Orchid Temps and indoor Humidity
Due to the many varieties and types of orchids it is recommended to start with an orchid, or orchids, that come from as close an environment to the one you will be growing them in. As with many other aspects of orchid care, to get your orchid temperature and humidity optimized, you need some knowledge of the native habitat your particular orchid comes from.
Having said that lets look at some generalities for optimising your orchid temperature and humidity. I will assume most new orchid enthusiast will not be building a Greenhouse. Most orchids will grow happily inside or outside the house and most are quite resilient and adapt quite easily to un-natural conditions such as your garden, inside your house or on a windowsill.
Orchid Temperature Categories
Following are some general orchid temperature ranges and a few examples of suitable orchids for each one.
- Warm Growing Orchids
- Moderate or Intermediate Growing Orchids
- Cool Growing Orchids
Having dealt with temperature and growing conditions we need to look at humidity which goes hand in hand with orchid temperature. Humidity is the amount of water contained in the air that is around our orchids. As most orchids come from fairly high humidity regions it helps to re-create as much moisture in the air as possible.
Keeping It Humid
Most plants get some moisture from the surrounding air and orchids more so. If you already live in a high humid area you obviously won’t need to concern yourself too much with humidity or watering. However many people live in areas of low humidity (especially outside summer) and will need to find ways of improving humidity.
Following are a few simple ideas to increase humidity.
Humidity Trays – are an excellent choice for increasing the humidity surrounding your orchid. You can purchase humidity trays from most garden centers or nurseries, but it is also possible to use a few items from around the house. By placing your orchid above a large bowl or tray, with water in it, you will enable your orchids to absorb moisture as it evaporates from the tray. Make sure your orchid pot is elevated above the water to allow any excess water to drain from it.
Keep Them Close – By placing your orchids close to each other you will help trap the humidity and also help control the surrounding orchid temperature. Make sure you don’t place your orchids too close together as they still require the air to circulate freely around them.
Humidifier – You can purchase an inexpensive humidifier which will provide the humidity your orchids require. If you have small children you may already have one for when your child has a blocked nose or cold.
Spray Bottle – This is a very simple way to keep up humidity around your orchid. Spraying the leaves and the area around the plants will increase humidity.
Just by following these simple guidelines to control your orchid temperature and humidity requirements, you will enhance the chances of beautiful orchids year in, year out. Before you buy an orchid ask the supplier which one is best for your environment or how you can best adjust the environment to grow your preferred orchid.
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