Orchid is a dishy flower. It retains several days with full of beauty. Orchid plant categorized in the taxonomy under Orchidaceae family. There are 25000-30000 orchid species around the world. There are 40000 hybrid species also. Among those we can recognize about 19000 species with an economical value.
In Sri Lanka Dendrobium, Vanda, Oncidium, Cattleya, Phalaenopsis and Cymbidium genera are popular. Orchid bloom as sprigs. Orchids bloom in sprigs. If we have the knowledge, Orchid is easy to grow and get flower sprigs. Potting the plant is very important.
There are few types of pots we can use to plant an orchid. Those are pored clay pots, plastic pots, cement pots, wooden pots, fern parts and cement coated rigifoam pieces. The media should be created using 1:1:1 clay tile pieces, metal (small pieces of stone) and pieces of charcoal. Spread clay tile pieces on the bottom of the pot and fill 1/3 of the pot with the above mixture. When planting sympodial orchids should be planted at the edge of the pot with directing to the middle.
Monopodial orchids should be planted in the center of the pot. It is important that fixing a supporter to the plant. Newly plant orchids should be kept on 50% - 60% light. Water should supply twice a day in the first few days and after that only once is enough. When old about two weeks plant can be kept in normal light. Do not over or less watering the plant. To get blossoms you have to fertilize correctly.
You must water the plant before applying fertilizer. Fertilizers should be applied in the morning hours with good sunlight. We normally use water dissolving fertilizers for orchids. After four hours you should rinse the fertilizer out. Use high Nitrogen (N:P:K 30:10:10 or 20:10:10) fertilizer for small plants. In the state of fast growing high Phosphorus (N:P:K 13:27:27 or 7:9:19) fertilizer should be used. Use a balance fertilizer in the ideal growing status (N:P:K 20:20:20 or 18:18:18). Once a day watering is enough to a well grown orchid plant. But do not forget to increase it to twice a day in dry seasons.
Water plants in the morning and extra watering should be before afternoon.
