Orchid Society of Pakistan

About Orchids
This section provides information about orchids and articles on growing orchids.

Introduction to orchids
Growing Orchids in the Pakistan Environment
Overcoming the Pitfalls of the Beginner

Overcoming the pitfalls of the beginner
Considering the ruggedness of the commonly grown orchids and the conditions tolerated in nature - long periods of drought, torrential rains, tropical sun, and lamost nothing in the way of nourishment - one wonders why there should be any difficulty in growing them. Some of the difficulty may be psychological. The delicate and intricate appeamnce of the flowers and the awe that surrounds this family of plants leads the beginner to think that their growth must require meticulous skill. A little study of their peculiarities and attention to a few details are all that are needed to grow some of the showiest orchids. Below are some things worth bothering about.

Watering For Beginners
The most difficult aspect of orchid growing is watering. To understand this, one must appreciate the difficult transition for the epiphyte orchid from tree limb, where the roots are constantly exposed to air, to pot. The roots must have fresh air even if drying of the surrounding material is necessary to let it in. There is consequently a close relation between potting medium and watering technique. A change in the potting medium usually requires altered watering practice.

Beginners are inclined to make rather impulsive changes in the potting medium. A great variety of media have been successfully used. The British grew magnificent orchids for more than half a century in mostly peat and sphagnum moss. Media as different as lumps of fir bark, fern root, coconut husks, and gravel are used today, and each requires a different watering practice. It is best to stay with a selected potting medium until proper watering has been learned, and then make any change cautiously.

As the potting medium ages and breaks down: watering becomes a much more critical matter. Often the be9inner is found struggling with a gift orchid that needs repotting in fresh medium rather than skill in watering. With cattleya-type orchids and many others, lightcolored roots "crawling" on top or near the surface of the medium, and plump front bulbs indicate proper watering.

A corollary mistake of beginners, when they realize they are overwatering, is to cut down on the amount of water rather than the frequency of watering. Orchids need to be drenched periodically to leach out any accumulated salts, then allowed to dry out before being watered again.

Problems In Potting
It is a frequent mistake of beginners to change the nature of the potting medium without cleaning out the kind previously used. A particularly objec;tionable situation arises when a plant grown in osmunda is given a roomier pot in which fir bark is used to surround the old root hall. A fir bark watering practice will then surely rot the roots that are left in osmunda. The old osmunda should all be picked out before repotting in bark. "Potting on," or surrounding the old root ball with fresh potting medium, is an unacceptable practice if the old potting material is in good condition, and if the same kind is used. With fir bark, "potting on" is generally undesirable.

Failure to bloom
Failure to bloom in healthy looking orchid plants is most oftenthe result of too little light. There seems to be a misconception that orchids enjoy the gloom beneath dense vegetation. On the contrary, many cattleyas,laelias, dendrobiums, oncidiums, vandas, and epidendrums floWer most abundantly when they receive sunlight for at least part of the day. When grown in heavy shade, these plants have dark green leaves and do look better, but the leaves will blacken when exposed to high light, furthering the misconception that orchids resent strong light. It can be somewhatof a task to accustom a shade grown plant to the high light necessary for abundant bloom.

Let There Be Rest
It is often essential to rest orchids for good bloom or proper growth. Some commonly grown orchids do not need a real rest, although they have periods of less active growth when they should be watered less frequently. But a bonafide rest period is necessary for such orchids as dendrobiums, catasetums and cycnoches, and some oncidiums and odontoglossums.

Many denrobiums must have comparatively long rest period with very dry or cool conditions to initiate flower buds. Often the novice cannot bear to give his plants drastic drastic enough conditions to obtain good flowering.

Cycnoches grow very actively in summer and require heavy watering. They then flower and rest. The bulbs are inclined to rot unless they are carefully dried during the resting period. It is important to wait until the new growth has roots before watering normally.

Many orchids require a rest period of reduced watering to prepare them for renewed activity and to preserve their normal yearly cycle of growth. These come from areas where there is an extended dry seasOn and they usually flower before resting.

Staking Tall orchids can become quite disheveled if not properly groomed and supported. Dividing and repotting, particularly, are likely to yield top-heavy plants. For re-establishment, orchids must be held rigidly in the new growing medium. Staking is therefore essential, especially with such tall orchids as dendrobiums and cattleyas. I prefer the type of stake that grips the rim of the pot. It can be quickly made to fit a particular plant, is stable, and can be changed at any time without significant damage to the roots. A good wire bender and some #12 wire will solve most staking and support problems.

Foliage Damage
Wetting the foliage on soft leaved orchids can lead to alarming disfiguration and serious set-back in growth. The new growth on catasetums,cycnoches, Iycastes, anguloas, and calanthes is particularly prone to rot if Water is left between the leaves. This is especially difficult to deal with when these soft leaved orchids are under hanging plants or under a bench. Some help can be provided by dusting the growing cup of leaves with a fungicide. Where possible, however, the best solution is to isolate the plants and keep the new foliage dry.

Pruning
A fear of cutting up orchids seems common amongst beginners. It leads to unsightly plants, oversized post, and sometimes advancement of rot. Old bulbs and objectionable growths should be carved off at repotting time. It is best to dry the cut surface of the bulbs or apply a fungicide before potting. Conscientious growers always sterilize all cutting tools, usually by flaming, to prevent spread of virus.

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