How to Indoor Orchid Garden

Orchids have traditionally been viewed as exotic blooms to add beauty to any garden .The flowers are delicate and have wonderful hues, which add to their attraction. Despite their reputation, they are not difficult to grow and they can be cultivated indoors. Many areas benefit from an amateur orchid growing association which can be a mine of information on local growing conditions.

Some gardeners prefer to grow established orchids that have already flowered whilst others grow the plants from seeds. There are many misconceptions about orchids, but they are the largest group of flowering plants available. They are found on every continent with the exception of Antarctica and they live and thrive in every conceivable habitat. They can live outdoors in Summer and over wintered indoors. There are over 30,000 species in the wild and triple that number of man made hybrids, which make them very adaptable.

It is true that many do thrive In the rainforest where the cover gives them humidity and shelter, but not all orchids thrive In hot house conditions. Some like the cool and grow high in mountainous areas. Wherever you live the orchid family will provide a perfect specimen for your growing conditions. Orchids fall into three very broad categories warm intermediate and cool. Orchids that thrive in cooler climates need a minimum temperature of 10°C (50°F) with a maximum of 22°C (75°F). The minimum temperature actually applies to the night time temperature. Orchids need a different seasonal temperatures and a difference between day and night. However, by sheltering them indoors it is more likely that they will be protected from cold draughts.

The cooler varieties of orchids such as the Cymbidium deteriorate when they are too warm. The heat encourages leaf growth, which detracts from the plants potential to produce a flower. They appreciate cool and light in the winter but prefer to be outdoors in summer. In general overfeeding the orchids will promote leaf growth rather than flowers.

There are ways of increasing the humidity indoors grow fern next to the orchids to mimic the conditions of the rainforest. They preserve the water content when they are misted several times a week, there leaves will go brown at the edges if this is not done often enough. Standing any plant on another bed of pebbles prevents the moisture from evaporating, use a larger pot add the soil that then the second pot and any type of pebble. Using a bark based compost, as a soil is also another way of preserving moisture when orchids are kept indoors the air can be artificially dry because of the heating system. Watering the soil from below can make it waterlogged it is always better to water the plant from the above mimicking the action of rain.

As with all plants some orchids need less knowledge and care than others. Good beginner orchids are the phalaenopsis, cymbidiums and odontoglossums. The phalaenopsis, are capable of surviving in a warm room. Its common name is the moth orchid and the flower lasts for a long time, which makes it a very good choice as a houseplant. The cymbidium thrives in a cooler light position and it grows tall fast and flowers about every two months. This is the type of orchid that is used a corsage. The odontoglossum loves to be indoors permanently, it thrives on a windowsill and some varieties are very compact. However, they do need shading from maximum summer sun when behind glass.

One of the reasons that this plant is popular as an indoor bloom is that it can have buds and flowers at the same time and they are all at a different stage of development. With minimal care and repotting, they only need repotting every third year the orchid family offers a distinct beautiful and exotic looking plant without a lot of bother.