"Orchids as just as easy as any plant, you just have to know them" - Falacy or not?

[sand_tiger86]

I have a barred in balcony and a large roof overhang, so the plants get direct sun from about 2p-7:30p. No direct overhead light ever, only right in front of them. So, I bought some burlap this evening and I'm going to hang it from one side of the bars to the other. I'm wandering if I should only do one layer or double it up. It doesn't say what percentage of shade it provides, it's just standard, loose burlap.

[cakedaddy]

I'd double it and remove a layer after a week or two.
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[TwoStems]

There's something about growing "tropical" plants in a non-tropical environment. It's difficult, but very rewarding when you get blooms. I think I just wish I lived in the rainforest!

[jai_star]

I think the main challenges I find with orchids is growing it near a window, because the temp and humidity are not easily controlled and is maintained majority by the house. Light is a very important element i have realised i'm grateful the window recieves light from AM to PM recently I bought a fan to increase airflow and the orchies seem to like this a lot. When I get asked are orchies hard to grow I would say yes because the enviroment we provide is so different from their home but once you observe what each genus need then it does get easier and very rewarding when spikes appear.

[Cjcorner]

Are orchids easy...I prefer to refer to them as an acquired talent. They can become "easier" after you learn to spray for bugs, fungus, bacteria before you get them and to avoid overwatering, sunburn and plants not suited to your growing conditions. The hardest part is learning to not to overwater. I've tried to grow regular houseplants...killed every single one. I tried to grow cactus...killed most of them. I don't even bother trying african violets as they just melt into goo on me. Orchids are the first plants I seem to be able to grow with any success so for me, five years into this learning process, I find them to be relatively easy.

[bronco]

Hi Connie ,
I am in Clearwater and I am new at raising orchids. I have all my orchids on the patio. I moved them out there in mid March.
What product do you use bugs,fungus and bacteria and how often do you use it?
I have not used any product yet on my orchids,as I fiqured why use something if you don't have a problem.
I do have Neem oil extract,and physan 20. After reading some of the precautions on the physan 20,I am a little leary about using that.
I have mainly Phals and Oncidiums and also a few cats and a Dendrobium. I will send pics of them on patio.
Thanks in advance for your info.
Denny

Are orchids easy...I prefer to refer to them as an acquired talent. They can become "easier" after you learn to spray for bugs, fungus, bacteria before you get them and to avoid overwatering, sunburn and plants not suited to your growing conditions. The hardest part is learning to not to overwater. I've tried to grow regular houseplants...killed every single one. I tried to grow cactus...killed most of them. I don't even bother trying african violets as they just melt into goo on me. Orchids are the first plants I seem to be able to grow with any success so for me, five years into this learning process, I find them to be relatively easy.

[bronco]

A few more pics of patio orchids

[clay576]

the texas thread!!! I'm in Houston guys, just saying hi! I agree with OP, orchids aren't super easy as some people seem to portray them to be. Not impossible, but nowhere near as easy as pothos or something like that.

[Raphael]

Anything is easy when you understand and connect with it. However, each orchid is unique, and must be approach in that manner. It's all about the relationship!

[pavel]

Can't completely agree with you.

Keeping one alive is easy enough...but actually flowering one ...

But that, Kelly, is an important difference -- the majority of houseplants are NOT grown for their blooms and indeed many rarely if ever bloom indoors. As such, I would consider that to be a rather null "arguement" for comparison of ease.

For those typical houseplants that ARE grown with the expectation of flowers, many require certain conditions in order to do so -- just like orchids. Hoyas and most succulents, IME, require a great deal of light in order to bloom. Otherwise all you get is vegatative growth ... not unlike many orchids. Additionally, if insufficent light is provided, those same plants give weak, etiolated growth. African violets, probably the quintessential houseplant, are generally far harder for me to grow -- unless I grow them in a terrarium -- than many orchids. Hippeastrums (aka holiday amarylis) have proven nigh impossible for me to rebloom, though I do know many folks who can do so. Schlumbergera (Thanksgiving/Christmas cactus), another quite common houseplant, I have found can be rather tempermental ... sometimes "shattering" for no apparent reason. And if you rotate your Schlum while it is in bud, kiss your buds goodbye. So the upshot is, I feel, that if you pick your plants (whether orchids or non) based upon your growing conditions, orchids are not really any more difficult than a "typical" houseplant. Unfortunately for us, many of the orchids which captivate us, need conditions different than what we currently have -- thus the extra work in meeting their needs.