Orchid Vanda Care
Vanda (pronounced VAN-dah) orchids are mostly warm and full sun growing plants with colorful flowers, including blue, red, orange, and yellow. Originating in tropical Asia, they are easily grown in warm climates, and the show from one spike can last for eight weeks or more, and vigorous plants, can often bloom twice a year.
Vanda Light
They enjoy full sun in the morning and afternoon, but shading at mid day. Their leaves should be a light green color, and a darker green color indicates too little sun.
Vanda Temperatures
Temperatures for this orchid should be warm and humid for optimum plant growth. The ideal day temperature is 75-85 degrees F., while the ideal night temperature is 65-75 degrees F. Warmer temperatures mean faster growth, which must be balanced with higher humidity, air movement, and increased water and fertilizer.
Vanda Water
These orchids are epiphytes in nature, and are used to drying out between the rains of their natural habitat. Water should be applied copiously when the plants are growing, but the roots must dry quickly.
Vanda Humidity
A high humidity is essential during the growing season, from early spring through late fall. Humidity of 80 percent is ideal. Air movement must be strong.
Vanda Feeding
Fertilize with a balanced fertilizer applied at one-quarter-strength solution at every watering. Use a high-phosphorus fertilizer every third application to promote flowering.
Vanda Potting
Potting should be done in the spring every two to three years, or when the potting medium begins to deteriorate.
Orchid Tolumnia Care
Tolumnia (pronounced toh-LUM-nee-ah) orchids are endemic to the Caribbean Basin with many confined to a single island. The foliage is usually 6 to 12 inches in height with miniature pseudobulbs bearing fan shaped leaf rosettes. They produce a shower of blooms 2 to 3 times a year of bright colorful blossoms ranging from bright sunshine yellows and golden browns, to vibrant reds and oranges. Their petite size and ability to adapt to a fairly wide range of conditions make them suitable for growing in small spaces.
Tolumnia Light
Bright, diffused light is preferred. Plants that are growing well but reluctant to bloom usually need an increase in light intensity.
Tolumnia Temperature
The temperature range for these orchids should mimic the Caribbean. The optimum range is 80 to 85 F during the day and 65 to 70 F during the night. Avoid prolong exposure to temperatures below 60 F or above 90 F.
Tolumnia Water
These orchids have no large pseudobulb water reserve, and must be watered well then allowed to dry out by night. The adage “if in doubt, don’t water” applies here.
Tolumnia Humidity
The humidity should be above 60%, and a good air movement must be provided so that they dry out between misting.
Tolumnia Feeding
Frequent and dilute feeding is the preferred approach using a balanced fertilizer applied every other watering at one quarter strength. Flushing with plain water once a month is important because residual salts can damage the roots.
Tolumnia Potting
The proper combination of good irrigation, adequate aeration, and rapid drying of the roots is key. Repotting should be done when new growth begins in the spring every two to three years. Mounting with twigs, cork bark, or small wood is the method of choice. They will also do well in tiny pots filled with loose charcoal, small orchid bark, or any other fine material.
Orchid Stanhopea Care
Stanhopeas (pronounced stan-HOHP-ee-ah) orchids are noted for their incredible flowers with intricate mechanisms for pollination. Most have inflorescences that grow downward, so the plants must be potted in hanging baskets. Although the flowers are short-lived, they have a strong, distinctive fragrance, and each plant may produce many inflorescences throughout the year.
Stanhopea Light
Light should be bright, with direct sunlight diffused so as not to burn the leaves.
Stanhopea Temperature
This orchid likes moderate temperatures of 70° to 75° F during the day and 55° to 60° F at night. Plants can stand short spells of higher temperatures, but air movement, humidity and shading must all be increased.
Stanhopea Water
Water in ample quantities is important to produce strong pseudobulbs. Keep evenly moist. Stanhopeas can be sensitive to salt accumulation in the medium, so should never be allowed to dry out entirely, even during the winter months when growth may slow or stop.
Stanhopea Feeding
Fertilize at regular intervals with a diluted concentration every week to two weeks. Follow up with just plain water once a month to flush out excess fertilizer salts.
Stanhopea Potting
Potting is best done every two years right after summer flowering, as most plants seem to grow year round. An airy, yet moist medium which allows the flowers to burst through seems to work best. Don’t grow them in ordinary pots or you’ll never see the flowers.
Orchid Phalaenopsis Care
Phalaenopsis (pronounced fayl-eh-NOP-siss) are native to Southeast Asia, and is commonly referred to as the ‘Moth Orchid’. It has a color range that includes white, pinks, lavender, and yellow in both solid colors, and combinations of stripes and spots. Individual blooms can last as long as 3 months.
Phalaenopsis Light
These orchids grow easily in a bright window, with no direct mid-day sun. An east window, or shaded south window is ideal in the home.
Phalaenopsis Temperature
Temperatures for this orchid should usually range between 75 and 85 F during the day, and be above 60 F at night. Higher humidity and air movement should accompany higher temperatures.
Phalaenopsis Water
These orchids should be watered thoroughly and then not again until the media is nearly, but not completely dry. Water is especially critical for them, because they have no major water-storage organs and should never completely dry out.
Phalaenopsis Humidity
Humidity is important to this orchid, with the recommended humidity being between 50 and 80 percent. In the home, set the plants on trays of gravel, partially filled with water, so that the pots never sit in water.
Phalaenopsis Feeding
Fertilize on a regular schedule with a balanced fertilizer. Apply fertilizer at one-quarter strength with every watering. During blooming season you might consider a blooming plant formula with elevated phosphorus levels.
Phalaenopsis Potting
Potting is best done every one to three years in the spring, immediately after flowering. These plants must be potted in a porous mix.
Orchid Paphiopedilum Care
Paphiopedilums (pronounced paff-ee-oh-PED-ih-lum) originate in the jungles of the Far East, and are refered to as the lady slipper orchid. They are one of the most intriguing of all orchids with waxy, richly colored blooms that sometimes last for months.
Paphiopedilum Light
They require a bright location but protect from mid-day sun, as in the home in an east or west window, or near a shaded south window. Leaves should be a medium-green color. If they are too pale or yellowish, the plant could be getting too much light.
Paphiopedilum Temperature
These orchids are separated into warm-growing mottled-leaved types, and the cool-growing green-leaved types. Warm-growing types should be kept at 75 to 85 F during the day, and 60 to 65 F during the night. Cool-growing types should be kept at 75 to 80 F during the day, and 50 to 60 F during the night.
Paphiopedilum Water
These orchids should never dry out in between waterings. Water must be available at the roots constantly, not soggy, but never dry.
Paphiopedilum Humidity
Humidity should be moderate, between 50 and 60 percent, which can be maintained in the home by setting the plants on trays of gravel, partially filled with water, so that the plants never sit in water.
Paphiopedilum Feeding
Fertilize on a regular schedule, but care must be taken to avoid burning of the fleshy, hairy roots. Use half-strength applications every two weeks, or one-quarter strength at every watering. It’s important to flush with clear water once a month.
Paphiopedilum Potting
Potting should be done about every two years, or as the medium decomposes. Ideally, they should be repotted immediately after flowering.
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Orchid Oncidium Care
Oncidium (pronounced on-SID-ee-um) orchids originate anywhere from sea level in the tropics to the high elevations of the Andes. These orchids are epiphytic, and prefer to have their roots exposed to the air. Generally, they feature small flowers, large pseudobulbs, and slender leaves. The flower size is smaller than most orchids, but they have many flowers on each spike, with colors ranging from yellow to bronze, white with pink, and dark red.
Oncidium Light
Lighting needs will vary from bright to almost full sun depending on the species. Most will thrive with one to several hours of sun a day.
Oncidium Temperature
Optimum temperatures are 80 to 85 F during the day and 55 to 60 F during the night to initiate flowers.
Oncidium Water
Watering should be thorough, and the medium should dry at least halfway through the pot before watering again. This may be every two to ten days depending on your conditions.
Oncidium Humidity
They require less humidity than other orchids. Humidity should be between 40 and 60 percent.
Oncidium Feeding
Fertilize regularly while plants are actively growing. Applications once or twice a month are sufficient, and flush with clear water once a month.
Oncidium Potting
Potting should be done when new growth is about one-half mature, which is usually in the spring. Fine-grade potting media are usually used with fine-rooted plants and coarser mixes with large-rooted plants. This allows the drying between waterings.
