Young Orchids Require Special Care
November 7th, 2008 Subscribe To Our Feed
Orchids have been associated with love, luxury and beauty throughout history. Growing orchids from young plants is an excellent way to fill your home with these special flowers. Purchasing young orchid seedlings will start a hobby that will give you a lifetime of pleasure. To successfully start these young plants, take a few minutes to acquaint yourself with these important tips.
Watering Your New Orchids
When you first purchase young orchids you may think the plants are too dry. That’s probably not the case. A reputable garden center, orchids grower or even an online nursery will deliberately keep the growing medium around young orchids on the drier side. This is done to inhibit the growth of mold or fungus. Upon receiving your young orchids, don’t heavily soak the plants. It will be best to gradually moisten the growing medium, making sure it doesn’t get too wet. If by chance, you notice a small amount of fungus or mold, you may use a plant fungicide that is available at garden centers. Orchid growers usually start young plants in moss just like they would be in their natural environment. It will be best for the tender plants to remain in the growing medium that you receive them until they are acclimated to your home.
Potting Young Orchids
It is not necessary to immediate move your young orchids to a new pot. In fact, doing so may harm the newly developing roots. You will know that your orchids are ready for a larger pot when the plant produces new growth that cannot be contained in its original living space. When choosing the new size pot, select the smallest possible one that will accommodate the plant. Orchids do not grow well in oversized pots and other problems may develop.
The Right Light
Young orchids don’t need the same level of light intensity that a more mature plant requires. That’s because an older plant has different needs since they are in the flowering stage. A quick way to determine if you are providing your orchids with enough light is to check the color of the leaves. The normal color is a light green, but if the new growth remains dark green, increase the lighting around the plants.
Orchids are available in a variety of species and have been cultivated to thrive in homes. Starting off with young orchids is a wonderful way to begin a hobby that will give you years of beauty.
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Wild Orchids In Alberta, Canada?
November 1st, 2008 Subscribe To Our Feed
When you think about the habitats of wild orchids, there are many places that come to mind like Tokyo, Bangkok or the Rio. But did you know that you can find wild orchids in one of the most un-tropical of places – Alberta, Canada? These wild orchids of Canada are not the massive, sensual, fleshy flowers you usually associate with orchids. These wild orchids are small, unassuming and generally ignored.
Sparrow’s Egg
Also known as the Ladyslipper Orchid or Franklin’s Ladyslipper, this small species of wild orchid grows from Montana to British Columbia. America has listed this orchid as a “species of concern”, meaning it is endangered. If you find one of these wild orchids, you better leave it where you found it. You may get into legal trouble by taking it home.
This is a small yet sturdy mostly white orchid with tiny red spots. The main flower is shaped quite a bit like an egg. The petals of the flower tend to droop. They grow in one or two flowers per jade green lance-shaped leaves in wooded areas, especially in coniferous (evergreen) forests.
Northern Green Orchid
Blink and you might miss this small, delicate and grass-green curly member of wild orchids. They once could be found all over North America, even in this writer’s home state of Pennsylvania. They are a lot rarer today, because of overdevelopment and the destruction of wetlands. They need moist and boggy areas in order to grow. They can also grow in wet woodlands.
They are very small curling flowers piled on top of each other in stalks. The flowers and stalks are the same color. Since they are grass-green, they blend in easily with other plants. You might have to find them by watching where bees and other nectar-eating insects go buzzing to. Their blooming season is June to August.
Heart Leaved Twayblade
This is another teeny-tiny species or wild orchid that also is threatened due to loss of habitat. However, this has a little more color than the Northern Green Orchid. They still can be found from New England to Alberta, Canada. These plants grow only three to ten inches high, so watch where you step when looking for them.
They have a central straight green or brown stalk where tiny little five petaled flowers poke out. A stalk can have around a dozen of these little pinkish to purplish-brown colored flowers. They also bloom from June to August.
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White Orchids: Everything You Need to Know
October 26th, 2008 Subscribe To Our Feed
There are numerous types of orchids that you can choose from, but white orchids are definitely some of the most popular. The white orchids have flowers that resemble the shape of a moth or butterfly, which explains why they are also known as moth orchids. White orchids do require different care than other orchid plants, and their requirements of care will be discussed in more detail here.
Watering
As with most other types of plants, watering is one of the most important parts of caring for the white orchid plant. You can tell when the plant needs watering by simply lifting it up and feeling the weight of it. When it feels light it needs water, and when it feels heavier there is still enough water in the soil.
You want to make sure that you water them well where the water soaks through the medium that they are planted in, and be careful to not let water sit on the leaves overnight. If you accidentally put too much water in you can dry the leaves and pat the soil with a paper towel gently and this will help to soak up a bit of the excess water.
Temperature
The temperature of the area around the plant is also very important when growing white orchids. Generally a temperature of about 55º is the coolest that you can have before the flowers will suffer, and it is important not to let these plants get either too cold or too hot because they do not deal well with shock and take a considerable amount of time to recover.
Light and Air
White orchids prefer to have little to no direct light on their leaves because they burn so easily, and so it is best to keep them in the sun during the early morning hours but then remove them before the harsh UV rays of the midday sun come out.
The orchids are a large and incredibly diverse family of plants, and they are a favorite of plant enthusiasts everywhere. They are truly wonderful plants and produce beautiful flowers. They will live a long and healthy life as long as they are well cared for, so take the time to educate yourself on the plant before attempting to grow on one your own. There are many different ways in which you can obtain this information, such as by attending orchid shows and going to nurseries and private orchid growers.
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Information on Where to Buy Orchids
October 20th, 2008 Subscribe To Our Feed
If you are a plant lover then one of your favorites is surely the orchid plant group. These plants produce numerous and beautiful flowers, and are a fan favorite around the world. One of the biggest questions that people have about orchids is where to buy orchids from. This is a very important question because in order to ensure you have the healthiest plants possible you want to take special care in where to buy orchids.
Orchid Shows
When it comes to the matter of where to buy orchids, one of the best things you can do is head out to an orchid show. This is one of the most informative places to start, and most local societies have annual shows which are open to the public. Some have a fee to enter and some do not, but the price is usually reasonable.
Here you will be able to get more education on orchids and you will get to see what different kinds of orchids look like and also be able to speak to different orchid vendors and purchase healthy blooming orchid plants.
Nurseries
This is another excellent option on where to buy orchids. There are literally thousands of different nurseries located around the world but you do still need to take care here. You want to make sure that it is a reputable nursery, one that has a staff of trained and knowledgeable gardening experts.
Internet
The Internet is an amazing place for orchid enthusiasts. There are various plant vendors, botanists, photographers, growing supply providers and more available on the Web and this makes it a fantastic option if you are trying to decide on where to buy orchids. Just keep in mind that before you purchase any plants or gardening supplies online you will want to visit the Garden Watchdog site.
This is a site which offers information on the different gardening related online companies and which provides evaluations of growers based on ratings by customers who have already dealt with them. This is a great place for you to start to make sure that you are dealing with only the most reputable vendors and also to help narrow down the intense selection.
eBay is one online company that can be useful for buying orchids but only if you already know what you are looking for and have an idea of what each plant is worth, therefore not making it ideal for beginners.
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What You Should Absolutely Know About Watering Orchids
October 14th, 2008 Subscribe To Our Feed
The way you are watering orchids is very important as this is one aspect that could spell the difference between life and death of that particular plant. Unlike regular flowers orchids are very sensitive to water and light and hence the wrong way of watering orchids can easily kill it.
Watering Orchids The Right Way
There are a number of factors that you should take into consideration when you water your orchids. First would be the season and climatic conditions. A safe method would entail that you water your plants twice a week in hot and dry climate and about once a week in winter. Pay attention to the size of the pot as well this is important. Generally in ideal conditions, a six inch pot would require watering once a week, while a four inch pot would need a repeat every five days.
Next is the medium which you are using for your potted orchid. Bark tends to loose moisture faster than other mediums so you would need to pay extra attention to pots which use this medium. Check the medium every alternate day by inserting your finger or a pencil for about two inches inside the medium. If it comes out moist it is okay; however, if it is dry you need to water your orchid immediately. Keep in mind that the medium needs to always be moist not soggy. Watering orchids too much is also a killer.
The type of water used for watering orchids is also very important. Do not use tap water unless there is no other way available for you. This is because the tap water is usually treated with chlorine to make it potable for humans; chlorine is not a friendly element for orchids, though. The best is to collect rainwater and use that for watering your orchids.
Another very important aspect which is often ignored by orchid lovers is the temperature of the water used for watering orchids. The best would be to have the water at exactly the same temperature as the weather where the orchid lives. If the water is too cold comparatively it would damage the plant very badly if not even kill it.
A Word Of Caution
Ensue that the leaves of your orchid are not wet after you water the plant. If water falls and gets trapped between the leaves, take the trouble to wipe it off or you will loose all the leaves. Yellow leaves are a sign that tell you your orchid is over-watered – reduce the frequency.
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A Few Interesting Facts About The Vanilla Orchids
October 8th, 2008 Subscribe To Our Feed
Did you know that vanilla is an essence that comes from vanilla orchids? If you did not, you know now. The vanilla that you love so much in your cake and ice cream is derived from a beautiful orchid species from the Vanilla genus and is grown in Mexico. The meaning of vanilla is Spanish – the language spoken in Mexico – is ‘the little pod’.
Some Not So Well Known Facts About The Vanilla Planifolia
Did you know that vanilla (Vanilla planifolia – its Latin name) is the only agriculturally profitable by-product derived from orchids? No other orchid produces an agriculturally important crop. All others are valued by their show quality rather than agricultural value.
The vanilla orchids grow as a huge vine which often exceeds one hundred feet in length. This huge plant gives some tiny pods as fruit and there you are – you find the vanilla essence there.
The orchids as a plant family are one of the oldest flowering plants in the world as well as the largest.
The vanilla essence is not a modern discovery; it was well known to the Aztecs for flavoring another popular food, the cocoa drink.
A Brief Description Of The Vanilla Orchids
You will find the vanilla orchids normally growing in tropical forests. You would recognize these flowers by their typical light green color which open very early in the morning for pollination by bees and hummingbirds, though there is no trace of the vanilla essence at this stage.
The flowers which are hermaphroditic (contain both female and male parts which are divided by a thin membrane to prevent self pollination) will develop into little pods after they are pollinated with each pod containing thousands of small black seeds. These pods are long and thin very similar to the string beans but quite smaller in comparison.
Since the flower does not develop into a fruit unless it is pollinated, artificial pollination needs to be done in places where natural means are not available. It takes the pod about one month to mature and once they are fully developed they are harvested and dried. The curing of the vanilla pods would at last give you the aroma that is so much loved and used throughout the world.
The vine grows huge in length and has the tendency of growing upwards therefore every year after the harvest the farmers get the vine pushed downwards to keep it ‘within hand’s reach’. This process – it was observed – increases the flowering capacity of the vanilla orchids.
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