Archive for the ‘Orchid growing’ Category
Orchid Care: Plant Structures and Development : Growing Orchids in Dry & Wet Conditions
Orchids are great for growing because they can thrive in both dry and wet conditions. Learn more in this free educational video series.
Expert: William Hutchinson
Bio: Bill has been working with orchids since 1951 but is the first to admit that he is still learning.
Filmmaker: Christian Munoz-Donoso
Duration : 0:1:5
Soil Preparation for Orchids
Orchids are considered to be a single and wonderful bury. Nevertheless it comes to amazement for many the orchids do not adult in soil.
Epiphytes are orchids that grip to grass, supporting themselves on the bark. They meet all the water they should when torrent water runs or drips down the ranking. Other nutrients they entertain from the air.
Lithophytes are a form of orchid that grows on rocks. Saprophytes grow in flank litter, and terrestrials are found rising in sandpaper.
Orchids, like other plants, prefer certain conditions when budding in the squally. You need to shoulder this in mind when budding them under greenhouse conditions. By conscious what birth conditions they blossom in, you can successfully simulate the environment at home.
It is relaxed to uphold scenery akin to their crude territory for orchids. Almost anyone can bowl together some magma rocks or fir bark chips. Regular light watering is sufficient for most orchids. Allow enough time between watering for them to dry. Drainage should not be a conundrum with the loosely packed budding middling.
Your orchids should be re-conserved every two or three being. Not only will they start to outgrow their pots, but the textile that they grow in will commonly instigate to disturb down as well. This is caused, chiefly, by insect activity and constant watering. If your stand’s roots launch to grow over the side of the pot, it’s time to replant.
It is far easier to re-pot such plants when we contrast it to traditional plants. Do reminisce to achieve cautioning when dealing with plants. This formula should only be undertaken when the yard is at it’s lowly flatten of activity. An example would be early Spring, before the most expansion takes place.
Carefully eradicate the deposit from the pot and amputate any lingering things clinging to the roots. To give the mechanism the best opening of ongoing in it’s new pot, clip off any injured or unhealthy looking roots.
The period this move will be made to a larger pot. Refill the pot with the apposite upward media, whether it’s bark, lava rocks or something else. There is also an unusual orchid sphagnum moss that works totally well for some types. Clear a place to enclosure your yard and restock up to the crown (rhizome).
If essential, joist the place with a stake. Use it for a while, until the bury can grow lacking toppling.
Always evoke that the orchid will get most of it’s nutrients from the air and water instead of the growing media. Make really you impart good airflow.
The bulk of the chips will greatly effect the quantity of air that reaches the roots. Ensure that the amend sort of pot pertinent is used for the works. When the deposit begins to sprout inventive foliage, you can use a bit of 18-18-18 to fertilize it.
Jules Sims
http://www.articlesbase.com/gardening-articles/soil-preparation-for-orchids-754789.html
Orchid Care: Plant Structures and Development : Growing Orchids in Terrestrial Conditions
Some orchids can grow in terrestrial conditions. Learn more in this free educational video series.
Expert: William Hutchinson
Bio: Bill has been working with orchids since 1951 but is the first to admit that he is still learning.
Filmmaker: Christian Munoz-Donoso
Duration : 0:1:3
Orchid Care: Plant Structures and Development : Growing Orchids in Aquatic Conditions
Aquatic conditions can provide just the right atmosphere for some orchids. Learn more in this free educational video series.
Expert: William Hutchinson
Bio: Bill has been working with orchids since 1951 but is the first to admit that he is still learning.
Filmmaker: Christian Munoz-Donoso
Duration : 0:1:16
How to Grow Orchids: Growing Orchids Indoors : Caring for Growing Orchids Indoors
Make sure growing orchids stay healthy and beautiful – even indoors. Learn more in this free educational video series.
Expert: William Hutchinson
Bio: Bill has been working with orchids since 1951 but is the first to admit that he is still learning.
Filmmaker: Christian Munoz-Donoso
Duration : 0:1:12
Flowers & Gardens : How to Grow Orchids
Orchids grow naturally in bark and well-drained soils, so growing them outside requires creating a specialty flower bed for them. Grow orchids either inside or out with information from a sustainable gardener in this free video on gardening.
Expert: Yolanda Vanveen
Contact: www.vanveenbulbs.com
Bio: Yolanda Vanveen is a third-generation flower grower and sustainable gardener who lives in Kalama, Wash. She is the owner of VanveenBulbs.com.
Filmmaker: Daron Stetner
Duration : 0:2:33
In Search of an Orchid as Big as a Plate
One day, not long ago, I sat at the round table in front of the Yellow Rose, drinking a cold Iquitena with my good friend, Ryan, talking about the many beautiful orchids and epiphytes we have observed in the rainforest near Iquitos, Peru. Ryan nodded his head.
He glanced over his shoulder, leaned toward me, and said in a low voice, “My spies, which are wrong ninety percent of the time, tell me that a new species of orchid has been discovered near Moyobamba the size of a dinner plate.”
“Sounds more like the size of a pile of horse manure to me.”
“My spies work for INRENA.”
“I always wanted to go to Moyobamba.”
“They say the weather is perfect every day and every night.”
“I think I will go tomorrow.”
“You know about the Lacey Act?”
“How can I not know, you lecture me on it once a week!”
“I only want you to be careful and stay out of trouble. This orchid is unknown to science, it is unnamed. You can not touch it, hold it, move it, transport it, or export it. You understand?”
“I understand! I only want to look at it. Smell it’s scent, photograph it for posterity. That surely doesn’t violate the Lacey Act, does it?”
“Be careful, it’s intoxicating.”
I spent one day researching and packing. My best friend, Marmelita, and I left the next day for Tarapoto, a quiet, clean, farming community. We found an inexpensive hostel, two blocks from the central plaza, took a motokar to the market and made a meal out of fresh milk, whole grain corn bread, good cheese, fruits, and nuts from the local farms.
My Nikon D-70 camera malfunctioned and the man at the camera repair shop loaned us his digital Canon while he worked on mine. In the afternoon we hired a car to take us up to the High Cascade Waterfalls, a great place to swim and enjoy nature. In the evening we ate delicious, giant, fresh, aqua-farmed Malaysian shrimp and washed it down with a pitcher of mango juice. The next morning my camera was still in pieces so we decided to spend another day in Tarapoto.
Tarapoto is not a bad place for nature lovers. It was near here the English botanist and explorer, Richard Spruce, discovered and named the Platycerium Andinum, or Staghorn Fern. Spruce’s specimen died before getting back to England and it was not until 1969 that Lee Moore, the Adventurer, rediscovered the staghorn in the vicinity of Tarapoto and got a live specimen back to civilization.
I fondly remember growing two staghorn ferns in the shower of my bathroom in Indiana, in the 70s, doing my best to recreate the tropical rainforest environment. When I found my first magnificent specimen in the wild rainforest, I realized how pitiful my houseplants had been. This monster circled most of the tree, had fronds hanging down five feet or more, and the 35 shield fronds grew nearly two feet tall. If my house plants had reached their natural potential, there would not have been room for me to have taken a shower.
The next morning my camera still did not work. I purchased the used Canon 3.2 megapixel I had borrowed the day before. Compared to the Nikon at 5 megapixels, with the wonderful lens and all the buttons and functions that I know and love, this was a big loss. With no practice and the manual in Spanish, the odds of getting great photos were about the same as finding an orchid big as a plate.
Moyobamba is the Orchid City, with 2,500 species of orchids growing in the high jungle around the town. Marmelita and I hiked jungle trails, saw hundreds of species in full bloom, soaked in the hot springs, went to more waterfalls, and pursued tips to the nearby villages of Lamas and Rioja. We had a good adventure, accomplished most of what we set out to do, and learned a lot. We learned the truth is rarely heard, seldom seen, and difficult to photograph. The orchid is more the size of a saucer than a plate, but it is one of the most beautiful, rare, and valuable blossoms I have ever laid eyes on. Here is most of its story, woven together from several sources we interviewed in and around Moyobamba. Some of the locations and most of the juicy gossip I am keeping to myself.
A farmer named Faustino Medina set in motion an Indiana Jones style adventure by discovering a large group of pretty flowering plants. He dug some and sold them at a crossroad truck stop called El Progresso, for $1 apiece. An orchid collector from Virginia, like a typical gringo, paid $3.60 for three of them. He can be forgiven for not negotiating the price. He knew they could be worth $10,000 apiece and make him famous. I imagine him running down the road, looking over his shoulder, cradling his three treasures, but an important part of the story is he used Lee Moore’s taxi driver, Jose Mendoza. He did not have to run; Mendoza drove him directly to Moore, who confirmed, “You have the Holy Grail of Orchids.”
Wild orchids are protected by the international CITES treaty. This orchid was new to science and was unnamed. The catch is that only 23 experts in the world can name an orchid and none of them are in Peru. To gain possession of an unnamed, world-class orchid is hard. To get a legal permit to take the orchid to an official taxonomist is next to impossible. Legend has it that Lee Moore has smuggled most of the things that can be smuggled. His advice was to put it in a suitcase and go straight to the Marie Selby Botanical Gardens in Sarasota, Florida. They are affiliated with five taxonomists, the most of any botanical garden in the world. The collector walked through customs, worked up some papers, and realized his dream by having the lady slipper orchid named after him, Phragmipedium kovachii.
It is ok to build a road and destroy a million orchids. One gets a permit. It is not ok to take an orchid out of the country in a suitcase. That it has been done many times is not a defense, and it was not a defense this time. Federal agents confiscated the plant and charged and convicted the collector and the botanical garden of possession of an endangered species and illegal trade. They paid fines, served probation, and suffered loss of reputation.
At approximately the same time, the taxi driver, Jose Mendoza, raided Faustino Medina’s patch, taking every plant, and selling them on the black market to dealers in Ecuador and Lima. Lee Moore has the other two plants left by the collector, and has acquired 200 others that he is raising and propagating for the time when they are legal to export.
Faustino discovered another patch and seems to have sold several hundred for $4 apiece to a rogue with a pickup truck named Kenneth Reategui, who has a small recreational park and restaurant on the outskirts of Tarapoto. He fenced them to an orchid dealer in Lima for what is understood to be a small fortune. An article appeared in the Orchidist, about the last known site of P. kovachii. A thousand mature plants. It was considered to be a safe site because of its inaccessibility, requiring a “hike from hell.” Two weeks later a helicopter with cargo boxes swooped in and stole all but two plants too high up on the cliff to reach. Armed men who would not know an orchid from a cactus are fingering the hibiscus.
Intoxicating.
Anyone interested in having an adventure, photographing orchids, touring Tarapoto, Moyobamba and the surrounding countryside, swimming under waterfalls, and soaking in natural hot springs can contact me to arrange the details.
William Grimes
http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-articles/in-search-of-an-orchid-as-big-as-a-plate-56057.html
About Orchid Flower Supplies
Orchids are beautiful, ornamental flowers that are grown especially for their delightfully fragrant flowers. The two main types of orchids that are widely grown are called Phalaenopsis and Dendrobium Orchids.
Orchids need special fertilizers and growing mediums to reach their full growing potential. Orchid supply companies or greenhouses can usually supply these for you and offer helpful advice and tips on how to get the most out of your orchids. Another way to learn more about the art of orchid growing, what the best type of orchid supplies are and the nicest types of orchids to grow is to find a good book on the subject.
Different orchids have their own preferences about where they like to be kept and the humidity, light, air, the type of fertilizers are used on them and the amount of water they are given. Many orchids also have a preference to the temperature they are living in and the pot and potting mixture they are housed in. Your orchid supply professional will be able to explain the preferences of most of the orchids and by taking note of where an orchid is situated when you buy it, will also tell you about where it likes to be.
Orchids mostly like about 60% humidity. It is possible to buy a humidity tray at your local orchid supply store. If you dont buy a humidity tray, a saucer with rocks and water will also help with humidity. This is especially important for orchids that are being grown indoors.
Orchids vary in the amount of light that they prefer. So make sure that you choose a spot that is like the area that the orchid was already being grown in. Orchids that are kept indoors also need fresh air and a well-ventilated area to grow in. By opening a door or window or even turning on an indoor fan will help decrease the risk of the orchid getting bugs or bacteria.
Orchids require a special orchid fertilizer once a week. An orchid supplier will be able to recommend a suitable fertilizer to suit the type of orchid you are growing. Orchids also require a special potting medium to help them grow. By using a medium that already has an added dose of fertilizer you will give your orchids a boost. Potting mixtures and growing mediums can be found at your local orchid supply store along with the other things needed to grow orchids.
Orchid supplies can be ordered online by doing a search on your favorite search engine or by visiting your local orchid suppler. Remember to research which type of orchid will suit your conditions and what type of fertilizers and potting mediums the orchid will require before buying it. That way you will be well on your way to having a stunning feature in your home or greenhouse when your orchids flower.
Simon Oldmann
http://www.articlesbase.com/gardening-articles/about-orchid-flower-supplies-51388.html
4 Things Every Orchid Grower Should Know
If you are an aspiring orchid grower than you know how beautiful these plants are and how rewarding it is to grow them in your own home. Many people are hesitant to try to grow these exotic beauties as they feel that too much specialized equipment is required and the novice grower just really doesn’t have a chance to be successful. This really couldn’t be further from the truth and, in fact, it is not that hard to successfully grow orchids given that you provide them with the 4 necessities listed below.
1. Humidity
Being tropical plants, orchids to require a lot of humidity and any successful orchid grower will tell you that this is key to having good plants. Since orchids need at least 50% humidity you will have to set your growing space up to provide for that. One way to do this is to set down a tray filled with pebbles and filled out with water. Then using some sort of us stand, set your orchid pots in the tray on top of the stand so that the bottoms of the pots are not actually in the water. Misting can also give you orchid’s humidity but you need to be careful that the leaves can thoroughly dry and therefore you would need good air circulation before may sting them.
2. Water
Like all growing plants, orchids need water, but a common mistake that many growers make is to think that because they require high humidity that they must be watered continuously, this is simply not true and overwatering is a sure way to kill an orchid. You should one of them when the soil becomes dry which is usually about once a week. Water until the soil is moist but take care not to overwater. If the soil in your orchid pot remains wet for more than a day than you over watered it. You can add some water soluble fertilizer formulated specially for orchids but only during the growing season.
3. Light
Of course orchids need plenty of light to grow properly especially during the summer. During the winter months they can get by on about four hours. Different types of orchids require different amounts of light so you’ll need to know the specifics for your plant. if you cannot provide enough natural sunlight and grow lights will work just fine.
4. Soil
just like any other plant, orchids need nutrients and good soil to growing. Luckily you can buy potting soil formulated specifically for orchids. You may be able to find this at your local garden store or you can even buy it from the orchid grower themselves. You will find that most organ mixes contain some sort of fir bark or osmunda fiber.
Becoming a successful orchid grower is really no different than growing any other type of plant. You simply need to know what the right factors are for vibrant thriving plants and arrests as a matter of just putting these key elements into action.
Lee Dobbins
http://www.articlesbase.com/gardening-articles/4-things-every-orchid-grower-should-know-85364.html
The Secret Formula To Growing Beautiful and Magnificent Orchids
Watch this video and find out the secret formula to growing beautiful and magnificent orchids. Discover how you too can have beautiful orchids that will thrive for many years to come. Watch the entire video for a special surprise as well. For more information on growing beautiful orchids go to: http://www.theorchidresource.com/tips
Duration : 0:4:58