Favorite Flower: Orchids

Dear All,
I had a request about two weeks ago for a blog post on orchids.  You see, I really like orchids they're one of my favorite flowers.  I think that they bring an ordinary room to life.  : )  I got my first orchid as a senior in college.  I loved how it brought such cheer to my room and it gave me something to nurture.

Orchids are quite finicky about what kind of environment they like to live in, but once you understand the environment that they come from, it makes total sense.  Orchids are native plants to the rain forest.  They actually don't have a root base in the ground, but attach themselves to the bark of trees.  Orchids are not parasites, but rather have a symbiotic relationship with the trees, doing them no harm.  The information to glean then from understanding their natural environment is the following: orchids like bright light, but not direct light (they have filtered light in the rain forest, they don't rise above the tree canopy), orchids like to have moist roots, but not wet roots drowning in water (growing on trees the environment is quite humid, but the tree bark does not retain a lot of water, so when it rains the roots catch what water they can).  These two elements of orchids can make caring for them quite difficult.

However if you find yourself gifted with an orchid or desire to buy one, here are my suggestions, find a place in your house that gets bright, filtered light.  Sometimes the place you think will be the best spot isn't the best.  My orchids are currently in the window by my entryway.  I would have thought that the draft of cold air when the door is opened and closed would have bothered them, but since there is a heater vent right below the window the cold doesn't affect the flowers and they love it there.  Second make sure that the "dirt" that your orchid is planted in is more of a bark mulch than potting soil.  Potting soil holds too much moisture.  Bark allows for the water to get away from the roots, but also provide a humid environment for them.  Lastly watering your orchid.  A lot of orchids that you can buy are "Just-Add-Ice Orchids."

The problem I've found with watering orchids with ice is that it doesn't provide the plant with enough water and it tends to freeze the roots.  Remember orchids like warm tropical environments and ice doesn't fit with that.  My suggestion is to just water them one to two times a week and give them about two to three seconds of water.  Also it is good to get Orchid Miracle Grow and give your plants that every so often when you think they need a boost.  Those are a few of the things that I have learned about these beautiful plants.

Loving on my Plants,
The Adventurous Farm Wife