How To Select Orchids ???

[Sharyn]

As a beginner, I’ve made a number of mistakes and would like some guidelines in selecting the right kind of orchids that will grow well in my home conditions. I’ve so far limited my orchids to Phals., Dens. & Catts. I’ve been confused in whether to select hybrids or species types and have had good and bad luck with both. Even within my easy growers, I have a couple finicky ones.

I live in a condo near Chicago. Growing space is at a premium. Two exposures available: A west window and a southern exposure (8' sliding glass door) with an overhang. Sun during the winter, however, soon there will be little or none, just bright light. Outdoor patio: Outer half is sun (and wind) all day - inner half closest to building is mostly shade.

I need help in selecting orchids that will do well here. Winters are cold and dry - difficult to keep temperatures level and humidity up. Summers can be anywhere from 60's - 90's. Housing plants outdoors is only possible for 3-4months. Please suggest some easy hybrids or cultivars that will like it here and build my confidence. Any and all advice will be greatly appreciated.

[pikevi]

Hi Sharyn,

Just wanted to say Hi!

I am no expert but our winter is as bad as or worse than yours, I 'd think: minus the wind, of course!

For the past 2 weeks the temperature outside hovered around -30C ( I think that'd be -20F) but the orchid room temperature stayed around 25C (just under 80F) because of an oscillating heater I have installed there,along with the central heating to the house (22C or 72F). To my untrained eyes the plants don't appear to have any problems in thriving well. Frankly I am very pleased with the growth shown by seemingly stressed out plants which I salvaged from "Rona" building centre. I removed all the browned leaves and pseudobulbs and potted them in a mix of coconut husk,barks and sphagnum moss with a trace of peat moss.

I think if the temperature, humidity and lighting are controlled within the guidelines they may do well.

I attach two pix of one of the 3 oncidium(?)/cattleya(?) , - no id tags - I got from the building centre, withered ,dried and out of the pots ,all of which I re-potted right after purchasing them on the 23rd of last month. I am elated that not only they seem healthy but I see new growth as well.. within a month.

I will appreciate if someone can at least tell me which genus it belongs to ( I am ashamed of my ignorance)

I am so happy and please forgive me if I appear to be too enthusiastic and boastful!!!

[kmarch]

Sharyn,

May i ask a few more questions about your conditions?

1) What rooms of your home are these windows in? Kitchen? Living room? (I'm asking this to gauge humidity)
2) Are there heating ducts or any forced air heating or cooling near these windows? (I'm asking this to gauge humidity and heat fluctuations)
3) Do you have any sheer curtains or blinds on these windows? (I'm asking this to gauge light intensity)

Cheers,

-Kevin

[Sharyn]

The west window is in the kitchen, over the sink. Horizontal blind on the window. Floor heat vent opposite wall. Ceiling fan.

South exposure is in living/dining room. Vertical blinds. Floor heat vents on each side of patio window. Ceiling fan in dining room. Sliding door has 4' wide screen.

[jerrymeola]

I need to do a posting for window growing, but it has to be for each family to be really useful.

So this is a very short list of a lot of choices.

Phals grow anywhere in a home, are easy to grow, but need a cooling period to flower. So for about a month you need to move it to a cool location in your home or outside the first temperate month in the spring. Even house temperatures can prevent them from flowering. They want low light so will grow without requiring window sills.

Dendrobium can grow well in a home, but with limited space, I feel they grow too tall. Den-Phals types, which you see mostly, are tall and many grow to over three feet. You have to really want one if you have limited space.

Cattleya can be big or small. So chose the miniature or semi-miniature types. Miniatures to me mean plants that stay under 6 inches in leaf height and semi miniature go to 8-10 inches. There are many to chose from in this range and there is no need to grow larger plants with only limited space.

Lc Loveknot is in the miniature class and good for a window sill



Hknsa Sogo Doll is one of the easiest to grow in the semi miniature class. It can flower twice a year and flowers very young.



Blc Little stars x Maikai grows almost as easily as a weed.



I need a lot of work to make a more extensive list of suggestions.

When you are ready to expand your collection then Paphiopedilums (Lady Slippers) are good for a home. They require almost no light so they do well on a bedroom dresser. They can be grown in a vase of water like here, and I have one on my desk growing hydroponically in a vase that may be even easier to keep. Test results are not completed.

[Maddy]

That paph is beautiful. It looks a lot like one of my two.

[Sharyn]

Terrific Jerry! Thank you for the wonderful suggestions.

[amaliaforce]

I second that, Jerry. I, too, have been looking for plants outside of phals which I can grow easily in my home. CT weather isn't exactly ideal for most of them.

Thank you!

[Aniko]

Pikevi
unfortunately you posted your question in a wrong place, so it could happened that nobody answered. If you don't mind, I do . On attachment I can see a nice Oncidium.
Aniko.

[pikevi]

Hi Aniko,

Thank you. I thought it might be an oncidium too. but some cattleya photos looked the same.

BTW, where should I have posted it? In a new thread?

I have a few more unknowns which I'd love to post here so someone can identify them for me.. a generic level ID should be fine to start with.

[mayres]

Pikevi - any time you want to start a new topic go to the bottom right of the page where it says forum jump and select "orchid care". This should take you to this place http://www.orchidgeeks.com/forum/orchid-care/
Then you can pick the sub-forum that applies to your new thread topic - such as newbie questions, orchid care culitivation, pests and diseases, etc. After you select the sub-forum then select "new topic". Give your thread a title to draw interest and highlight the reason for your statements/query and go for it! Hope this helps. mike

[pikevi]

Thank You mayres,

I missed it after so many visits here.

I appreciate the help.

[Aniko]

Hi Pikevi, a new thread is the best way. In short time you'll be able to distinguish the main types, just go on. Most of us are beginners, don't be shy.

[Sharyn]

I found this interesting article for selecting orchids and growing on windowsills. http://www.ottawaorchidsociety.com/o...windowsill.htm

[Maddy]

Originally Posted by Sharyn

I found this interesting article for selecting orchids and growing on windowsills. http://www.ottawaorchidsociety.com/o...windowsill.htm

Very informative...

One way to remedy a sill being too narrow is to install a pretty shelf directly underneath it. I did that for a west window that gets good light but unfortunately has a very narrow sill.

The tops of the innermost window are reasonably wide as well, so with the addition of a curtainrod for a brace, I'm able to keep a row of pots on the top sill. Of course, when warm weather comes, they'll have to come down, but with the windows open I'll have more room for pots on the lower sill.

[Sharyn]

Maddy: We orchid nuts are so inventive!

[kmarch]

Dear Sharyn,

Thanks for the additional info.

LIGHT: West windows are typically medium-light areas, while south-facing windows are high-light.

HUMIDITY: Kitchens and bathrooms are usually the more humid rooms in the average house. Baths, cooking, showers, and sometimes laundry all increase humidity in the room and orchids usually like a bit of humidity. Living rooms tend to be drier. I'd try to keep the orchids away from the heat ducts as hot dry forced air heating blowing on your orchids isn't ideal.

TEMPERATURE: House temps typically fall in the “intermediate” range. Because many weather patterns move across the Chicago area from west to east, a west window is likely to be cooler, especially in winter, and have more of a breeze. Southern windows, because of the intensity of the sun, tend to be warmer, especially in summer.

Recommendations for your West window in the kitchen:
1) Paphs, especially the mottled-leaf varieties,
2) Masdevallias (esp the warmer growing hybrids available form some Hawai'ian growers). Masd. like fresh air and constant, gentle moisture with a bit of humidity so misting and/or humidity trays will benefit).
3) Mini-cats (I have a Lelia dayana which grows and blooms regularly in a window where it gets no direct sunlight) and Brassavola nodosa blooms fine for me in medium light (wonderfully fragrant at night too).
4) Also you might consider a few miniature novelties like Haraella retrocalla (very cute and easy to grow, fragrant too) or Leptotes bicolour. Many Phals will do well in your west window and some varieties of Coelogyne (Coel. fimbrata for example) too.

I have recommended smaller plants for the kitchen window since in most kitchens I know, space is at a premium and smaller plants are appreciated.

Recommendations for your South window in the livingroom:
1) Most any Cattleya alliance type orchid including Encyclia and Epidendrum will do well here. Cats. like higher light but will appreciate the vertical blinds during the most light-intense part of the day.
2) Phragmipediums are another variety of slipper orchid that prefer a little higher light. I have bloomed Phrags in medium light but seem to get better results in higher light. Phrags like water and you can grow them sitting in trays of water. this sill help raise the humidity in the south window too.
3) You could also try Oncidium alliance plants in the south window but I can’t say much about them since I have never had much luck with them.
4) if you like nice white flowers, Angraecum would be nice for the south window too.

You might want to invest in some humidity trays for your south window orchids as south windows can get dry in the summer. I’ve recommended some larger orchids here since it wounds like you might have the space for them.

Let me know if you have questions, and input from other growers is always welcome!

Cheers,

-Kevin

[Sharyn]

Kevin: Thank you so much for your time & trouble. Between you & Jerry, I feel that I have my own personal advisors! You've given me some great advice and ideas. I'm thrilled to find out that I have conditions that will allow me to try out some different types of orchids. It's also nice that you included the names of such.

I appreciate all your time and effort. This information is very helpful to me, and I'm sure to others growing indoors.

[kmarch]

Dear Sharyn,

I'm sure I speak for Jerry too when I say it is always a pleasure to share orchid info and the joy of growing them!

Keep us posted on your progress!

Cheers,

-Kevin