A plant being grown in a heated home needs 
more humidity, since heating tends to dry out 
the atmosphere in a room. A daily spraying in 
the morning is beneficial, and another at noon 
may also be given. Once a week every plant 
may be given a good watering by placing it 
under the faucet. 
For those who live in very hot and dry 
areas of the country, or in excessively heated 
apartments, plants may be placed in dishes of 
wet gravel. This gives the plant constant 
humidity by the evaporation of the water thru 
the gravel. The method is to take a bowl, either 
of crockery, plastic, or metal, add about 2 to 3 
inches of bird gravel, chicken grit or pebbles. 
Then add about 1 inch of water. The potted 
Orchid plant may be placed right on the 
dampened gravel. The plant is not in water, but 
the evaporation true the gravel will greatly 
assist the plant to get the right humidity under 
extraordinary conditions of heat and dryness. 
LET THERE BE LIGHT.... 
The next most important thing in growing 
Orchids is Light. This may be in the form of 
filtered sunlight, as thru the venetian blinds, 
wooden slats, or the flickering of sunlight thru 
a small-leafed tree; or it may be diffused light, 
such as thru a lace curtain, obscured or painted 
glass. An Orchid plant should never be exposed 
to the direct rays of the sun either out in the 
open or thru clear glass. Remember, Cattleya 
Orchids are by heredity all jungle type of plants, 
and rarely are they found growing in the full 
sun, except by an accident of nature. 
Orchids must have Light to flower. They 
need no direct sunlight, just. light. The correct 
amount of light they need is easily determined. 
An Orchid plant receiving the correct amount of 
light will have light Nile green leaves. A plant 
not getting enough light will have dark green 
leaves. And a plant getting too much light will 
have yellowing leaves. Sunburn will quickly 
13 
