Orchids are slow groiwng pernnial herbs and their cultivation is simple as compared to other plants since their requirements are minimum for optimum growth. It is generally believed out of experience that orchids are destroyed due to over care rather than by neglect. However cultivation of all types of orchids calls for proper care and conditions for good growth and regular yield of flowers.
Climate: Most of the Orchids grow well in tropical and subtropical climate. The warm humid climate of th ecoastal area is idial for orchid cultivation.
Temperature: The ideal temperature for optimum growth is between 15.5 degrees C to 26.5 degrees C. However they can be grown at a maximum temperature of 35 degrees C and a minimum of 12 degrees C. Highter temperature than 35 degrees C can cause leaf burning.
Watering: Every morning in a fine spray to well soaked condition. In summer water everyday or once in two days. During cloudy winter months, watering may be done once or twice a week. If the potting medium is dry then watering has to be done.
Ventilation: Adequate free circulation of fresh air.
Propagation: Orchids can be propagated by seeds, division of clumps, cuttings and be tissue culture.
Culture: Various containers and potting media can be used depending on the size and growth habit of different orchids. Orchids can be grown in ptos, pans or hanging baskets. The growing media for orchid plants are entirely different from other plants. Growing medium should be porous and well aerated for the roots to freely grow and respire easily.
Fertilizer: Regular manuring has been found to improve growth and flowering. N.P.K fertilizer ration 17:17:17 or 19:19:19 supplemented with trace elements can be given.
Repotting:Repotting is done when the growing medium has deteriorated and needs replacing, when the plants have outgrown the present pot and needs a bigger pot. Plants can be divided with a minimum of 3 – 4 shoots and a sprouted bud in the case of sympodials. Repotting of orchids is to be done only when it is necessary and it is best done after flowering.
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Hi Shantha – Awesome site and nice contents! I am also into orchids (in Bangalore) and would like to take some tips from you on growing. Can you contact me @ muralidhar.gopalakrishnan@gmail.com?
Best,
Murali.
Hi ! Shantha i am interested in orchid cultivation, will u please help me . I have only a little knowledge about it.
Dear Madam,
I have two acres of land on the foot hills of western Ghats in tamil nadu.It has around 200 coconut ,water well and a moderate climate ,kindly send me the details so that we can cultivate orchids ,since it is near trivandrum market is nearby,
Hi Murali, Tikendrajit and Ram Viswam,
Orchids are hardy plants and grow well in humid weather conditions. I grow orchids as a hobby and will keep writing my experiences with orchids, but I do not have experience nor knowledge to guide you for large scale production.
Regards,
Shantha
Hi Shantha,
I am interested in growing Orchids in my garden and i was wondering if you could help me either personally or atleast give me some details of persons who give classes on Orchid growth. I feel hesitant to start growing these beauties for the fear that i might kill them. So i feel if i get some professional help or help from experienced people like yourself, i will feel more confident about growing them. Waiting to hear back from you.
Thanks
Nandini.
Hi Nandini,
Growing hybrid Orchids is easy as they need very less care. But, the right potting material, sunlight and fertilizer is important.
Just before you buy orchids, visit nurseries and observe how the orchids are planted and where they are placed in the nursery. Ask the gardeners about caring for orchids.
After few visits to the nursery buy only one plant and after a month buy more.
Good Luck!
Shantha
i need a infomation about it i am intrested in growing it in a large scale about market and how to grow
Hi Parikshith,
I am interested in Orchids as a hobby so please contact nurseries, they will be able to guide you to a certain extent.
Regards,
Shantha
Hi Shantha,
I have bought orchid saplings from sikkim. They were in a closed giass jar and were growing very slowly without any watering. In july i took those plants out and planted them in small pots. All of them are still surviving but the growth is very very slow . some times i feel that they are not growing at all. Can you guide me about the type of soil and fertilizers required for orchids? I have a very small terrace garden and i grow plants as a hobby.
regards
Abhilasha
Hi Abhilasha, It is great to hear about your enthusiasm to grow orchids. Orchids are hardy plants and are easy to maintain but, they are also slow growing plants. Always try and buy a plant with buds. This shows that the plant is mature and healthy.
Mist the plants early in the morning and after sunset. 15 days once, add a fertilizer diluted in water.
Hope this helps,
Shantha
hi,
was looking for info on growing orchids. my sister wants to start on it. got one from ambara. don’t know what to do/expect. any tips for bigginers?
plan to print out this and read it up. sounds down to earth. ll wait to hear from you. ty.
Hi Padmakshi,
It is good to hear your intension of growing orchids. Growing orchids depends on where you live too. Very hot or cold climate is not suitable for orchids. A fair amount of humidity is needed for the orchid plants to flourish and bloom. There is lot of information in this website and there is more to come. Keep visiting and all the best.
Regards,
Shantha
Dear Eco-Frd’s,
Kindly mark your presence in the unique seminar on “ORCHID”-popularly known as God’s own flowers.
Presentation by Dr. N.T Geraldino ;who is an eminent pathologist and expert on Orchids from the Republic of Philippines and Dr.Sadananda Hegde,President of The Orchid Society of Karnataka(TOSKAR)
on 11th Dec 2010,Saturday at 4pm.
Venue:Tejasawini Hall, 3rd Floor,
KSPCB, Parisara Bhavan,
Church Street Road, Bangalore.
“Welcome to the world of Orchids”
Organised by:
National Referral Centre For Lead Poisoning In India (NRCLPI)
Hi Vinay,
Thank you the information.
Regards,
Shantha
Hai Shantha ,
Did U attend the conference..Though I organised everything..I did’t attend as on the same day by 3pm I left to Mumbai for ACBICON 2010 conference.
If U and Ur team are more interested U can join the team of orchid ie’s TOSKAR-The Orchid Society of Karnataka and every third Saturday they conduct seminar’s and many technical hands on course related to Orchids-the amazing flower of the world..
Take Care ,
Regards,
Vinay.C
Hi Vinay,
I would have loved to attend the seminar, but I could’nt, as I had a prior engagement 🙁
I will definitely join TOSKAR, which will give me a great opportunity to know more about these incredible flowers.
Thanks and Regards,
Shantha
Dear Eco-Frd’s,
National Referral Centre for Lead Poisoning in India(NRCLPI)
&
Sri Kalabhyraveshwara Ayurvedic Medical College
Cordially invites for a seminar on
” Promoting Ayurveda through Collaboration”
by
Dr.Robert B. Saper,
Director of Integrative Medicine and Associate Professor
Boston University School of Medicine,Boston.
on
27th Monday,December 2010 from 4.30 pm – 5.30pm
Venue:
Sri Kalabhyraveshwara Ayurvedic Medical College,
10, Pipe line Road, RPC Layout,
Vijayanagara II Stage, Bangalore.
Regards,
Vinay Kumar.C
Thanks for the information Vinay.
Regards,
Shantha
Would appreciate if some one could advise a good place to buy orchid plants for office.
Regards
Rajeev
OUT OF MY LOVE ON ORCHIDS, I AM GROWING ORCHID-AS A NOVICE. YOUR TIPS ARE MOST USEFUL . KEEP WRITING
TKS Shantha
BASKARAN-COIMBATORE
Thank you Bhaskaran.
Hi Shantha,
I and my sister want to grow Orchids and Anthurium as a source for our income. We both are housewives and have enough space around our house surroundings.We have around 25 orchid plants and 25 anthuriums . I just want to know from where we will get orchid and anthuriums at cheap rate so that we can start our earnings at home.
Hi Nirmala, Coorg is the best place to shop for Anthuriums and Orchids are expensive everywhere.
All the best for your new venture.
Regards,
Shantha
Hi Shantha, Its nice to see you writing on orchids and I too have seen this dendrobium in coorg and wayanad but was not sure of the name. I have been passionate about orchids and would like to be a member in the professional network. Currently I grow dendros, phaelenopsis a few cattleyas..Currently residing in Navi Mumbai..
Wow Murali, you are growing some amazing orchids. I am always tempted to buy orchid plants and increase my collection, but I stop myself as we have moved to an apartment and one balcony dedicated to plants is very crowded 🙁
All the best,
Shantha
Hi Shantha,
I am very interested in cultivating orchids….i just have some idea about it…would u please help me out…thank you….waiting for ur reply.
Hi Arun,
It is great to know that you are interested in cultivating orchids. Sure I will help with the little knowledge I have about orchid cultivation as a hobby 🙂
Regards,
Shantha
Hi,
Basically i am grower of standard carnations at ooty and trader too, right now we required huge quantity of orchids, i coming to know we can get orchids at pondy also, but i don’t know the exact contact details, any one help me out in this regards.
My contact details: Balaji.Mani,
BBB Flora, Bangalore
9620570317
Fresh (Use it within a day) Cow Dung can be mixed with very very little quantity of some pesticide (to drive away insects and termites ) and apply it as a small ball, close to the base of the plant. Replace it once a month or when it turns black, fully.
Multi Vitamin Tablets (even date expired) applied to the pot (a tablet/month) will give you regular flowers.
Above all, sunlight is a necessity for orchids.
In warm places, water the plants in the evenings.
Of course, 19:19:19, will keep your plant healthy and help blooming..
Excellent tips. Thank you so much Isaac.
Regards,
Shantha
I am an orchid lover and have about 50-60 types of orchids in my back yard green house. All of them are from thailand. Anybody from Hyderabad interested to share views and exchange plants can contact me. Also I have a collection of roses.
Hi Siva Kumar,
Wonderful hobby. Please leave your contact details here for people to contact you.
Regards,
Shantha
Hi,
I live in Hyderabd. I have a small place to grow plants but have a good flowering plants and maintaining nicely. I wish to add Orchid in my small garden. Can I grow Orchind in Hyderbad will it be successful . Does the Hyderabad climate suits for Orchids. Please guide me.
Hi Usha,
Orchids thrive in humid weather. I am not familiar with Hyderabad weather, so I cannot give a satisfying answer to you.
Regards,
Shantha
i want to cultivate orchid commercially.this is my dream.i am a student of Agriculture faculty of BAU.at first,what should i do?
Hi Retu,
There are few hybrid varieties that you can grow commercially. Please contact Indo American Hybrid centers for advise.
All the best,
Shantha
my daughter has presented me an orchid plant brought from singapore,pot looks small as it has big roots and a flower twig .should i wait till the flower goes out for re-pot ? iwant to know every bit about the materials i must put while transferring the plant to new pot,because i lost one plant due to this reason.; i donot want to loose this again
Hi Mrs. Shyamala,
Please do not disturb the plant for another year. You can repot after that.
Regards,
Shantha
hi Shantha
I happened to see your support on orchid farming..please suggest me some tips where we can grow orchids in green house..and do you know any one doing in Trichur part of kerala
krishna sudha
Hi Krishna,
I have never grown Orchids for commercial purpose. I just grow them as a hobby.
Please do consult the nearest nursery for more information. You can also visit the following blog: http://www.presam77.blogspot.in and ask your question there.
Regards,
Shantha
For those who orchids lovers looking for orchids only nurseries or Importers and growers.
Orchid Sources in Bangalore & Kerala:
Orchid Tree Bangalore
E: info@orchid-tree.com
W: http://www.fb.com/orchidtreebangalore
M: 9880696417
Nisha Orchids
Kerala
E: info@nishaorchids.com
W: http://www.fb.com/nishaorchids or W:www.nishaorchids.com
M: 9947234685 or 07829564767
Thanks for the information Rejin. This will help all those who are interested in Orchid growing.
Hi ,
I am from trivandrum , what are the verrities of orchids grow in trivandrum , where i can buy the seedlings / ptting platns ? or i can import throght somebody haveing import licenec .. after deflsking how to hardern the plannt and how long they need to flower .. just to start as a hobby
Hi Hemachandran,
Not sure where you get Orchids in Trivandram. Please contact the nearest nursery for more details.
All the best in growing orchids,
Shantha
Hello Shantha,
I have a phalaenopsis that seems to be propagating itself, and has a new plant coming out of the top of one of the flower spikes. I have never seen this before. Would you be able to tell me how to transplant it to where I don’t hurt either plant?
Thank you
Hi Terry,
Yes, I have observed this in my phal plant too…I was surprised and also on the flower spike you will see more spikes bursting out with buds. I have left it as is for now.
Allow the new plant to grow for sometime and then you can pluck with the roots and plant in another pot.
Do let me know the progress.
Thanks for reaching out,
Shantha
Hi,
Its a nice collection of yours. I am going to start this hobby starting from a single plant. But it seems I am yet to locate a orchid plant dealer in Bangalore. Can anybody help me with that please?
Hi Avik,
Glad to know that you want to start growing Orchids. Please visit Lalbagh nursery or Indo American nursery for Orchid plants.
All the best
Hi Santha,
you have an interesting website. I live in Pune and have about 20 orchid plants. Temperatures in Pune, presently are at 35°C and humidity at 45 – 50% My plants are very dry. Besides watering/spraying twice a day, what else can i do?
Hello I love Orchids as the first plant i got was from Goa in the wild. They were so small almost like buttons but had the most amazing colors ihave ever seen. But it did not last long with me. I have 3 more now from Kerala and Lalbagh but they are dying slowly. PLEASE tell me what i can do to revive them. I water them regularly two are in baskets with coal/ coconut fibre the last from lalgbagh is bigger in a pot with some sort of fibre on top. they bloomed long time ago now……my email address… Read more »