved, theory that orchids antedated the fossil era, but in their love of light ascended trees to escape the advancing jungle.
There they lived, died, dried up, and floated away, leaving no trace. Whatever the genesis of the orchid family, it cannot be doubted that the orchid family is very old, judging both by its great variety and its highly complex structural development, attainable only through the passage of time.
The orchid is among the largest and most highly developed of the plant families, with some fifteen to twenty thousand species. A provident nature has lavished every means to insure the perpetuation of this favorite child. She has provided the flower with all the charm and allure of a fairy princess to win insect vassals to perform the service of cross pollination.
Nature has decreed that the orchid should be dependent on some outside insect agent, and the resultant relation is a beautiful example of cooperation between the plant and animal kingdoms. The highest means of perpetuation in plants, cross pollination is necessary in all but a very few species of orchids. In the few cases of self pollination the seeds are frequently infertile.
The insects performing the service of cross pollination vary with the species and are as diverse as the ingenious contrivances by which the orchids utilize them. It is in every case a reciprocal arrangement, the plant receiving the benefits of fertilization, the insect the largess of food and drink. Each species usually has its particular insect, as is shown by the special means each flower uses to attract its insect.
Darwin first noted a striking example of this specialization. On a trip to South America he had an opportunity to see a plant of Angraecum sesquipedale. This starry white flower, a rare orchid of Madagascar, has a weirdly elongated lip containing a nectary, about eleven inches long, that holds one and a half ounces of the sweet fluid produced by the sugar secreting glands. Darwin immediately predicted that some day a moth with a proboscis at least twelve inches long would be discovered to be responsible for cross pollination of this peculiar orchid.
In time such a moth was found and was duly named Xanthopan morgani praedicta. In this particular alliance it is probable that the moth would starve without the orchid and that the orchid would become extinct without the moth. Such high specialization has insured the purity of species that has marked the progress of the orchid family.
This specialization is reflected in the extremely varied forms of the reproductive organs. These organs lie within the lip, more scientifically known as the labellum, along a fleshy enlargement called the column. The anther bearing stamens are usually sealed together into the column, and a projection of this elongated fleshy organ is the rostellum, whose purpose seems to be to separate the pollen and the stigmatic cavity, thus minimizing the danger of self pollination.
The anthers produce tiny powdery grains of fertile pollen, usually held together by a mysterious viscid fluid that hardens on exposure to air and is not affected by wind or rain. The stigmatic cavity with its receptive ovum (egg) waits for the `marrying` insect to deposit pollen from another flower.
Jimmy Cox
http://www.articlesbase.com/gardening-articles/the-mystery-behind-growing-perfect-orchids-88531.html
Bamboo Orchids Under The Spotlight – Five Growing Tips You Can Try!
Bamboo has become such a popular plant in recent times; not only can you grow and enjoy it but it’s use in other areas such as wood flooring and as blinds is rapidly gaining in popularity. Then there’s the human version in the shape of musical band Bamboo Manalac which just like it’s plant namaesake, is climbing in the popularity ratings!
The Bamboo Orchid
So what about bamboo orchids? It would probably surprise many garden enthusiasts that bamboo orchids even exist but they certainly do! In some areas they are considered somewhat of a pest but in general, they excel as a decorative plant, enhance any flower arrangement and produce a distinct fragrance.
Bamboo orchids can be found scattered throughout areas in southern Asia and also the pacific islands. They are a popular form of decorative plant in Hawaii and can also be found in countries such as Costa Rica.
Characteristics Of The Bamboo Orchid
Bamboo orchids can be a little fussy to grow as orchid lovers in the western world are finding out but essentially, by following some well-worn guidelines, they can be grown with good success.
The bamboo orchid is also known as Arundina and it can grow to heights of 6-8 feet and is a multi-perrennial plant. The flowers generally bloom during summer and autumn and can produce up to a dozen flowers. The foliage of the plant has a grassy appearance while the flower itself is either lilac, lavender or mauve, depending on your interpretation of color flanked by a white disc and either a purple or yellowish lip.
Growing Bamboo Orchids
While bamboo orchids can make a great indoor plant and add a touch of variety to any home decor, growing the orchid outside in ground requires just a little know-how. If you are about to take the plunge and embed one in your garden try the following tips for best results:
- Avoid planting in a wind-prone area and give the new planting as much space as possible. In other words, don’t crowd the orchid as it can be a little claustrophobic.
- Make sure the plant is in a position to attract plenty of sunlight, especially during the morning with a little extra cover during the hottest part of the day.
- You want to ensure the orchid is kept fairly moist although avoid putting it in an area where flooding is likely to occur. If this is a scenario you’re concerned with either put it in higher ground or elevate the ground where you intend to plant it.
- The soil can be kept moist simply by providing a good cover of mulch while in rainfall deficient areas, watering every 2-3 days is required. Applying intermittent doses of fertilizer during the year will be appreciated by the orchid in fact, a slow release fertilizer every couple of months should do the trick.
- Bamboo orchids appreciate warm conditons so if you live in an area where temperatures drop drastically at night, then it may be wise to plant your bamboo in a pot because cold temperatures are not something they appreciate.
Bamboo orchids are creating more and more interest among plant lovers and given their attractive nature when in bloom, are an interesting addition to any “green thumb’s” cache of flora.
Dean Caporella
http://www.articlesbase.com/gardening-articles/bamboo-orchids-under-the-spotlight-five-growing-tips-you-can-try-124075.html