Orchid Care Guides & FAQ
cATTLEYA
oNCIDIUM
Cymbidium
Cattleyas are among the most popular orchid genus grown. They are best known for being the classic corsage orchid. Cattleyas are an excellent choice for beginners, as they will do well under a wide range of conditions. These plants produce spectacular fragrant flowers in a wide range of amazing colors, sizes, shapes, and textures.
Cymbidium
oNCIDIUM
Cymbidium
Cymbidiums are known for their long-lasting sprays of flowers. The genus consist of about 50 species, many of which are cool growing. Today collections consist mainly of hybrids, which possess tremendous variation in color and shape. Flowers are produced on upright or pendulous sprays. The blooming peak is early spring, although it is possible to begin the blooming season in October and extend it through June.
oNCIDIUM
oNCIDIUM
Zygopentalum
A genus that includes a great many attractive species. Also known as the dancing-lady orchid, because the lip dominates the flowers of many oncidiums and, in a number of species, fancifully resembles a full, swirling skirt, with the other, smaller segments being the “dancer's” arms and head. The genus contains approximately 600 species and, as with most sizable aggregations, is divided into a number of taxonomic sections of closely related species. The individual flowers of many species are not large, but this is more than compensated for in most species by the great numbers of flowers produced on long, often branched inflorescences.
Zygopentalum
Zygopentalum
Zygopentalum
They are generally considered to grow best at intermediate temperatures but will withstand summer heat if shaded correctly and well-watered and can take some cool nights in winter if kept drier than usual. Wet and cold is usually fatal and the unsightly leaf spotting we sometimes see on the leaves of both hybrids and species in the genus can usually be traced to free moisture on the leaves at night when temperatures are lower than optimal.
Orchiata faq
Zygopentalum
Orchiata faq
Orchiata is the premier standalone orchid growing medium that can be used directly from the bag. Preferred by award winning growers worldwide, Orchiata offers a variety of benefits to the orchid grower:
Cattleya Care
Light
Cattleyas grow and flower best with strong, filtered or indirect sunlight. One of the most common cause for failure to flower is insufficient light. You can have a plant with gorgeous foliage but if it is not receiving adequate light it is probably being stressed and not performing at its optimum. The ideal foliage color should be medium olive green. New growth and flower spikes should develop straight and strong without the need for staking. If you notice your growths are weak and floppy, and the foliage a very dark green, the light is probably insufficient. If the foliage is more on the yellow side and quite hard, the plants may be receiving too much light. In the home, cattleyas prefer either an east or a lightly shaded south-facing window. West windows should be used with caution. Depending upon the location of the home, the west window may become very hot during the late spring through early fall.
Watering
Cattleyas should be watered about once or twice a week, depending on the temperature, time of year and location. During the summer, the plants may need to be watered every 3 days or as often as daily. The simple rule of thumb for watering should be as followed : The hotter the days, the more watering is needed, the colder the days are, the less watering is required. Try to water the plants early in the day (morning), so that the foliage can dry off during the day. Give the plants ample air circulation to help dry the leaves.
Temperature
Cattleyas adapt to a wide range of temperatures. Provide nighttime temperatures 55 to 60°F and daytime temperatures 70 to 90°F. If you increase shading, humidity and air circulation, plants can tolerate temperatures of up to 100°F. Most cattleya can tolerate low temperatures into the low 40's for short periods of time.
Humidity
A range from 40 – 60-percent relative humidity is recommended. While relative humidity is naturally inversely proportional to temperature, the reverse is needed by cattleyas. That is, the humidity should rise with the temperature to prevent the plant from being stressed by transpiration. In greenhouses, under-bench misting activated by a humidistat is a practical solution. An alternative is to spray the walks and benches with water. In the home, place plants on a grid over a water-and-gravel filled tray, or mist them daily.
Fertilizer
Any balanced orchid fertilizer (look at the numbers on the container, 20-20-20, etc.) can be used to fertilize your orchid. Feed weakly (¼ strength) weekly works well for catts. Once a month use clear water to flush any buildup of salts from the potting mix. Increase the fertilizer to ½ strength when the plants are in active growth.
Potting
Repot Cattleyas when the mix decomposes or the plant outgrows its container. This usually happens around two-year intervals. The mix in which Cattleyas are potted should be moderately coarse and freely draining to meet their preference for epiphytic-like conditions. The question of when to pot a particular plant can be one of the most frustrating for new and experienced growers alike. Do not repot a plant in bud. If such a task must be undertaken to save the plant, remove the buds. Repot when new roots are seen emerging from the base of the newest growth, or ideally just before they are expected. This may be in conjunction with growth initiation, after flowering, or both. Most Cattleyas are relatively tolerant of potting any time and should be grown in Medium Orchid Bark. The bark mix should be moderately coarse to allow for free drainage. There are various media substances, such as vermiculite, charcoal, and perlite that can be used with a varying degree of success in different environments. It takes some experimenting to find the ideal medium for your location.
Orchid volcano queen
Cymbidium Care
Light
This is the single most important factor to ensure robust growth and flowers. Inadequate light or sunshine is the most common reason for failure of flowering-size plants to bloom. Provide as much light as possible without burning the leaves. The foliage should have a green, jade-color appearance rather than deep green. Growth will be slower and uneven, and the constant temperature will inhibit inflorescence formation. In parts of the country where the weather in winter is extreme, grow the plants outside during spring and summer, and then move them indoors as late as possible at the first threat of frost. The spikes should be initiated by then and will progress fine under sufficient light, if kept cool.
Temperature and Humidity
Cymbidiums tolerate considerable temperature variation. Ideal day temperatures are 75 to 80 degrees F with night temperatures around 50 to 55 degrees F. Try to keep the heat from exceeding 90 degrees F, but if it does, increase the humidity or invest in a swamp cooler and enclose the collection. A certain amount of warm weather can be dealt with or tolerated during the growing season, but this will often cause developing inflorescences to be deformed or drop their buds. During this time, keep day temperatures under 80 F and nights no lower than 40 F but under 60o F. Cymbidiums will tolerate a few degrees of frost, but temperatures 27 F and below cause damage to the inflorescences. A moderate differential in day/night temperatures of 20 degrees is desirable for the production of quality inflorescences. This can be difficult in areas like South Florida and Hawaii, but there are many new warmth-tolerant hybrids available that grow and bloom in these climates. Adjust humidity to the season. Provide more than 50 percent during the growing season and less during the flowering season.
Air Movement
Breezy air movement reduces the occurrence of disease and invasion of insects. Hot drafts damage the buds. Where a space heater is operated at night, distance the buds from the hot air, and provide some humidity.
Watering
Water cymbidiums thoroughly to avoid the buildup of fertilizer salts. Cymbidiums are native to monsoon areas, so they require ample water during their summer growing season. This does not mean that during the cool flower season the plants go dormant. Pot size and coarseness of the mix dictate the frequency of watering. Water once a week, more frequently during warm weather, and less often in cool or wet weather. Over watering will cause roots to rot.
Fertilizing
The ideal fertilization program is dictated by the seasons. Provide a balanced formula (20-20-20) all year long, supplementing with nitrogen in summer, to speed growth. Plants in organic mixes, such as fir bark, require more frequent fertilizing during the growing season. Apply the fertilizer one-half strength every two weeks rather than once a month. Toward the end of the growing season (June), discontinue the nitrogen supplement to promote the initiation of inflorescences.
Potting
Huge plants may fill a 14-inch tub and weigh 50 pounds. A few basic rules simplify the process and transform the challenge into a task that is within the grasp of every grower. First, do not repot an entire collection at one time. Depending on how overgrown the plant is, the divisions may not bloom the following year. Second, repot them immediately after flowering ceases. This allows the plant sufficient time to develop new growths, form strong pseudobulbs and initiate flower spikes before the next bloom season. Mix formulas vary from grower to grower. California hobbyists rely on fir bark. One recipe: equal parts fine and medium grade bark with about 15 percent perlite. A porous mix is best as it is always easier to add water than it is to take it away from a sodden medium.
Oncidium Care
Temperature and Humidity
Oncidiums grow in many different habitats. They are found from hot, humid tropical lowlands to the cool and misty mountains to some places with almost desert-like climates for much of the year. While oncidiums are more accommodating in their temperature requirements than many orchids, the various species will do best if grown for most of the year in temperatures approximating those in their native habitats. The majority of species grow well in the intermediate temperatures (70 to 85 F days, 60 F nights) suitable for cattleyas. Most oncidiums do not need a seasonal change in temperature to initiate inflorescences. While there is some variation in humidity needs, for most species the optimum is 50- to 60-percent relative humidity.
Light
The majority of oncidiums thrive in the same light conditions as cattleyas. While the cool-growing species are best grown with somewhat less light in order to keep the plants cooler. The leaves should be a medium green to slightly yellow- or red-tinged, never dark, glossy green.
Air Movement
As for all orchids, movement of air is requisite. The air should be moist to prevent desiccation, and the flow should be gentle. While sizable fans are normally used in greenhouses, small muffin-type fans obtainable at electronics stores are useful for growing areas in the home. They are small, quiet and use little electricity. Good air circulation tends to result in rapid drying of potting media, something that is essential for healthy roots.
Watering
The watering schedule for oncidiums is similar to that for cattleyas, although some species require slightly more frequent watering in order to keep at least the most recent pseudobulb from shriveling. The sections of the genus Oncidium differ somewhat in their need for water. Some enter a substantial rest period of up to several months during which the plant is neither growing nor flowering. Others have a short rest period. A few have none at all because they initiate inflorescences immediately after completing vegetative growth and begin growth anew right after flowering. Those that rest should have somewhat less water during quiescence – but not so little that the psedobulbs shrivel severely. It is important to learn how often to water under your particular conditions so that only the older psedobulbs are slightly shriveled.
Fertilizing
The fertilizer requirements of oncidiums are similar to those for most other epiphytic orchids. 20-20-20 fertilizer diluted to one-quarter to one half of the recommended strength. However, this fertilizer contains neither calcium, magnesium nor sulfur, making it necessary to add these elements where water is soft. Fertilize three of every four waterings, then apply plain water the fourth time.
Potting
Oncidiums initiate new roots, often in large numbers, during active vegetative growth. This dictates that the proper time to repot is just after new growth begins but before tender developing root tips can be broken. Do not disturb a resting or flowering plant because it often will fail to re-establish itself. Most (but not all) oncidiums start new growths between March and May. However, treat each plant in accordance with its cycle. Oncidiums grow well in most standard epiphytic orchid potting media. However, it is essential that drainage be perfect. The roots are quite fine and die if the medium becomes soggy. It also must be fresh. Oncidiums grown in pots normally should be repotted every second year. A solution used by many to avoid the chore of frequent repotting and the attendant trauma to the plants is to mount rather than pot oncidiums. Tree-fern or cork plaques are the most commonly used, but sections of small limbs from rough-barked trees are particularly useful, and they are aesthetic as well. Each of these mounting media affords excellent drainage except for some tree fern that may be too dense. The only disadvantage is that mounted plants require more frequent watering than those in pots. Oncidiums root strongly on plaques or logs, and with the roots being exposed to air, the plants often do not require remounting for five years or more.
Zygopentalum Care
Temperature
Zygopetalum orchids will tolerate considerable summer heat as long as they have mild nighttime temperatures between 50-65 degrees F. Exposure to cold temperatures (down to 28 degrees F) for a few hours each night will not damage an acclimatized plant, but once the plant spikes or flowers, it should be protected from temperatures below 35 degrees F. Always keep these plants free from frost.
Light
Your Zygopetalum enjoys the morning and afternoon sun but should be protected from hot midday sunlight. A light green leaf with just a hint of yellow indicates that the plant is receiving the maximum amount of sun it can take; a dark green leaf indicates that it needs more sunlight.
Water
Watering of Zygopetalum is a delicate balancing act. They should not be allowed to go dry, yet they don't care for a soggy environment either. Zygopetalums are true epiphytes and quite intolerant of poorly drained or soggy potting mixes. Watering once every seven to ten days is about right. As with everything else, special consideration must be given for the drying effects of varying ambient air temperature and humidity.
Feeding
The genus is not fussy about feed ratios so any slow release or liquid feed is suitable. A liquid 20-20-20 formulation at half label recommendation year round has proven to work well. The organics can be a useful source of trace elements too, so feel comfortable in applying them as a topdressing every spring. Avoid feeding with high nitrogen levels as this can make the foliage brittle and stretched.
Repot
Repot every two to three years from February to June with a well-draining medium. Fine bark is suitable in mild summer climates, while a finer medium orchid mix works well in warmer summer areas.