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For Cultivating The Brightest Orchids, Nature Doesn’t Always Know Best
Growing orchids is no longer an activity just for the privileged few. Now it’s something practically anyone can do and be good at. This has come about because, first, many people have studied the plants in their native habitats, and second, because they have closely studied the various orchid cultivars in greenhouses, gardens and even in the laboratory.
A crucial discovery was the finding that some of the most ornamental species need less heat and less elaborate growing equipment than previously thought necessary. The knowledge gained opened orchid cultivation to anyone willing to learn what there was to know about it.
In the 19th century, when the craze for orchids really exploded, many would-be growers were initially held back by one serious problem. Travelers were sending back home the most exotic plants they could find, but usually without detailed information as to their local growing conditions. Orchids vary greatly in their needs, such as for light, heat and water, and not knowing a particular plant’s unique requirements could and often did lead to disaster. “The want of some such information has been a source of extreme vexation to many lovers of these plants,” complained one orchid enthusiast writing in 1885.
Here in the 21s century we are much luckier as far as access to accurate information about the orchids and how to care for them. We can stand on the shoulders of other orchid devotees who painstakingly wrote down all they learned about each type and species of the plants that they encountered.
Yes, it is important to understand the habitat and climate from which an orchid comes. Take that with a grain of salt, however. It is not generally a good idea to try to strictly imitate the natural conditions in which a plant might be found. We can grow showier orchids than nature can by carefully changing its environment–with “carefully” being the key word. This is an art as well as science.
To again quote that writer in 1885: “We admit that we should by all means take nature as our guide for the production of good plants but it should be nature in her best garb only and then looking as we do upon cultivation as a help to nature the result can only be an improvement if success in the object aimed at has been attained.”
So what should a novice orchid grower do? How do you strike a balance between imitating nature and improving on it with the tools of modern horticulture? The answer is simply to get educated. You can successfully grow orchids if you know what you’re doing up-front.
One of the best and most thorough guides to modern orchid growing is Orchid Care Expert by Nigel Howard, which may be downloaded online. There are many books on the subject of orchids, but Mr. Howard’s guide is a complete course, and good for beginners and more experienced growers alike. Also, visit the Orchid Secrets web site, which has a growing database of articles on many aspects of orchids.
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