How to Grow Orchids Part One: Easy Orchids for Beginners
By Jodi Torpey
Of all the presents I’ve given my mother-in-law, the best one was an orchid plant. She had talked about wanting to start growing orchids as a hobby, and my gift to her was the first one of what would later become quite the blooming collection.
Because I had never grown orchids, I thought they were fussy plants based on their gorgeous good looks. But orchids are as easy to grow as other houseplants, and all it takes is getting a few things right to have these flowering beauties grace your home with long-lasting blooms.
The orchid I bought was a Phalaenopsis, sometimes called the “moth orchid” because of its shape. As it turns out, orchid beginners flock to moth orchids because they’re some of the easiest orchids to grow. These orchids have fairly large flowers in colors ranging from white to pink to deep purple.
Another easy-to-grow orchid for beginners is called Oncidium. These orchids have smallish flowers that grow in clusters on long stems. Some of the most common are yellow with reddish spots or stripes, but there are other colors, too.
Selecting Orchids
Orchids are tropical plants, and in their natural habitat the grow as air plants (epiphytes), hanging from trees. When they’re cultivated, the roots are grown in a special, well-draining potting mix.
When looking for an orchid to buy, consider color, flower size and even scent. Look for healthy plants with a flower color that matches or contrasts with colors in your home.
Make sure the leaves are a healthy green—not too light or too dark. Look for plants that have a few flowers in bloom and buds that are still tightly closed. Because flowers can last for weeks or months, this ensures you’ll have an extra-long initial bloom time.
Avoid plants that have any yellow or shriveled buds. Be sure to inspect plants carefully to make sure there aren’t any tiny insects or fuzzy white spots hiding on the undersides of leaves.
Light requirements
You don’t need any special equipment or knowledge to get started with orchids. If you’ve grown any kind of houseplant, you’ll be able to grow orchids, too.
Place your orchids in a room with good air circulation, but keep the plants out of drafts and away from furnace vents that dry the air. A comfortable temperature, between 70-80 degrees, is recommended.
Take a look around your house for a window that faces east or southeast. Orchids do well in our region if they get bright, filtered sunlight. The key is to keep orchids out of direct light. Our high altitude sunshine is too intense for these plants, especially during the summer months. If you have a window that faces directly south, that can work, too, as long as the window is shaded and the light is filtered, perhaps through thin window coverings.
The orchid’s foliage will also offer clues on what kind of light the plant likes best. If the foliage starts to turn pale, the plant is probably getting too much light. If the leaves start to turn a dark green, the plant most likely needs more light.
If the light situation in your home isn’t ideal for growing orchids, or for getting them to bloom, you might want to add some supplemental lighting to help encourage plants to flower.
