ORCHIDS
Orchids are stunning, but they can be intimidating plants to grow.
Although they have a reputation for being fussy, there are many
orchids that are easy to grow indoors. With so many different
varieties to choose from, it is worth visiting a specialty nursery
to find your favorite colors and scents. However, not all orchids
smell good, so it is important to choose varieties that do, such as
Aeranthes grandalena, which smells like jasmine; Cymbidium
Golden Elf, which smells like lemon; Maxillaria tenuifolia, which
smells like coconut; Miltoniopsis santanaei, which smells like
roses; Rhynchostylis gigantea, which smells like citrus; and Vanilla
planifolia, which smells like vanilla.
The most important factor for orchids is how much light
they receive. Depending on the variety, they may prefer low,
medium, or high levels of light. If a plant receives the wrong
amount of light, it won’t bloom. Low-light lovers do well in an
east- or west-facing window. Medium-light lovers do well in a
south-facing window. Orchids that need a lot of light do best
with an indoor grow light.
In nature, orchids grow on the tops of trees, not in the ground.
To mimic this indoors, plant them in an airy orchid mix with
plenty of bark. Do not plant them in soil or they will likely get
root rot. Also, orchids like to be root bound, so make sure their
pots aren’t too big. You can move them to slightly bigger pots
when they start to get top heavy.
The worst thing for an orchid is to receive too much water.
Water it thoroughly once a week and be sure to let it dry
completely before watering again. You can fertilize
every couple of weeks with a 20-20-20 fertilizer, but
make sure to flush it once a month with plain water
to avoid salt buildup. I’ve had great success feeding
orchids only compost tea instead of fertilizer.
Temperature and humidity are also important factors.
Orchids need a humid environment. You can achieve this
indoors by putting a humidifier nearby, misting the leaves
daily with water, or putting the orchid’s pot on top of a tray
with pebbles covered in water.
In order to bloom, orchids need to experience a
10-20 degree drop in temperature at night. During the
day, most orchids do well between 70-85°F, although
certain varieties do well at lower and higher temperatures.
“
IT'S EASY TO GROW
LILIES INDOORS
AND ENJOY THE FEELING OF
SUMMER YEAR-ROUND.”
LILIES
Whenever I walk by a lily, I look around to see what is
creating such a delightful and powerful scent. It never
fails. Lucky for me, it is easy to grow lilies indoors and
enjoy the feeling of summer year-round.
To force lily bulbs indoors, they need to be in a cool,
dormant state for about 12 weeks. To do this, place them in
a plastic bag with a bit of soil and an open top. Then, put
them in your refrigerator, making sure they stay slightly
damp the entire time.
Next, layer stones in the bottom of a pot. Then, fill the vessel
half to three-quarters full of potting mix and plant your bulbs.
The general rule is to plant them about two to three times as
deep as the size of the bulb.
Lilies do not like soggy or dry soil. They need slightly damp
soil. I like to layer pretty stones on top of the soil to prevent
them from drying out.
Although a few varieties prefer dappled light, most lilies thrive
with a lot of light. Place them in a south-facing window or under
a fluorescent grow light. They need six to eight hours of direct
sunlight per day, and do well at 50-75°F.
grow cycle
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