Julio Garden

Image via Wikipedia

As an orchid grower, you’re only as good as your orchid supplies. Once you’ve made the decision to grow your first orchid, you’re most likely going to be pretty eager to jump in and get started.

But don’t forget, it pays to be patient and make certain that you’re appropriately outfitted for victory first. By familiarizing yourself with all the essential orchid supplies on this list, you’ll be ready for everything that you will encounter during your adventure as an orchid grower.

#1: Orchid Pots – As a rule, orchid growers enjoy basic pots of plastic or terra cotta that let the natural good looks of the plant speak for itself. But they’ve got an added benefit: they also do not cost a lot. This is important to keep in mind because your plants will usually need to be repotted once a year.

#2: Fertilizer – A lot of people have the incorrect perception that you shouldn’t fertilize these plants. This couldn’t be any further from the truth. While certain soil blends can be too dense for an orchid to flourish in, a growing plant must have the types of nutrients that can be found in fertilizers. Look for concentrations of nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium that are compatible to your plant’s specific needs.

#3: Potting Mixes – These plants must have air circulation around their roots, so make sure to pick a potting mix that supplies ample aeration. This is a very important orchid supply, so select something that contains either perlite or vermiculite to get the job done.

#4: Misting Bottle – Although you’ll only be watering your orchids once a week or so, you should keep a misting bottle on hand to occasionally spray down the leaves of your plants. (This is especially true for the kind that needs high humidity.)

#5: Lights – Even though “regular” sunlight is far and away the best kind of light for these plants to flourish in, many growers supply the sun with their personal set-up of growing lights. When you are choosing your orchid supplies, you may very well take pleasure in the degree of control this allows you to have over your plant’s exposure to light sources.

#6: Pest Control Supplies – One thing you should keep among your orchid supplies is an abundant amount of pest control products. these plants are known to occasionally become infected with insects such as spiders, mites, slugs, snails, and even scale bugs that merge into the surface of the leaves. An all-natural insecticide is a good choice, but so are chemical treatments such as malathion.

#7: Pruning Snips – As your plant nears the blossoming stage and beyond, you must have a pair of precise pruning snips to exercise total control of its appearance. With these, you can trim back straying leaves and shape your plant to the utmost perfection. Every serious orchid lover has this in their tool chest of orchid supplies!

#8: Orchid Mounts – Many of these plants are so delicate, they require support to stand up straight. Often, you’ll notice people with sticks sticking out from their flower pots, with a thin piece of string tied around the stick and the main stem of their plant. This is a less than ideal situation. If your plant needs vertical support, use the proper orchid mount that doesn’t risk damaging the leaves, stems, and flowers you worked so hard to cultivate.

#9: Humidity Trays – When germinating your orchids, or getting them through vegetative growth towards the flowering period, humidity trays can be one of your best friends. These wide flat trays are great for taking care of small amounts of orchid plants that need a humid environment in which to flourish.

Remember, you don’t need to spend a lot of money and have a vast, well-equipped garden to grow beautiful orchids. You simply need to pay attention to your plant’s individual requirements, and make sure to have these few essential orchid supplies with which to take care of them.

Related articles

• Orchid Plants – Quick and Easy Jump Start to Orchid Culture (realestatenoevalley.com)
• How To Grow Healthy, Gorgeous Orchids (juliogarden.com)
• Growing Orchids – How to Grow Orchids (juliogarden.com)
• Orchid Care – The 7 Biggest Orchid Care Mistakes (bearathome.com)
• Orchid Types – 10 Orchids That Growers Love (juliogarden.com)
• Orchid Care – Caring For Orchids Before and After Blooming (juliogarden.com)
• Orchid Potting – How To Repot An Orchid In 7 Easy Steps (realestatenoevalley.com)
• Growing Orchids – The Top 5 Things You Must Know About Orchid Growing (juliogarden.com)
• Growing Orchids for Beginners – Growing Orchid Quickstart for Beginners (realestatenoevalley.com)

Related posts:

1. Orchid Supplies – 9 Must-Have Orchid Growing Supplies
2. 5 Things You Must Know About Orchid Growing
3. Orchid Care Tips For Outdoor Growing
4. Orchid Growers – 3 Important Questions To Ask Before Buying Orchids From Any Orchid Grower
5. Phalaenopsis Orchids – 6 Reasons Why the Moth Orchid Is Everyone’s Favorite Orchid