Understanding Orchids: An Uncomplicated Guide to Growing the World's Most Exotic Plants Book

Acknowledgments v I n t r o d u c t i o n viii How to Use This Book ix

Part 1 Setting Up the Orchid Environment

1 G e t t i n g Start e d : Your F i r st O r c h id 2 Buying Your First Orchid 4 What to Look For 4 Orchid Anatomy 6 2 Wher e to Grow Your O r chi d s 9 On the Windowsill 9 Under Artificial Lights 11 In the Greenhouse 18 The Great Outdoors 22 3 L i g h t 23 Day Length, or Photoperiod 25 4 Temperat u r e 27 5 Humidit y a nd A ir Movement 31 Relative Humidity 31 Air Movement 37

Part 2 Care and Feeding

Watering Orchids in Pots 41 Watering Mounted Orchids 42 Automatic Watering 44 Watering Plants That Need a Dry Rest 45 Water Quality 46 7 Fe r t i l i z at i o n and N u t r i t i o n 49 Fertilization and Dormancy 52 Fertilization and Flowering 52 Types of Fertilizer 52 8 Pot t i ng an d D i v i d ing 55 Pots and Other Containers 57 Pot Size 59 Mosses, Ferns, Liverworts, and Algae 61 Potting Mixes 63 Dividing Orchids 73 9 Mounting Orch ids o n P l aq u e s a n d Branch e s 79 Mounting Procedure 82 Attaching the Orchid 84 1 0 P e st s a n d D i s e a s e s 87 Orchid Pests 88 Orchid Diseases 91 Organic and Biological Pest and Disease Controls 93 Viruses 95 1 1 Troubleshoot i n g G u ide 97

Part 3 Orchid Reproduction 1 2 R e p r o d u c t i o n in th e Wi l d 102 1 3 Hand P o l l inat i o n and C a r e o f S e e d l ings 109 Hand-Pollinating 109 Flasking 111 Unflasking and Caring for Seedlings 113 1 4 H y b r i d i z at i o n 115

Part 4 Common Orchid Genera from A to Z Introduction 129

Appendi x e s 228 1 Taxonomy and Nomenclature 230 2 Orchids on the Web and Orchid Organizations 234 3 Judging and Showing Orchids 236 G l o s sary 241 B i b l i o g r a p hy 246 Photo C r e d i t s 248 I n dex 250