Orchids

I would like to hear from any orchid growers, just had a 1 1/2 year old orchid bloom! I have had orchids for about 2 years now and live in Zone 8 in East Texas. I would like to grow my orchids outside and need to ask questions. We are usually very humid and hot, but this has been a nice cool summer and very rainy up to now. Thank you,

Janet

Ok so I don't know much about growing orchids but so far as I have heard about orchids they seem to be happiest when kept under constant conditions where you can control the light and moisture and ect. (I've always interpreted that as being an indoor plant, but that could be my zone 6 opinion)

Most orchids aren't going to survive zone 8 winters outside, you can definitely grow them outdoors during the warmer months if you want, but for the winter you'll need to bring them in.

Orchids grow on trees in tropical forests so are use to being sheltered from direct sun and grown in the bark type chunk mixtures can buy at garden centers. The pots that see them in are really just something to hold the mixture in. Can shelter by using shelves and something such as plexiglass. They need lots of air circulation and be careful not to overwater but lots of humidity. Can do that indoors by putting gravel in a plastic furniture protector and adding a little water. Up here water only once a week or when mixture very dry to touch. Not sure what average needs would be in your area. Indoors in zone 4b want days in 70s and nights in 60s. If you are a member suggest you go to orchid section to get more imput from others who grow in your zone. Ortho also has a book on growing orchids which would give you more information. There are huge variety of orchids and prices. Some are much more tricky to grow and extremely expensive. Some have much more beautiful blooms than others and some actually have an offensive odor. Take about 7 years from time are started until they first bloom which is why pricy and if want plants that are going to boom the first year buy. They do bloom for a very long time though and are very unique. There is actually a cultivar that grows wild in outdoors in soil in microclimate in one small area of Wisconsin but doesn't look at all like what traditionally think of as orchid. There may be others that grow in your area like that. Hopefully someone from Texas will see your thread and answer that.
They are challenging but unique and interesting to grow. Good luck.

Hi JBlizzard, you have done extemely well to get to the flowering stage off your orchid, to be honest, as suggested by other, you would be best going to your librery/book store for books on Orchids as there truly are some hundred or so different plants, lots need different soil type and growing conditions, they are as stated, tree dwellers, called Parasite as they grow off the food store and moisture from the trees they attach themselves to, however, a few grow on the soil/ground, so to be sure to gain the proper care for your little beauty, it would be wise to get a book to a) identify your plant and b) to give you the right growing tips and feeding needed for it's general care, I have a few I grow as house plants, but to be honest, mine seem to thrive on neglect, they just happen to be in the right light/shade, bought from the garden center Orchid compost as I did identify the type and they grow in an OPEN BASKET that allows the proper drainage and I mist the leaves often, other than that I just give an orchid feed when I remember, but the important thing for you is to find out your type of orchids needs, a lot of folks grow several on old cut up tree branches and set the branches into a large pot with heavy grit for stability with the orchids wired to the branches using moss and the orchid compost I mentioned and this gives a stunning effect, but books will tell/show all this info if you have the type that grows in these conditions, hope this gives you ideas to help you enjoy these wonderfull plants for many years to come, good luck. WeeNel.