· Orchids exhibit a wide range of diversity in form, size, color, and texture of flowers.
· Orchids play a vital role to balance the forest ecosystem.
Orchids can be divided into two basic growth types
· Monopodial (one footed) have a main stem which continues to grow (Phalaenopsis, Renonthera, Vanda, etc.)
· Sympodial (many footed) produces a series of adjacent shoots which grow to a certain size, bloom, then stop growing to be replaced by the next growth. (Cattleya, Cymbidium)
Orchids can be divided into four types according to growing condition
· Epiphytes – air plants, which grow on trees
· Lithophytes – rock growers which cling to the surfaces of rocks
· Saprophytes – those that grow in mulch, often on the forest floor
· Terrestrials – which anchor themselves in soil or sand
Most orchids are epiphytes, they can be grown in tree bark, crumbled charcoal, pebbles or on wooden or cork plaques.
Uses beyond their beauty
· Some can be used for medicinal purposes…
· Can be used as spice, flavoring agents and food…
· Can be used to make jewelry, fishing nets, coloring agents, wear the flowers in your hair.
Orchid Care
· Indirect sunlight is ideal
· Seedlings require less sunlight than adult plants
· Very poor light tends to produce weak plants and less flowering
· Optimum requirements vary between species
· Proper ventilation is a must to provide fresh air and keep fungus to a minimum
· However, some orchids can be grown in open sun in trenches filled with brick pieces and charcoal (Vanda, Aranda, Arachnis, Renanthera, Kegawara, Mokara)
· In nature, orchids obtain their supply of inorganic nutrients like calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, nitrogen and traces of managanese, boron, copper, zinc, etc. from the tree in which they are growing on and also from atmosphere and decaying fruit and bird droppings
· Solid and liquid fertilizers are available at Kiwy and other markets and should be used in the various growth cycles of the orchid.
o When blooming, keep them moist and add phosphate (blooming fertilizer)
o When not blooming, allow them to dry out a bit between watering and increase the nitrogen
Propagation
· After the blooming cycle the orchids can be propagated by division. There are several different methods that can be used, but I primarily just divide the shoots, then baby the new section until roots are prominent for transplant. When propagating, make sure you examine the roots and remove any damaged or dead parts that appear black, mushy or paper thin. Healthy roots should be firm and plump.
Diseases and Pests
· There are a number of diseases caused by fungi, virus, bacteria, insects and pests. I have not used any fungicides to remove these from my plants, but try to use more natural means and to work on keeping the plants healthy.
· The most commonly reported insect pests are thrips, aphids, spidermites, soft scale, mealy bugs, orchid weevil, snail and slugs.
o I have gotten thrips and aphids on my orchids. To remove them, I wash them off with water, move them to a different location, and make a home brew to clean them with that the bugs don’t like…
Basic Care
· Clean the leaves…
§ Use some fresh diluted lemon juice to clean the leaves, then a tiny bit of olive oil on a paper towel to buff the leaves to a shine. Lemon juice is acidic and removes the salts and hard water stains from the leaves. Do not clean the leaves with lemon juice in the sun. Keep them out of direct sun when cleaning.
· Fertilize 1x per month…
§ Skins of 2 medium potatoes + 1 tbsp cinnamon powder.The skins contain calcium, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium and are organic substances that help sprouts and flowers grow well. The Cinnamon is antibacterial, antiseptic agent that prevents fungus.
· After peeling your potatoes, take the skins and add cinnamon powder and add skins and powder in about 300ml of boiled water. Cover and leave for a day, then filter the particles out and add one liter of clean water to dilute.
· Use this water mixture to clean the leaves. This helps to become greener and stronger. Then pour some of the diluted fertilizer water over the plant roots and allow them to absorb the nutrients. Also put in a sprayer bottle to mist the leaves to help them grow.
NOTE: DO NOT use this solution on the flowers.
§ Skins of 2 bananas + 1 clove of garlic. Bananas = potassium, garlic = anti-fungal
· Steep banana peels and garlic in boiled water for ~10 hours. This will help the orchid have more blooms.NOTE: Spray in the morning with plenty of time to dry.
NOTE: when spraying nutrients on the plants, make sure they are not too dry as they will not take up nutrients. If very dry, sit in clean water for about 20 minutes, then sit them in the fertilizer water for about 20 minutes.
· Disinfectant
§ 1 crushed small clove of garlic + 400ml of clean waterStir together, then filter the water. This is a good disinfectant spray for the whole plant. Spray it down, but then remember to dry it back off when you are finished the disinfectant process.
Common problems with orchids
§ Leaves shriveled or wrinkled
o Shriveled or wrinkled leaves indicate that the orchid is not receiving enough water. The culprit is often unhealthy roots. If the roots are black and mushy, use a sterile cutting tool to remove the bad roots and repot the orchid in a new growing medium. If the roots are plump and white/green, but the leaves are shriveled the plant is being underwatered.
§ Leaves turning yellow
o Overwatering and root rot are often the cause of yellowing leaves. Give the orchid growing medium time to dry out between watering. If that doesn’t work, repot the plant and remove any unhealthy roots.
§ Buds dropping
o If the buds drop before they bloom, the plant is under stress. Investigate the orchid’s environment and perhaps move it to a better location. Look for the following possible issues and environmental conditions that might be affecting the plant.
§ Underwatered or overwatered
§ Swings in temperature
§ Near plants or fruits that are producing ethylene gas (ripening)
§ Low humidity
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