At one time, many folks assumed, perhaps with some justification, that tending orchids was an occupation only for the quite affluent. These days, most people know that orchid cultivation is a pastime available to almost anyone. Yet one other big unfortunate myth still persists: that it is extremely difficult to care for orchids. But this is definitely not so.
The truth is, some of the most lovely orchid species are surprisingly relatively simple to grow. All it requires is a little foreknowledge, which may be learned easily from books, whether the printed kind or the digital kind that you can download from a web site. If you live in a mild or warm climate, you will be able to grow many varieties outdoors, in your yard or garden. Even if you live in a cold climate, you can still grow lovely orchids in a greenhouse or any regular room that you can dedicate to the purpose.
Why grow orchids rather than other types of plants? If you have spent any time in orchid cultivation, you wouldn't have to ask the question. Orchids can grip us, infecting us with a sort of fever that never goes away once we catch it!
Nevertheless, here are some possible answers to the question. One huge advantage of growing orchids as opposed to other flowering plants is their extreme showiness paired with the great length of time they will stay in bloom. Some orchids will remain in bloom for three or four months. A select few are even known to keep their blooms for as long as six months. Even with a small collection of different species of orchids, you can have blooms all year round since these plants vary in their season of blooming.
The subject of orchids and orchid cultivation is an extensive one. You should plunge deeply into the subject and learn as much as you can before purchasing your first plant. Nontheless, there are some basics you need to know at the very start. One of those basics is that orchids are divided into two great groups based on their growing habits.
One of the major orchid groupings is known as the epiphytals. These are orchids that grow on the trunks or branches of trees. They are the air dwelling orchids, because they seemingly live on nothing but air and sunlight, though this of course is not actually true. It was these mysterious species that first grabbed the imaginations of collectors and resulted in the first great orchid mania of a more than a century ago. They remain the ones that hold the most fascination for people.
Epiphytal orchids are not parasites, though. They draw only a little of their sustenance from the bark of the trees to which they cling, and this does not harm their hosts in the least. They also draw nutrients from water, moss and fungi, as well as leaves that often get caught on and around them, decomposing in the process. Orchid growers love the epiphytals because of the fun--and sometimes challenge--of recreating their growing environment in a greenhouse or garden.
The other major orchid group consists of the terrestrials. As you probably can guess, this type grows in soil like most plants with which we are familiar. Growing them means pottting them, as we do with most other of our familiar houseplants. Many of the most gorgeous varieites of orchids are to be found here.
Many orchid cultivators begin by focusing exclusively on one or the other of these two main groups. As you might guess, though, they end up growing at least a handful of species from both groups. It''s recommended to learn about both types of orchids if you are serious about joining the world of orchid growers.
Today, of course, we have a tremendous amount of solid information on the successful way to grow orchids. The most complete guidebook to 21st-century orchid growing, without a doubt, is Orchid Care Expert by Nigel Howard, which may be downloaded from the web. Mr. Howard's ebook is a complete education in itself, appropriate for neophytes as well as the more experienced. Also, visit the Orchid Secrets web site, which contains an ever-growing library of postings on many topics of orchid cultivation.
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