ORCHID CARE SUPPLIES

Orchid supplies and tools for your orchid caring success

Orchid supplies are referred to all the materials and tools that you may need to get maximum results in your orchid growing and caring. Orchid supplies are the things that make your orchid caring activities more enjoyable and easier. And most of all, orchid supplies can provide beneficial impacts to your orchid, which should be handled with gentle and care, and support its healthy growth.

It is very common that one will start to care for an orchid with a single plant, usually the potted orchid. An if the excitement and enjoyment start to grow, they probably add some more orchids and are thinking to build a mini orchid garden in the corner of the house.

The need to acquire some orchid supplies will grow in line with your orchid caring activities. In the beginning you don’t feel to have those orchid supplies in hands. But when the demand of practicality, comfort and ease in doing orchid caring task become more significant, you might start to collect and keep them, little by little, in your warehouse.

But you may have the option to prepare all the needed orchid supplies before you start the real orchid caring task as an implementation of your orchid caring and growing plan. Many people start this way. To become familiar about the needed orchid supplies I will present the list of the essential supplies and tools for you as the followings:

Orchid supplies #1 - Orchid pots.

Orchid pots are the primary orchid supplies to perform orchid caring activities. Almost all orchid growers should have these orchid pots in his or her possession. Their importance is very obvious. They are required to assure quality orchid caring tasks. Without those pots it is unlikely that you will be able to reach some success in supporting a healthy orchid growth. Poor attention to this potting stuff will make it unfeasible to control the healthy environment in the potting media.

You can have them in many sizes and shapes. You can also select between the functional and the decorative pots. Common materials to produce those pots include plastic (most common), clay and ceramic. You can also find some specific materials that are used to make those pots. To mention a few; you can find coir (the outer shell of coconut) and ‘zi sha’, the purple clay from China. There are different shapes and sizes which might match the requirements of your growing orchid type with their expanding roots. More about Orchid Pots

Orchid supplies #2 - Orchid potting media.

Potting media is the substrate where your orchids get its feeding. Generally, potting media is a mixture of soil which is meant to grow plants as well as vegetables and herbs in garden or house environment. Each type of plant may need a specific potting media that resembles their original environment or habitat.

A potting media may contain peat moss, composted bark combined with materials from other plants. To provide proper drainage, sand and perlite is frequently included in a potting media composition. If water retention is required, some potting media may include particles of vermiculite (a natural mineral which expands when exposed to heat). While some include particles of vermicompost (a composting process or product made of various worm species) to add some nutrition value.

Orchids naturally require proper drainage and air circulation around their roots. Failure in fulfilling this requirement will lead the orchid to death due to accumulation of water (too moist) and poor airflow. Please gather more information about your orchid type for you to be able to use the right potting media

Orchid supplies #3 - Orchid fertilizers.

Orchid fertilizers are nutrients which are usually composed of nitrogen (N) phosphorous (P) and potassium (K). There are some questions whether orchids actually need fertilizers? There are opinions that orchids can live in hard conditions where food is scarce. Orchids are really simple flowers which can live naturally, healthy and happily without having additional feedings. They have proven to live healthy on rocks or trees. The natural rainfall will bring them a little amount of food, which is enough for them. Thus, providing a fertilizer is some luxury for an orchid. They could even die if you over-fertilize them.

However, if your aim is to get a healthy built plant with plenty of amazing flowers then applying some fertilizers will help. But do it carefully under two conditions; feed your orchid with the right amount and do it at the right time. Thus remember that timing and the amount of fertilizer are the crucial factors when fertilizing your orchids. More about Orchid Fertilizers

Orchid supplies #4 - Orchid watering tools.

These orchid supplies are related to your watering task which may include a watering can and a misting bottle or a mister/sprayer. You can choose from many purchase offers depending on your personal discretion based on efficiency, functionality, attractiveness. Choose the lightest watering can which is made of plastic and available in many attractive colors.

As your orchid watering could be performed periodically using the watering can once in a week or so, you can use a mister to spray the orchid leaves to create some kind of humidity around the leaves. As a matter of fact some orchid types need this level of high humidity. To create some kind of mist you can adjust the nozzle to a fine mist. Mist the leaves adequately and avoid the accumulation of water at any part of the leaf which can harm them and will create some marks that makes your orchid looks unattractive. More about Orchid Watering

Orchid supplies #5 - Orchid pruning snips.

When your orchid reaches the blooming stage and beyond, you’ll need a pair of precise pruning snips or shears which are also called secateurs which can be used to cut stems and leaves in a harmless way. To avoid plant diseases please sterilize the secateurs prior to pruning. Do the sterilization thoroughly by wiping it with diluted bleach solution. Do not forget to wear sterile gloves to protect your skin.

Performing orchid pruning, as we know, will at the end promote new and healthy orchid growth to support the possibility to produce constant flowering of your orchid. Thus, do it without hesitation and worry that you will hurt your orchid. Using precise pruning secateurs will give you more confidence in performing the task. More about Orchid Pruning

Orchid supplies #6 - Orchid artificial lights

You will need these orchid supplies when natural light supply is insufficient. This usually happens during cloudy weathers and winters. In such cases the use of artificial lighting can be put into practice in combination with natural sunlight.

The use of complete artificial light can be carried out within one condition which is the guarantee to only use the required quality of light. Do not use regular lamps since they produce too much heat and definitely will destroy your orchid. Use fluorescent lamps which can give you the benefit of evenly covering a wider area while producing less heat, aside of being inexpensive but efficient

If you completely use artificial lights you will have some benefits. You will be able to do your orchid watering and other orchid care tasks more regularly, since you don’t have to worry about cloudy days.

Orchid supplies #7 - Orchid pest control supplies

 

Another item among other orchid supplies that you should have in hands are the pest control products. Pest control products or formulas are designed to get rid and kill insects which can live and be found at the surface of your orchid leaves, at the upper surface or beneath. Common annoying insects which might be infecting your orchid are mites, spiders, slugs and scale bugs. Fungi and snails are also the kind of disturbances that you should treat with pest control supplies.

To kill insects the application of organic insecticides (cinnamon based) will most suitable as well as some chemical substances such as malathion. Don’t ever use the regular mosquito killer spray to treat those annoying insects, since the blended formula of the commercial mosquito killer spray is not save for plants, and might harm your orchid as well.

There are plenty of commercial pest control supplies and formulas available in the market place which you can choose from depending on your need.

Orchid supplies #8 - Orchid stakes

Orchid stake is a kind of device that simply supports an orchid stem. It could be made of bamboo or metal. Bamboo provides a better natural look. While the metal made stake can be easily bend or formed into spirals to wrap your subtle orchid without fixing the orchid with ties or clips.

Orchid supplies #9 - Orchid mounts

Orchid mounts are used to be able to grow and display the epiphytic nature of many orchids such as oncidiums and phals. If you want to grow your orchid vertically, use the proper orchid mount that provides vertical support without any risk to harm the stem, leaves and flowers. It has been proven that using orchid mounts will result healthier orchids compared to those planted in pots.

Orchid supplies #10 - Orchid humidity trays

Humidity trays are used to create a humid atmosphere around your orchids which resembles the natural climate in tropical regions where your orchids are probably coming from.

Various types and designs of humidity trays are available in the market place. You can also create your own humidity tray rack. Simply place your orchid on a tray filled with stones or grate then pour some warm water into the tray nearly to the top. The stones or grate are meant to avoid direct contact of your orchid roots with the water. The water will eventually evaporate into the air causing some degree of humidity surrounding your orchid.