Top Six Essential Orchid Supplies
There is a wide array of supplies available to help you take care of your orchids, some are essentials and some are handy extras. The number of products on the market can be a little overwhelming at times, but you really don't have to spend a fortune to get started, stick to the basics and you'll be able to care for your orchids adequately without filling your house full of supplies.
Many of the basics can be bought or made on a budget and should require very little in the way of additional costs. To help you get to grips with some of the more common orchid supplies I've put together a list of the top six.
Simulating a Humid Environment
Orchids require a high degree of humidity, many orchid species are found naturally in tropical climates and therefore will thrive best if you can simulate these conditions. Humidity trays can be a great solution for this. They're relatively inexpensive and you can find them in most major gardening centres or you can simply make your own version.
Use a tray and give it a raised base inside to sit your orchid on, a layer of stones is ideal for this and can look pretty good too. Fill the tray with the stones and almost fill it with warm water nearly to the top, it's important at this point not to allow your orchids roots to sit in the water as this will damage them. The warm water evaporates and humidifies the surrounding air.
Mounting Orchids
The majority of orchids are epiphytic which means that the grow naturally above the ground clinging to the surface of trees or rocks with their roots suspended in the air. If your orchid is one of these species then you will be able to mount it successfully. In my opinion mounted orchids look far more decorative than potted ones and you can get pretty creative.
A mount should be a rough or craggy surface where your orchid can gain a good grip, it will be necessary to secure it to the mounting surface for some time until it's gained an adequate foothold. You can use string or fishing line for this, secure it firmly but be careful not to damage the roots.
Common surface used for mounting orchids include Bark, Cork and Stone. Obviously you can find bark or other wood anywhere but make sure it's been dried thoroughly and treated for pests and parasites that could harm your orchids and you really don't want crawling round your house. You can also buy mounting materials from most gardening centres.
Keeping Your Orchids in Pots
If your orchid is terrestrial or you just don't want to mount your orchid you can keep it in a pot like other house plants. Orchids should be potted tightly, re-potting only when roots begin growing over the pot before they get a firm grip on the outsides making it difficult to remove with damaging your orchid.
The medium you choose to pot your orchid in is very important too. Don't fall into the trap of using soil or compost as this restricts drainage and retains too much moisture for the plant to cope with. Orchids require their roots to be able to dry out completely which mean you should use a potting media that allows good drainage and air circulation. Some good potting mediums are Coconut Husk, Red Wood Fibre, Sphagnum Moss and Pine Bark.
Providing Your Orchid With Light
Obviously your orchid will require light. But how much and for how long? Orchids enjoy long periods of diffused daylight. You can simulate this by keeping your orchids near an east facing window, preferably behind frosted glass or a shade, you'll want to avoid too much strong direct sunlight, even a little can damage it.
The alternative to this is using artificial lighting, this can be a little more expensive to setup and may not be the best place to start if you're new to growing orchids but can help you achieve fantastic results.
Artificial plant lights use bulbs that produce light from various parts of the spectrum. You can purchase one bulb or you can use a combination of a few to give a much wider spectrum of light. You'll want to avoid bulbs that give off too much of the red part to avoid burning your plant. You should also keep your lights an adequate distance away for the same reason.
For additional control over your orchids lighting you can get timers, simple devices that can use to adjust the duration of light your orchids get simulating day time and night time conditions. They simply switch the power on and off at adjustable times.
Stakes
Bamboo or metal stakes will provide support for your orchid. Secure the stem of your orchid gently to avoid damage. Alternatively, some of the metal stakes are spiralled or shaped to surround the orchid providing it with support without the need for ties. Another handy use for stakes is giving you something to attach your labels to.
Spray Bottles
It'll be necessary mist your orchid every so often with warm water. Most spray bottle will be suitable for this, The only thing to watch out for is that the spray nozzle continues to produce a fine mist. If water droplets collect on your orchids leaves they can cause damage or at the very least leave mark.
Many of the basics can be bought or made on a budget and should require very little in the way of additional costs. To help you get to grips with some of the more common orchid supplies I've put together a list of the top six.
Simulating a Humid Environment
Orchids require a high degree of humidity, many orchid species are found naturally in tropical climates and therefore will thrive best if you can simulate these conditions. Humidity trays can be a great solution for this. They're relatively inexpensive and you can find them in most major gardening centres or you can simply make your own version.
Use a tray and give it a raised base inside to sit your orchid on, a layer of stones is ideal for this and can look pretty good too. Fill the tray with the stones and almost fill it with warm water nearly to the top, it's important at this point not to allow your orchids roots to sit in the water as this will damage them. The warm water evaporates and humidifies the surrounding air.
Mounting Orchids
The majority of orchids are epiphytic which means that the grow naturally above the ground clinging to the surface of trees or rocks with their roots suspended in the air. If your orchid is one of these species then you will be able to mount it successfully. In my opinion mounted orchids look far more decorative than potted ones and you can get pretty creative.
A mount should be a rough or craggy surface where your orchid can gain a good grip, it will be necessary to secure it to the mounting surface for some time until it's gained an adequate foothold. You can use string or fishing line for this, secure it firmly but be careful not to damage the roots.
Common surface used for mounting orchids include Bark, Cork and Stone. Obviously you can find bark or other wood anywhere but make sure it's been dried thoroughly and treated for pests and parasites that could harm your orchids and you really don't want crawling round your house. You can also buy mounting materials from most gardening centres.
Keeping Your Orchids in Pots
If your orchid is terrestrial or you just don't want to mount your orchid you can keep it in a pot like other house plants. Orchids should be potted tightly, re-potting only when roots begin growing over the pot before they get a firm grip on the outsides making it difficult to remove with damaging your orchid.
The medium you choose to pot your orchid in is very important too. Don't fall into the trap of using soil or compost as this restricts drainage and retains too much moisture for the plant to cope with. Orchids require their roots to be able to dry out completely which mean you should use a potting media that allows good drainage and air circulation. Some good potting mediums are Coconut Husk, Red Wood Fibre, Sphagnum Moss and Pine Bark.
Providing Your Orchid With Light
Obviously your orchid will require light. But how much and for how long? Orchids enjoy long periods of diffused daylight. You can simulate this by keeping your orchids near an east facing window, preferably behind frosted glass or a shade, you'll want to avoid too much strong direct sunlight, even a little can damage it.
The alternative to this is using artificial lighting, this can be a little more expensive to setup and may not be the best place to start if you're new to growing orchids but can help you achieve fantastic results.
Artificial plant lights use bulbs that produce light from various parts of the spectrum. You can purchase one bulb or you can use a combination of a few to give a much wider spectrum of light. You'll want to avoid bulbs that give off too much of the red part to avoid burning your plant. You should also keep your lights an adequate distance away for the same reason.
For additional control over your orchids lighting you can get timers, simple devices that can use to adjust the duration of light your orchids get simulating day time and night time conditions. They simply switch the power on and off at adjustable times.
Stakes
Bamboo or metal stakes will provide support for your orchid. Secure the stem of your orchid gently to avoid damage. Alternatively, some of the metal stakes are spiralled or shaped to surround the orchid providing it with support without the need for ties. Another handy use for stakes is giving you something to attach your labels to.
Spray Bottles
It'll be necessary mist your orchid every so often with warm water. Most spray bottle will be suitable for this, The only thing to watch out for is that the spray nozzle continues to produce a fine mist. If water droplets collect on your orchids leaves they can cause damage or at the very least leave mark.
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