UATILEYA 
YOU CAN GROW ORCHIDS 
For many years those who grew orchids thought or talked and wrote as if they 
thought that one must possess a number of special senses in order to even attempt 
the task of growing orchids. Now thousands of amateurs throughout the nation 
have thoroughly debunked this theory. Perhaps there was some excuse for the 
early growers forming this opinion when we consider the uniqueness and astound- 
ing beauty of orchids. So unique, so beautiful that the early growers could not 
quite consider them as plants in the normal sense and instead of employing the 
principals of culture of plants familiar to them they attempted to formulate a new 
set of procedures with little or no data to work on, became completely confused 
themselves, and confused everyone else. Amateurs have been successful in growing 
orchids in a wide variation of enclosures all the way from a glass box in the living 
room, an out-of-doors enclosure that was hardly big enough to turn around in to 
some quite spacious and artistically constructed greenhouses. First of all, remember 
that orchids are plants. Don’t be afraid of them. Overcome the greatest fear first 
which usually is how and when to water the plants. Water them the same as you 
would most any other potted plant and at about the same degree of dryness. The 
only difference is that the medium used for potting orchids holds more water longer 
than the medium used for dirt plants; therefore they will need watering less fre- 
quently. A safe rule is to make up your mind when the plant needs water, then 
water it the next day or the day after. Amateurs have been successful in growing 
orchids in a wide variety of materials — gravel, haydite and so on, but the standard 
material is osmunda fibre built firmly in the pot so as to leave the grain of the 
osmunda running vertical. Don’t worry about this task either. The chances are 
that you will pot your plant right if you approach the task with a relaxed do or die 
spirit. Provide about the same amount of shade that you would apply to ferns, 
caladiums or similar plants. The ideal day temperature is from 75° to 85° but 
short periods of near 100° will prove harmless if the enclosure is moist. A night 
temperature of 63° to 65° is best in Southern California. Northern and Eastern 
states of course should employ lower temperatures both day and night in the 
cooler months of the year and about the same as California in the summer. Top 
this off with maintaining a relative humidity of about 65% in daytime and you are 
a first-class orchid grower already. 
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