The Summer Months And Taking Care of Your Precious Orchids! 

Caring for orchids in the summertime does require some alterations to your regular orchid care.  To keep them beautiful it is important to adhere to a few orchid growing tips for summertime conditions.  

Lots of people like to give their orchids fresh air in the summer.  Not forgetting to  check them frequently for moistness.  If the pots are extremely arid then they will need a shot of extra water.  If you are taking care of orchids from the Cattleyas family or another sturdier breed than it is probably best to wait an extra day before watering.  

Certain kinds of orchids like Oncidiums and Phalaenopsis can fair well from a misting every day.  Taking care of these kinds of orchids will probably require bi-weekly watering schedules.  A good growing tip for orchid care is that if the pseudobulbs appear to be wilting then your watering is inadequate.  

Taking Care of Orchids- They Need Some Shade

No matter what kind of orchid you are growing they will need a break mid day from the sun.  The morning sun will give them just the right amount of light for proper orchid care.  As you take care of orchids make sure to give them sporadic periods of shade throughout the day to ensure they aren’t getting too much light.  As expected certain kinds of orchids will be fine in the noon day sun.  Cymbidiums are one kind of orchid that will be fine left out in the sun.  The vast majority of others will burn.

Orchid growing always requires knowing your species.  If you are growing Phalaenopsis or Cattleyas they will easily burn with too much sun.  If your orchids get yellow or black areas or a reddish cast to the leaves than it is best to limit sun exposure.  

Of course you want your orchids to bloom as much as possible.  Taking care of orchids can require systematic trimming of the flower stem.  This is especially true for Phalaenopsis orchids.  An orchid growing tip would be to cut the flower stem a half inch from the bottom.  If the stem or flower is showing side growth, than do nothing as it will continue to bloom.

Another aspect to taking care of orchids is to know the best orchid mix to plant them in.  If you are growing a Phalaenopsis the best thing to do is repot in a bark or bark and charcoal orchid mix.  Then you will need to allow it to recuperate by placing it in a shadier spot for about a month.  Taking care of the orchid during this period will ensure beautiful blooms down the road.  

As you are taking care of orchids in the summer months realize that several species such as the Paphiopedilum or Slipper orchids will be reaching their peak growing periods.  Caring for the orchids by providing perfect amounts of water and light will optimize their vitality.

Taking care of Phragmipedium orchids during the summer means that you will need to ensure adequate watering.  They will be in a heightened growth period and will need moisture during the hottest portions of the day.  Taking care of orchid’s means always adjusting their light and water to achieve optimal growth and healthy flowers.  

Some kinds of orchids like Cattleyas will be through blooming by the time summer hits.  The best advice for orchid care is to re-pot these kinds of orchids in the summer.  If you have fall blooming Cattleyaas then they too will benefit from re-potting.  

A great orchid growing tip is to keep a watch on the pseudo bulbs.  Taking care of orchid’s means watching them carefully to ensure you aren’t under watering.  If you are not providing adequate orchid care the bulbs will appear shriveled.  This can lead to rot.  The best way to avoid this is to increase the air circulation in the area.  If you fail to act quickly your plants could be dead within a week.  

Taking care of orchids is definitely a little mysterious.  They require as much careful consideration as a favorite pet.  When you are caring for orchids properly they will reward you with the exquisite and stunning fragrances and blooms that only an orchid can achieve.