One of the many great things about living in the Florida keys is that we are able to grow orchids year-round. I have both indoor and outdoor orchids in my home. I am fascinated by the outdoor orchids that I can just use the cloth from a pair of women’s nylons to tie them to a tree or the side of the house, water them for a couple weeks, remove the nylon and the orchid has adhered to the tree or house and will grow from there. They are really pretty simple plants to maintain once you understand a few of the basic needs. I had one grower tell me that the worst thing you can do to your orchids is love them too much. What she meant was water them, prune them and try to maintain them more than what is necessary. People may not think we have a winter season in the Florida Keys but if you ask anyone who lives here we will tell you it gets colder. Below are a few tips on how to care for your orchids as the cold weather comes.
Just like people, orchids needs change with the seasons. Water and fertilizer requirements change. Watch temperatures carefully and tailor your watering to the needs of the orchids, rather than to a rigid schedule which worked during the hotter summer months.
Watch the changing light conditions – Spring and fall are times when you need to pay particular attention to changing light conditions. As the sun moves, the light conditions on both your indoor and outdoor orchids are also changing. Make sure that low light orchids are not suddenly in a hot spot of sun. High light plants should be watched for too much shade. Mid-late fall is the time to remove shade covers and extra shading from windows.
Prepare to bring plants inside – If you’ve been lucky enough to be able to summer your orchids outside, start preparing them for the move back inside. Check for insects in the media by dunking in a pail of water to force the insects out and kill any that you find. Roaches love to live in orchid mix and will eat roots while they are there. Clean and cut back old growth so that when a sudden weather change comes you can easily move your plants inside.
Clean up your indoor growing area – Prepare your indoor area for your plants. Clean any areas and straighten up supplies. This is easier to do when you have fewer orchids in the space. Are you planning to add humidity trays or fans for this growing season? Go ahead and order the items and install them so that your plants will have the best conditions you can supply.
Check your orchid labels – As you are checking your plants, make sure that the labels are clear and readable. It normally only takes about three years for the labels to deteriorate — less time if they are of poor quality. Use heavy labels and an indelible marker to clearly identify your plants. Even if you have only a few plants it is important to know what they are so that you can give them the proper conditions to grow and bloom.Phals need a cooling period – Fall is the time to move your Phals to a cool spot, around 50-60 degrees Fahrenheit or 10-15 degrees centigrade at night, until you see inflorescences starting at the base of the plant. When the growths are about 2 inch or 5 centimetres long, the plants can be moved back to their normal growing conditions and the spike will continue to grow.
Another good tip my friend who is an orchid grower gave me was just experiment and don’t be afraid of one dies. Orchids are relatively inexpensive and an easy hobby to get into with a small amount of money invested and a little bit of your time.
Gary McAdams, PA
