Orchid Varieties

How To Grow Orchid Varieties For Your Climate Zone

Popular orchid varieties are those that have a track record for being easy to grow and producing blooms year after year. There are orchids that thrive in almost every type of climate. They are no longer a highly delicate and difficult flower to grow. First, select from the following (not all inclusive) list for your region’s climate:

Cold climate: Cymbidium, cyprideium, epidendrum, paphiopedilum (green leaf). Some of these can live outdoors year round.
Temperate climate: Miltonia, paphiopedilum (mottled), lycaste, oncidium, cattleya (the most common type). Temperate climate orchid varieties can usually live outdoors in the summer in a protected shady area.

The approximate watering requirement for cold or temperate climates is once a week or when the potting soil is completely dry. You can also spray plants with a light mist of water. If water has collected anyplace after the spray evaporates, dry off with a cloth or paper towel.

3. Warm Climate: Vanda and phalaenopsis. These orchids may require a greenhouse if temperatures aren’t evenly warm. They do best indoors and in tropical areas.

In warm climates, water every morning, allowing it the whole day to dry. It is also good to mist lightly.

Planting and Care

Pour a 1-inch layer of gravel into the bottom of a plastic lined basket and line with moss on top of the gravel and the sides of the basket.
Insert the orchid in its original pot into the basket. This potting method allows excess water to drain into the rocks and moss, generating the necessary humidity. It also prevents the orchid from sitting in water, which causes brown spots, sometimes killing the plant.
Use three 16-inch cane sticks to stabilize the orchid. Push the sticks into soil at the edge of the basket, evenly distributed. Then tie a string around the outside of the canes. Use a string such as raffia.
Place in filtered sunlight. A good location is on a windowsill, and if possible, behind a sheer or lace curtain.
Every 1-2 weeks, fertilize with an orchid fertilizer diluted with water.

Special care should be taken to check the bottom of the leaves for insects once a week. Scale and other infestations can be removed by cleaning the leaves with a cloth and some methylated spirits. Other names for methylated sprits are: Fondue oil, denatured alcohol, and methyl hydrate. Methylated spirits are available in outdoor or sporting goods stores, grocery and hardware stores.

Rot or browning is a problem for most orchid varieties, caused by fungus. Prevent this by making sure the orchid is not too cold and not sitting in water.

You can repot every 2 to 3 years. However, it is fine to allow roots to stick out of the pot. When repotting, handle carefully as roots are very brittle.

Most orchid varieties have 2 blooming periods -- fall and spring. New plants may have fewer blooms but as they age, blooms are more prolific. Following these basics, your orchid will reward you with its lovely blooms for years to come.