The Wanneroo Orchid Society

                                      Orchids Are Easy To Grow

The myth that orchids are difficult to keep in cultivation, began in the 18th century when orchids were first sent to England and other European countries. These orchids were collected from the tropics, where they grew wild on trees, but attempts to grow them in the cold northern latitudes, often led to disaster. Thus the myth had begun.

Common sense would tend to dictate that tropical orchids would hardly thrive in the cold climates of Europe. But the orchid growers of those times, were not deterred from their determination, and the fact that they were all extremely wealthy was an enormous asset. So they set to, and built elaborate glasshouses, with boiler rooms to heat water that was then piped in to the glasshouse, creating a tropical climate. And to this day, people in Europe who wish to grow tropical orchids, must still take these kind of precautions.

We, however, do not live in a cold climate. Many orchids can be grown in Perth

suburbs, and indeed are, with no great difficulty at all. Part of the myth is that all

orchids are tropical. Nothing could be further from the truth. Orchids can be found growing wild in most countries of the world. Many orchids come from countries with cooler climates than ours, and these orchids will thrive in a shadehouse in your back garden.

The secret, if there is one, to successful orchid growing in the Perth region, is to

understand the needs of the orchids and fulfill those needs. And those needs are few. Most require some shade from our fierce sun, and this can be achieved with the use of relatively inexpensive shadecloth. 

Not understanding their water requirements, often lead to the downfall of the

inexperienced orchid grower. Most orchids are 'epiphyts'. They grow on trees in their native state with their roots in the open. These roots adhere to the bark of their host tree, and only get wet when it rains. They are able to dry out for short periods, with no adverse effect on the whole plant. The major cause of orchid deaths is overwatering. They should be watered and allowed to almost dry out before watering again. And your orchids require watering more often in the summer than in the winter, when they can go for weeks, and in some cases, months between watering. In our hot and dry summers, the trick is to water two or maybe three times a day. The daytime humidity is very low, and you can help your orchids by watering the area around them as well. The evaporation increases the humidity in the air. These are simple, basic things that you can do to keep your orchids growing and flowering well.

Thousands of Western Australians are enjoying the pleasure of their own home grown orchids in the houses and gardens of Perth. Orchids are no longer only for the rich, as they are available at reasonable prices in supermarkets, hardware stores and orchid nurseries around the state.

                                                                            Tony Watkinson