Planting Orchids- The Orchid Necessities

Orchids are one of the most exquisite plants on this planet. They have a different kind of beauty and the flowers that bloom from them are equally stunning. That is why is you want to grow your orchids well, you need to understand every aspect of planting orchids. First familiarize yourself with the soil used. I gave one of my friends an orchid plant. She raved about how beautiful orchids are but it was her first time to have an orchid. She was gardening for a long time, alright but she was a greenhorn to orchids. After she planted her orchid in a pot with rich potting soil, the orchid slowly deteriorated and she had to watch it die a painful death. She had to learn the hardway that orchid plants have a different soil requirement that regular houseplants. Come to think about it, that’s the only major difference of orchids from other plants. There are some differences with their growing requirements.

Wild Orchids
Epiphytes are popular when people choose to grow orchids. Tree trunks and tree branches are the common places where epiphytes grow. A lot of rainwater is stored in the epiphytes absorbent roots. While water is store inside, outside, the roots are dry. This protects the roots form fungi and bacteria and thwart rotting.  The problem with regular potting soil is that it holds water for a long time and dos not give time for roots to grow.

Medium
The purpose of the medium is to provide upright support to the orchid plant and to provide a bit of moisture in between waterings. There are many potting materials for you to choose from when it comes to planting orchids.  Some of the materials that you can utilize to hold your orchid are tree barks, charcoal, coconut husks and moss. Cork slabs are mainly helpful in mounting orchids.  However, for orchids that need to be moist most of the time, like Pleurothallids, moss is suggested.  Always check with an expert for the best materials to use with your kind of orchid.

Repotting the orchid plant
When an orchid plant is new to its environment you should give it ample time to adjust to its new environment which would include the amount and intensity of the light, the temperature, and the humidity. One week should be enough. You would not need to repot for a year or 2 if the original pot has good drainage. Repotting is important because organic materials rot and this will rot your orchid roots as well.  After a substantial time period (a year or two given that your orchid’s pot has good drainage) the old medium will start to break down and become somewhat like soil, suffocating the roots and not letting them dry out which will cause the start of rotting. Understanding the three areas will contribute to one’s knowledge on planting orchids. At first, you may find yourself challenged, but in the end, if you are patient, you are rewarded with beautiful flowers.