your fertilizing program to strengthen new growth.
June, July, and August
Temperatures are starting to heat up now. Some orchids, like a few of the summer blooming hybrid cattleyas, moth orchids, oncidiums, and slipper orchids, will be in flower. These months aren’t usually noted for a lot of orchid flowering, but they’re a time when the plants produce many roots and leaves to build up energy for future blooming so pay attention to them in the following ways:
Be sure your windowsill or greenhouse doesn’t get too hot. Consider moving the orchids you have in the south window to the east window, where they’ll have reduced light and heat.
For orchids growing under lights, make sure your growing area gets plenty of ventilation because it could be getting very warm now under the lights. If you have trouble keeping the temperatures low enough, consider summering your orchids outside in a shaded and protected spot. They’ll enjoy the vacation.
This is also a prime time for insect problems. If it gets hot and dry, be on the lookout for mites. If it’s wet, slugs and snails will be a plague. Aphids, mealybugs, and scale can show up anytime. If you need to spray, do it in the morning when it is cool and be sure the orchids are well watered before you spray. Check out Chapter 9 for more information to handle bugs.
The orchids should now be responding to your earlier repotting efforts with new root growth.
Repot miltonias. Remember: They like to be pot-bound, so don’t put them in too large of a pot. This is true for most orchids. If they’re overpotted (the pot being larger that desired), there’s a tendency for the potting material not to dry adequately between watering, which can result in rotted roots.
September
Cool evenings and shorter days are signs of the change of season. Many of the hybrid vandas will be at their blooming peak in September. The cooler nights are beneficial for initiating or setting flower buds for the fall-blooming cattleyas, oncidiums, dendrobiums, angraecums, and moth orchids and slipper orchids. Here are a few fall tasks:
If you’re in a cold climate, bring indoors any plants that have been summering outside. Before doing so, check them closely for pests. If spraying is called for, doing so is much easier and safer to do while the plants are outdoors.
Start cutting back on the frequency of watering deciduous orchids like catasetums (which will have yellowing foliage at this time of year).
Remove shade on the greenhouse in most parts of the Northern Hemisphere.
Move orchids that require a lot of light from the east window back to the southern exposure.
October
Some cattleya species and their relatives and hybrids will be in bloom now. So will some moth orchid species and hybrids and oncidiums. Do the following for your orchids, no matter if they’re in a greenhouse, under lights, or on the windowsill:
As days continue to shorten and the angle of light gets lower in the sky, position the orchids in your windowsill and greenhouse so that they capture the most light.
Be sure your glass or glazing surface is clean. This can make a real difference in light transmission.
Growth will start to slow on many orchids from lower temperatures and light, so reduce watering and fertilizing accordingly.
Get ready for winter. Insulate your greenhouse. Get a standby emergency propane heater.
November and December
Flowering spikes will be showing up on some moth orchids, slippers, and oncidiums. Some of the nobile-type dendrobiums will be starting to show buds. Low light, short days, and cold temperatures of these two months bring most orchid growth to a stop or at least a crawl. You’ll see more growth on plants grown under lights than in a greenhouse or on a windowsill because of the additional light that can be provided. Here are tasks to complete:
For the Northern Hemisphere and other cold parts of the world, November is the last month to safely purchase mail-order plants before it gets so cold that there will be a higher risk chance for freeze damage in transit. Visit orchid nurseries to pick out holiday presents for your orchid-growing friends (or yourself!).
Put orchids that require more light, like vandas, in a bright window, close to the lights, or high in the greenhouse to expose them to as much light as possible.
Water in the early part of the day to ensure that no standing moisture is on the leaves overnight. In cold, damp weather, especially, such moisture can cause disease outbreaks.
DOING YOUR PART TO SAVE ORCHIDS
Many orchids are endangered in their natural habitat. Overcollection and destruction of habitats have been the primary culprits. To save orchids, some international regulations prohibit the exportation or importation of orchids collected in the wild from their native countries. Various countries are also creating preserves to protect these unique plants.
So, what can you do to help? You can do the following:
Don’t ever collect wild orchids whether it be in your own county or on a vacation. If you do, you’re contributing to the problem and could be facing severe fines (even jail time!) when you try to bring the foreign-collected orchids into your country.
Only buy your orchids from reputable dealers who grow their plants from seed or by cloning. You’ll have much more success with these nursery-grown plants than those collected from the wild because they have established root systems and they’re adapted to growing in greenhouses, on windowsills, or under lights.
The practice of selling wild collected plants, at least from tropical and semitropical lands, is exceedingly rare today. For native orchids in North America and other temperate areas this can still be a problem.
Chapter 2
Choosing the Right Orchid for You
IN THIS CHAPTER
One
