Grow Orchids in Your Home. E-Book

William Drake

• Herausgeber: Bruno Del Medico
• Kategorie: Ratgeber
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2019

Beschreibung

242 PAGES ILLUSTRATED IN COLOR
Many people who would like to dedicate themselves to this hobby ask themselves:
- Will I have the chance to organize a large greenhouse?
- Will I have enough time to look after such fragile plants?
- Will I be able to support the necessary financial commitment?
These questions are wrong.
he main question you need to ask yourself, to see if you will be a good grower, is another: what feeling do I have with orchids?
The orchid is a unique flower in its eccentric perfection, it does not know the banality. It does not grow in an impersonal environment, it is elegant in all its aspects, aristocratic in its needs. It blooms only if it finds the right conditions around it.
In the East the perfection of the orchid is a symbol of purity. In the West the orchid is related to love and sensuality, therefore it becomes the symbol of passionate love. In its almost black-flowered varieties the orchid is also associated with the dark mystery and witchcraft.
People who are attracted to orchids are sensual and innocent, simple and sophisticated. They love luxury. The roots of the orchid can feed on air by filtering nourishment from nothing, they are intricate but light. Who loves the orchid is very selective in his choices, he accepts to let only a small circle of people enter his life.
Therefore, if you wish to dedicate yourself to the cultivation of orchids you should not ask yourself how much it costs. The right questions are these:
- Do I have an independent temperament?
- Do I have my own class and my original elegance?
- Am I capable of innocence and passion, dedication and betrayal?
- I only ask for the best from my life and the people I surround myself with?
If all the answers are "yes", you are the ideal candidate for growing orchids. You don't need much else.
In fact it is possible to grow orchids even in a small vase held on the windowsill, as you would do with basil. Some varieties may require temperature and humidity which is not difficult to recreate in an ordinary apartment or on a balcony. Other varieties can grow outdoors, in the garden.
If you really want to dedicate yourself to the cultivation of orchids you will surely find the right compromise between the needs of the plants and those of your spaces and your wallet.
This book will provide you with all the information you need to start the journey that will turn you into an expert grower, ready to participate in all "flowers contest"

Leseprobe

Gardening

William Drake

Illustrations by Elisabetta Del Medico

Grow orchids in your home.

Live in the exotic magic of the most aristocratic flower.

Summary of the book

Summary of the book

What flower are you?

1.      Panoramic view

Orchids at home

Light

Temperature

Humidity

Ventilazion

Precautions

Historical notes

Myths and beliefs

The butterfly orchid, the "phalaenopsis"

The discovery of Cattleya

The orchid becomes a symbol of prestige

New orchids: Cambria

Symbols and meanings.

The language of flowers

The orchid in art

The orchid in literature

The orchid in the cinema

Orchids with evocative forms

2. Anatomy and classification

The orchid flower

The leaves of orchids

The roots of orchids

Classificazion

3. How to start

The best species to start with. The Phalaenopsis

Where find plants and seeds

Equipment.

4. Supports and substrates

The rafts

The wooden logs

The arboreal fern and saxum

Vegetable supports

Hanging baskets

Cultivation supports for lithophyte orchids.

Inorganic matrix substrates

Organic matrix substrates.

The "bark"

Vegetable fiber

The sphagnum

Peat

"Osmunda" fiber

Beech leaves

The land of heath (Moorland)

5. Cultivation in vases

Choice of vase

Pot materials

The soil

Soil with peat blond and osmunda.

Fine-grained soil (grain size up to 6 millimeters)

Medium-grained soil (grain size over 6 millimeters)

Coconut-based soils

Cymbidium orchid soil

Commercial soil

6.- Cultivation techniques

Repotting

Water the orchids

Eliminate chlorine from water

Leaf irrigation

How to fertilize orchids

Pruning

7. Pests and diseases

Counteract pests

Ingredients for a macerated against aphids

Orchid diseases

Fungal diseases

Virus or bacteria diseases

Diseases of the leaves

8. Multiplication of orchids

Monopodial and simpodial orchids

Multiplication by cuttings

"Keiki" division

Multiplication by meristem

Multiplication by sowing

Sexual reproduction or pollination

9. Orchid flowering

10 Outdoor orchids. The Cypripedium

11 Description of the main species

Angraecum

Bletilla.

Brassia

Cambria

Cattleya

Cymbidium

Cypripedium

Dendrobium

Dracula (Little dragon)

Laelia

Lycaste

Miltonia e Miltoniopsis

Odontoglossum

Oncidium

Paphiopedilum

Phalaenopsis

Phragmipedium

Pleione

Stanhopea

Vanda

. Mini orchids

Vanilla

12. Orchid growing communities

Sell your orchids

Appendix 1 - Taxonomy

What flower are you?

In life, everything must have a purpose, except for the cultivation of orchids.

(Nero Wolfe)

One of the most famous hobby growers of orchids is Nero Wolfe. Wolfe is a fantastic character created by writer Rex Stout in 1934. He lives in New York, at 918 West 35th Street in a three-story sandstone house.

Leads an eccentric life. He specializes in solving intricate cases of murder, which he solves by sitting comfortably in his study. Most of his time, however, dedicates him to the care of his orchid collection. In fact, the upper floor of his house is a large greenhouse.

Nero Wolfe has made a great contribution to spreading the knowledge of orchids. Many people have wanted to imitate him by dedicating themselves to this hobby.

Unfortunately, the stories of Nero Wolfe leave it in tends that for growing orchids it is necessary to have financial resources that are not available to most people.

Many people who would like to dedicate themselves to this hobby ask themselves:

- Will I have the chance to organize a large greenhouse?

- Will I have enough time to look after such fragile plants?

- Will I be able to support the necessary financial commitment?

These questions are wrong.

he main question you need to ask yourself, to see if you will be a good grower, is another: what feeling do I have with orchids?

The orchid is a unique flower in its eccentric perfection, it does not know the banality. It does not grow in an impersonal environment, it is elegant in all its aspects, aristocratic in its needs. It blooms only if it finds the right conditions around it.

In the East the perfection of the orchid is a symbol of purity. In the West the orchid is related to love and sensuality, therefore it becomes the symbol of passionate love. In its almost black-flowered varieties the orchid is also associated with the dark mystery and witchcraft.

People who are attracted to orchids are sensual and innocent, simple and sophisticated. They love luxury. The roots of the orchid can feed on air by filtering nourishment from nothing, they are intricate but light. Who loves the orchid is very selective in his choices, he accepts to let only a small circle of people enter his life.

Therefore, if you wish to dedicate yourself to the cultivation of orchids you should not ask yourself how much it costs. The right questions are these:

- Do I have an independent temperament?

- Do I have my own class and my original elegance?

- Am I capable of innocence and passion, dedication and betrayal?

- I only ask for the best from my life and the people I surround myself with?

If all the answers are "yes", you are the ideal candidate for growing orchids. You don't need much else.

In fact it is possible to grow orchids even in a small vase held on the windowsill, as you would do with basil. Some varieties may require temperature and humidity which is not difficult to recreate in an ordinary apartment or on a balcony. Other varieties can grow outdoors, in the garden.

If you really want to dedicate yourself to the cultivation of orchids you will surely find the right compromise between the needs of the plants and those of your spaces and your wallet.

This book will provide you with all the information you need to start the journey that will turn you into an expert grower, ready to participate in all "flowers contest"

Panoramic view

Orchids belong to the Orchidaceae family, the largest group of plants. More precisely, orchids are the flowers produced by plants belonging to the Orchidaceae family. They grow on all continents and in all climatic zones. They do not only live in tropical forests, but also in steppes and in mountainous regions. Most varieties come from Asia and South America.

Many species are able to absorb the substances necessary for survival by using aerial roots, which do not sink into the ground but absorb the aereosol of water pulverized in the environment. These varieties are called "autotrophs". Other varieties, which are called "saprophytes", can derive nourishment from decomposing substances.

Orchids are a precious gift of nature. The flowers have soft shapes, elegant geometries and light or bright colors.

The profile of the plants is elegant, the leaves are bright green and have a fleshy texture.

Orchids are among the best-selling indoor plants. In Germany about a quarter of the plants purchased are orchids, while all other varieties share the remaining percentage but none exceed 10%.

The problem of those who buy an orchid plant is the progressive decay.

In fact, after the first flowering, it is very difficult to obtain other beautiful and abundant blooms. This is because the plants suffer a trauma passing from the environment and the care of the greenhouse to the conditions of the apartment.

One of the solutions is to personally cultivate the plants starting from sowing. Living constantly in the same environment, plants maintain homogeneity and do not suffer biological trauma.

On the other hand, the cut flowers of orchids have the capacity to last a very long time.

There is a little secret in the life of the flowers. Each orchid flower has only one purpose, which is to scatter the seeds. If you try to open the capsule on the flower, see that it contains a huge number of tiny seeds. The orchid is a zoogama plant. This means that it must be pollinated by insects. The flower releases the seeds only when they have all been fertilized. In an apartment this almost never happens. As a result, the flower lasts for a very long time, to respect its biological needs.

Orchids at home

There are three critical values for growing orchids at home. They are light, temperature and humidity. Ventilation is also important. In any case you can find a compromise between the conditions of your home and the species of orchid that can be adapted. Consider that in a house there are very different conditions, variable for each room. In fact, a glassed-in veranda, the kitchen and the bathroom, a closet, the living room or the stair landing have noticeably different light, temperature and humidity. The ideal location for an orchid plant is behind a curtain.

Light

Orchids can grow at home, especially in glass verandas or near windows. Lighting is essential for flowering. The amount of light must be adequate. Above all, direct exposure to sunlight should be avoided.

An excessive amount of light damages the leaves. As a result, you can control the leaves to determine the right level of light. Their coloring should be a bright and vivid green. If the leaves are reddish or brownish the level of light is wrong.

Remember to never leave the orchids in a completely dark room, even at night. This could block the flowering. You must respect the natural conditions. The forest environment is never as dark as that of a closed room.

Temperature

Temperature is a critical value. Different species of orchid may require different temperatures. However, these temperatures are not very different from those in an apartment. You need to consider the effect of radiators. These can increase the temperature but lower the humidity.

Humidity

Moisture requires a more in-depth treatment. Outside the humidity can vary between 30% and 100%. In an apartment the ideal humidity, with a temperature of 21 degrees centigrade, varies between 40% and 60%.