Growing Orchids in the
House, Office or Greenhouse

Of course, orchids grow in the wild and being one of the largest families of flowering plants, there are different orchid species found just about anywhere in the world — on every continent in the northern hemisphere and the southern, at low altitudes and at high ones, on mountain ranges, arid desserts, tropical rainforests and so on and on.

However, the fact is that most people who decided to domesticate and propagate orchids do so indoors for three main reasons:

  1. Indoor orchid care tends to be easier because there are many more options for controlling the environment.
  2. Indoor orchid care provides better shelter and protection against orchid pests, disease and outdoor critters that, given the chance, might attack them.
  3. Indoor orchid care keeps these magnificently blooming plants closer to their growers’ loving hearts and beholding eyes.

Indoor orchid plants can be placed on window seals or any horizontal spaces within homes or offices but they can also be grown in special rooms such as nurseries or greenhouses.

But now let us review how to take care of orchid plants indoors for the most optimal indoor orchid care and maintenance and here are the basic care requirements for orchids:

Selecting Your Orchid Plants.

You should limit buying orchid plants to those which will be best suited for the environment you will be able to provide them. Of course, wanting to buy them all is very tempting because they are so gorgeous but think about care and maintenance for the long run rather than immediate gratification and short lived esthetic pleasure.

Space.

Ideal location for orchid plants is not hard to find because deciding where to situate your orchid plants depends on the particular variety of orchids and on how many orchids you’ve got in relations to the available space. There is no problem standing orchid pots next to one another but you will want to be sure to leaves enough room for their growth and your easy accessibility.

Lighting.

Natural lighting without direct sunlight coming in through a window facing the east or west is ideal. But if that’s not available, artificial orchid growing lights will do just as well to keep your orchid plants happy and healthy.

Temperature.

Chances are that you will never be able to provide your orchid plants with the perfect temperature that will be consistent all the time. However, most indoor grown orchid plants are quite tolerant to a slight temperature range but it is, of course, best to keep it consistent and adjusted to suit the particular species you are growing.

Humidity.

Orchids love humidity and you can provide it in a number of ways which depend where you’ve placed them. In greenhouses, misting your orchids with spray bottles or special misting mechanisms will probably be the best option but within the home or the office, humidity trays will best serve you and your orchid plants without getting everything else wet.

Water.

Watering orchid plants is essential. So, give them a thorough soaking but be sure that the access water has a way of completely draining out or the roots will rot and eventually kill the plant. Also, let the orchid potting media dry out before watering again.

You might also want to set up a moisture meter that will let you know exactly when to add humidity and when not.

Potting Media.

Unlike most other indoor plants that prefer rich potting soil, orchids need their own special orchid potting media that consists of Perlite, coconut fiber, coconut husk chips, charcoal, tree bark, etc.

Orchid Pots.

The root system of orchid plants needs access to light, good air flow and drainage. Therefore, orchid pots can be made of plastic, ceramic or clay but they must have slits around their sides and drainage holes at the bottom to let extra water escape.

Orchid Fertilizer.

Orchids need certain nutrients and minerals to thrive and grow. Acquire specially formulated orchid fertilizers that have the ingredients that are consistent with what your specific orchids need.

Additional Orchid Supplies.

I already mentioned several items you would need for successfully growing your orchids but to do the best job possible in caring for them during their blooming cycle and after, you will also need the following orchid supplies close at hand and those will come from a variety of orchid supply sources such as orchid growers, hardware stores, gardening suppliers, etc.:

Before jumping into the project and committing yourself to growing orchids, one must be sure to get equipped with the proper orchid care instructions as well as clear understanding about the family of orchids (Orchidaceae) and all the many orchid species and hybrids it consists of. This Orchid Care.org site is a good resource but then so are The American Orchid Society (AOS) and the Orchid Conservation Coalition.