Oh, those beautiful orchids

STEVE KAWARATANI

“Flowers ... are a proud assertion that a ray of beauty outvalues all

the utilities of the world.”

-- Ralph Waldo Emerson

“You can’t just ... think it’s going to get on by itself. You’ve

got to keep watering it. You’ve got to really look after it and

nurture it.

-- John Lennon

Of all the flowers that I count as friends, I must admit that

orchids are the fairest of them all. It is a large family of perhaps

500 genera and over 15,000 species -- many more remain undiscovered.

They are found nearly everywhere we might travel, however, they are

the showiest and occur in the greatest numbers in tropical and

subtropical forests of Asia and South and Central America. Major

cultivated groups of orchids include phalaenopsis, cymbidium,

cattleya, odontoglossom (including miltonia and oncidium), and

dendrobium.

Although these orchids have dissimilar origins, they have

surprisingly similar culture. All but the cymbidium may be grown as

houseplants. However, unless you have a greenhouse, orchids grown in

Laguna would probably prefer being in a protected patio during late

spring through summer. Our mild temperatures and moderate humidity

are ideal for their culture.

Select a location where the light can be controlled. A sunny

southwest window with drapes is ideal. Leaf color is the best

indication of an orchid’s health. Dark, verdant leaves are a sign

that they are not receiving enough light. Conversely, leaves that are

yellowish green or red are in too much light.

Temperature is an important consideration, particularly during the

summer and winter. Most orchids would prefer daytime highs of 75 to

85 degrees, with lows of 60 to 65 degrees during the evening. As a

group, orchids are quite tough cattleyas will tolerate heat to 95

degrees, while cymbidiums will survive temperatures down to a frosty

32 degrees.

Orchids grown solely indoors will benefit from cultural practices

to increase surrounding humidity to 50 to 70% (the average home in

Laguna is in the 30 to 40% range). One effective technique is placing

the orchid atop a tray filled with pebbles to raise humidity. Another

is growing your orchids in sunny bathroom or kitchen locales where

abundant use of water creates a more humid environment.

I recommend the use of plastic pots. They seem to accumulate less

salt, which manifests itself by brown tips on leaves. It also allows

a more predictable watering schedule for plants, as the planting

medium will dry out at the same rate. Orchids planted in 6-inch pots

should be watered about once a week, those in 4-inch pots about every

4-5 days. Keep the medium evenly moist, never soggy or dry.

Orchid bark is the planting medium of choice for orchids.

Generally, one-eighth- to one-quarter-inch bark is best up to 6-inch

pots, while one-quarter- to one-half-inch bark is used for larger

pots. Replanting generally occurs in a cycle of two years.

Transplanting is warranted when the planting medium has broken down,

a plant has outgrown its pot, or the orchid is deteriorating in

health or flowering performance.

Orchids are heavy feeders specialized orchid food should be

applied every two weeks. Many orchid experts recommend a 30-10-10

fertilizer during the active growing season of February to October,

with a 6-30-30 fertilizer applied during the blooming period.

Although there are exceptions, the general rule is, “If you don’t

fertilize, you won’t be rewarded with flowers!”

There are a few tips to help avoid problems with diseases and

pests. Plan on watering early in the day to prevent sunscald and

bacterial or fungal spots on leaves and botrytis on flowers. Select a

location with good air circulation. Regular inspection and

application of mild pesticides will keep pests like scale, mealybug,

snails, slugs and aphids under control.

All men have secret longings, and among the purer kind has been my

pursuit of beauty. Because of my great appetite, I have always

desired beautiful flowers. My wistful desires might have transformed

our home into a greenhouse full of orchids, unsuitable for human

habituation, were it not for the beauty I find in Catharine. See you

next time.

* STEVE KAWARATANI is happily married to local writer, Catharine

Cooper, and has two cats. He can be reached at 949.497.2438, or

E-mail to plantman2@mac.com