National Garden Bureau celebrating orchids

Orchids are among the most versatile and varied of all flowering house plants, and to celebrate their spectacular beauty and grace, the National Garden Bureau has proclaimed 2023 as the Year of the Orchid. Each year, this organization awards one houseplant as its plant of the year. This year, the entire family of orchids takes the honor.

Orchids are prized flowering plants and come in such a wide variety of shapes, sizes, colors and forms, that it is virtually impossible to collect them all. There are orchids that will grow in just about every light condition, making them a great choice for any room in your home.

While in the past, some orchids have gotten a reputation as being difficult to grow and touchy, many of the modern hybrids — especially Phalaenopsis — are actually among the easiest house plants to grow and cultivate at home.

There are many varieties of orchids, such as many dendrobiums, that are highly fragrant, almost intoxicating. With scents like chocolate, sugary sweet or slightly spicy, the fragrance of orchids is a welcome addition to the home, especially during the winter season.

Orchids need far less care than many realize. In fact, some orchids can be virtually ignored for long periods, in many cases. Many of the traditional foliage plants we find in garden centers and greenhouses are actually more difficult to grow than many of our common orchids.

Most orchids are grown in a loose mix of charcoal, bark and moss. This is unlike most house plants that are grown in potting soil. Orchids normally will not grow in a potting soil mix. They must be grown in a special moss, bark and charcoal mix. This is one common mistake that people growing orchids make. They try to repot or transplant into potting soil.

Orchids are often sold in plastic liners that are mesh or covered with small holes. This allows air into the growth mixture and allows the aerial roots, which feed the plant, to grow outward. Since orchids are not growing in a solid soil mix, these roots capture moisture and nutrients from the air, feeding the plants. This is how orchids grow in the wild, in the crotches of tree branches and in moss beds.

When it comes to watering, a simple rule of thumb is to lift the liner from its decorative pot, and run under the faucet for a few moments and let the water drain out completely before returning it to the pot. Do this once a week. Many orchid growers prefer to use water that has been sitting out overnight, reaching a tepid, room temperature.

One fad or gimmick watering method that most orchid growers warn against is the ice cube method. In recent years, “ice cube orchids“ have been quite popular, encouraging growers to simply water by placing an ice cube on the plant once a week. This is not recommended, according to most orchid growers. Ice cubes can damage the plants and roots. These are tropical plants, after all.

Orchids may bloom for long periods of times, sometimes months on end. They are well worth their low cost and minimal care. Once a blooming has ended, allow the orchid to rest until the flowering stem turns completely dried and brown. At that point, the stem can be snipped off and the orchid can be repotted in fresh mixture and upsized into a larger pot, if necessary. The new pot should be only slightly larger than the current one. Planting an orchid in a pot that is too large will result in its simply rotting away. Orchids love to be extremely tight in their liners and containers.

Fertilizing of orchids can be done with every watering, or at certain times of the year. Follow the directions on the orchid fertilizer that you choose. There are liquid fertilizers, as well as dissolvable granules that can be mixed with water.

Celebrate the variety of orchids this year by purchasing and growing a selection at home.

Rob Zimmer is a nature and garden author, public speaker and radio show host on WHBY. Readers can find him on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RobZimmerOutdoors.