How to grow orchids? A beginner's guide to the basics

    I. The three stages of orchid growing

    1. Beginner level: Gain a preliminary understanding of the basic characteristics of orchids and their growing techniques, and aim to keep them alive (able to root, sprout, grow shoots, and stay relatively free of disease).

    2. Skilled level: Use comprehensive techniques to grow orchids and keep innovating in practice; able to correctly answer and handle common problems, with a normal shoot production rate and few diseases.

    3. Master level: Always innovating, able to answer well the questions of what, why, and how, and always seeking the path to growing them well and growing them effortlessly.

    A university professor does not necessarily teach primary school students well. As a beginner, you need to find your position and define it clearly. Never blindly trust the growing tips of experts (not that what they say is wrong, but that you cannot understand, grasp, or apply them; often an expert's good method ends up killing a newcomer's orchids).

    II. Several conditions for orchid growth

    Remember: the most important thing for growing orchids well is the natural environment. So-called growing techniques are merely artificial means of making up for deficiencies in natural conditions, using suitable management methods to accommodate growing habits. The survival conditions of orchids are not harsh. If you can easily create the optimal environment, then pursue it; otherwise, do not force it. Though man can conquer nature, do not tire yourself out too much.

    1. Sunlight: semi-shade, morning light is best. Expose less in summer and autumn, more in winter and spring. At noon and in the afternoon in summer and autumn, the sun must not scorch them for long periods. Whether they get morning light does not matter; those that never see direct light all year round will still do fine as long as scattered light is sufficient.

    2. Air: First, ventilation and air permeability both inside and outside the pot. This is the most important point of all and must be addressed. The two rot diseases (orchid killers) are mainly caused by poor ventilation. Therefore, the pot should contain granular potting medium; when watering and ventilation are poor, use a fan to dry the moisture on the leaf surface or do not water. Second, temperature is best at 20-25 degrees, and 5-35 degrees is also acceptable; do not force it. Third, humidity is best at 60-80 degrees, and they can also be grown well above 20 degrees without scorched tips. Fourth, a larger day-night temperature difference is better; a small difference is also fine.

    3. Water: Keep the potting soil slightly moist (damp); generally it must not stay dry or wet for long periods. This is the most technical and hardest part to get right. In reality, orchids die more from overwatering than from drought. Generally speaking, in the peak growing season (spring and summer), when the air is dry, as long as ventilation is good, slightly moist soil is better.

    4. Fertilizer: apply light fertilizer frequently. Beginners are advised not to use fertilizer; as long as the potting soil contains some soft potting medium, it can meet their normal growth needs.

    III. Daily management

    1. Sourcing plants. It is best to source locally established, mature, and low-priced named varieties, as these are easier to manage. When buying online, look more and act less: first, check the seller's reputation; second, buy strong seedlings; third, do not buy wild-collected gamble plants. The winner will not be you.

    2. Potting medium. There are only a few conventional potting media. Match soft and hard materials sensibly according to the environment and growing habits; soft materials provide nutrition, hard materials provide ventilation. Remember: never agonize over whether there is enough nutrition.

    3. Watering. This is the hardest to explain. Veterans all say: "Water more with hard medium, water less with soft medium. Water more at high temperatures, water less at low temperatures. Water in the morning and evening in summer, at noon in winter. Water less for weak seedlings, more for strong seedlings." You must apply this dialectically. But never spray water at high temperatures when there is no wind; in the evening when there is wind, even drenching with lots of water is fine. There is no fixed schedule for watering; when it is cloudy and rainy, a month without watering is no problem. As long as the moisture inside the pot is well controlled, no matter how low the air humidity is, you can still achieve sealed tips. Do not agonize too much over watering; in short, spray less and drench more.

    4. Medication. Use less, use cautiously, or do not use. Of course, those who use medication frequently also have their reasons; no one can explain it clearly. However, once orchids show disease, deal with it promptly; once confirmed, be willing to give them up.

    5. Division of plants. Needless to say, by the time your orchids are ready to be divided, you are no longer a beginner.

    IV. Two insights

    1. There is no fixed method for growing orchids; it is about comprehensive application and balance.

    2. Keep a calm mindset. Never go learning sprouting methods or root-promoting formulas; just look at the related pictures and enjoy them. Is this pulling up seedlings to help them grow? Is this picking one in ten thousand? Or is it a commercial purpose?