Orchids are one of the toughest flowers to maintain. If you are just beginning your hobby as a gardener, it is recommended that you do not start with these types of flowers, especially if you are the type to get easily discouraged. It takes a lot of commitment in general to manage and build a garden and a lot of years to eventually get good at it. Even though orchids are among the biggest family of flowers in the world, not everyone can grow them easily.
- About Orchids
Orchids are of the most beautiful flowers according to a lot of florists. This is why a lot of people attempt to grow them even though they are almost impossible to keep alive. It’s a bit of a challenge but the outcome is definitely worth it. There is even a certain species of orchid that is known to survive up to 100 years.
The size, shape or texture the orchid’s leaves are, are usually based on what habitat they are in. For example, if the orchid lives in a climate that is dry, they usually have thick leaves that are covered I wax. If the orchid lives in a humid or warm area, they have long and elongated leaves. There are many interesting things about orchids that you can easily read about or ask about from your local florists.
If you are going to attempt to grow an orchid it would be so much better if you prepare properly. This is to minimize the possibility of it dying on your watch. Some orchids are actually parasitic. They cannot produce food or sugar using the sun or carbon dioxide like so many other plants can. These kinds of orchids get their food from fungi that make their roots their home.
- Watering orchids
One of the most frequently asked questions about growing and caring for orchids is if you could use ice cubes to water them. The simple answer is, yes. This is a neat trick known to many florists and can come in pretty handy in taking care of orchids. This is actually one trick that is thought to keep an orchid from dying.
This type of knowledge can be answered by ‘how’ than ‘why’. Florists say that ice cubes are neat to use because this way, your flowers will be watered slowly, and it would avoid overwatering or drowning your orchids. The trick is:
- The first thing you should do is to place your orchid in a vase. Make sure you use potting soil. You should water it with one ice cube a week. If you have a larger orchid the trick is using two orchids each week. This is a trick to easily maintain the water intake of your orchids.
The trick is pretty easy to follow, even for beginner gardeners. Do not forget that orchids, in general, are very hard to keep alive even for expert florists. Do not get discouraged easily if you fail on your first or second try, these flowers definitely have a mind of their own and would only grow if they really feel their environment.
- Tips in Gardening
When you have just taken a liking to gardening, it can be a bit intimidating on the first few weeks or months. Here are some helpful tips for beginners:
- Do not be afraid to start. This is usually the hardest part. The beginning. You do not have to overthink everything all down to the small details. You do not even need to have a suitable plot in your yard, you can simply start with a simple container garden.
- First things first, when you already have a container, you have to make sure that you use good soil. It is always good to ask around. You could ask your friends or family members who have experience in gardening how they fertilize their soil and how they make sure it has good drainage.
- Make sure what plant you are trying to grow. Some plants want a lot of sun and other prefer shady areas. This is important to take note of so you would be able to place your potted plants in the right place. Do your research about your plants to make sure you place them in the right environment where they would thrive.
- You should check with local florists to know which plants are perfect for beginners like you. While there is no problem to take on difficult plants, it is always better to start small or easy. This way, you would be able to grow your way through the gardening process and level up with each plant you are able to grow and take care of.
- Watering is definitely an important part in gardening. Beginners often make the most common mistake of watering too much or not watering enough. Make sure you know how much water your plant needs, so you do not kill it. A great indication over of over watering are yellow leaves so be on the lookout for those!
- Tools and equipment are necessary but don’t burn a hole through your wallet because of buying tools you do not even know how to use. Start simple and start with the basic tools that every gardener need. You do not need to have everything right from the very start. Make sure you have tools like a shovel, pruners, soil, pot, and the seeds.
