Diy tips for gardening problems

Of the incredible array of flowering plants on our earth, orchids easily exercise the most fascination. Not only are they lovely, but their life stories often have a bit of mystery and wonder clinging to them. Although distributed widely, many can only be found in isolated or exotic locations–impenetrable rain forests, the sides of volcanoes, mucky swamps, as examples.

Beginning in earnest in the nineteenth century, orchid enthusiasts have devoted years and whole lifetimes to ferreting out as well as cultivating new varieties of these flowering delights. Although most orchids are gotten these days from growers that specialize in breeding the plants, many of them being produced through hybridizing, it is helpful to understand something of their origins in nature.

Orchids are herbacious plants of which tens of thousands of species are known, with more still being discovered.  They exhibit a startling range of color and form, which has contributed greatly to public interest. Master gardeners often delight in growing a wide range of orchids to demonstrate their mastery of the arts of cultivation.

Orchids grow in practically every part of the earth — the exceptions being the deserts and the polar regions. About 85% of species occur in tropical or subtropical regions, but this leaves a huge number that may be found in much cooler zones. In some parts of the Himalayan region, orchids make up the most abundant family of plants.

By far the greatest number of orchids occur in three large tropical belts:

• Tropical Africa (including islands to the east in the Indian Ocean). These largely belong to the genera (families) Angnecum, Bulbophyllum and Disa. Orchids from here have not been as widely cultivated as ones originating from the other tropical zones, but Africa nevertheless boats many species of interest.
• Tropical Asia. This region, which covers Indonesia and other islands, along with mainland Southeast Asia, is particularly rich in orchid genera. Typical of the region are the large genera Dendrobium, Eria and Bulbophyllum and many smaller ones as well.
• Tropical America. This region embraces Mexico, Central America and the tropical parts of South America. Isolated from other parts of the world for eons, this region has an especially large number of endemic genera of orchids, many of which include hundreds of species. Among the large indigenous genera are Epidendrum, Pleurothallis and Oncidium; many smaller genera found here also contribute more than their share to orchids that have found favor among cultivators the world over.

The temperate zones of the southern hemisphere also furnish many orchids, though not nearly so abundantly as do the tropics. In southern Africa the Disa and Calanthe genera furnish a few species judged valuable to cultivation. Australia has a number of genera in common with the tropical Asia. Southernmost South America boasts many temperate-zone orchids, but they are unfortunately overshadowed by those
from the much larger tropical part of thecontinent.

in the norhern hemisphere’s temperate areas, we should take note of the United States, particularly the New England/norhteastern region, as well as Canada. There you will find some 20 native genera, whose members grow particularly in swamps and other moist grounds. The most famous of these are the Cypripediuins or Lady Slippers.

Europe also has many native orchids, but undoubtedly the most famous and showy is the Bee Orchid (Ophrys apifera). The Bee Orchid grows on dry or semi-dry turf, often in open areas within woodlands. Bee Orchids are common near the Mediterranean coast of Europe, and grows (albeit less abundantly) as far north as Germany and the UK.

Orchids differ greatly in how easily they may be cultivated, although by and large they are not the difficult plants that common wisdom would have it. The most complete guide to modern orchid care, in the opinion of many, is Orchid Care Expert by Nigel Howard, which is available to be downloaded online. Mr. Howard’s ebook is a thorough course, helpful for beginners and more experienced cultivators alike. Also, be sure to visit the Orchid Secrets web site, which has an ever-growing library of postings on all facets of orchid cultivation.

Everybody “knows” that orchids are strictly tropical or subtropical plants. But in fact, orchids can be found in just about every part of the globe outside of the deserts and the polar regions.

About 85% of orchid types will inded be found in the tropics and subtropics, but that leaves a large proportion to the more temperate zones. Among other things, this means that you will not be out of luck if you live in a cool area and want to grow orchids, but do not have a hothouse or other warmed area in which do so so.

The number of orchid species known to botanists is in the tens of thousands. You might be surprised to learn that there might be wild orchids growing in your own neighborhood, even if you dwell in one of our more northerly regions. Take the relatively common Lady Slipper.

Lady Slippers (also written Lady’s Slippers and Ladyslippers) is the name given to a large subfamily of orchids, the Cypripedioidea, with many members that grow in cool climates over much of North America and Europe. If you live in the New England states of the U.S., or the Appalachian mountain region, or even in Canada, you might find Lady Slippers of one variety or another growing in the woods near your home.

One species of Lady Slipper is the state flower of Minnesota. Another is the official state wildflower of New Hampshire. The Canadian province of Prince Edward Island has a Lady Slipper as its official flower.

If you’re thinking of growing orchids, especially in an outdoor garden, you would do well to consider a native species. It will already be used to your specific climate, and–if you live in a place that has low temps in the winter–you might not even need to bring it inside when cold weather arrives.

One of the prettiest native-American orchids is the Yellow Lady Slipper. It is also among the easiest orchids to grow in a garden. On the other hand, the Pink Lady Slipper is extremely difficult to grow.  Both are beautiful, but unless you have had a lot of experience, you would be wise to go with the Yellow Lady Slipper.

Nurseries that specialize in orchid plants tend to run out of stock from time to time. Nevertheless, Lady Slippers are generally some of the easiest orchids to obtain. They’re also less expensive, for the most part, than orchid plants that originate in far-away places. They are a great orchid for getting your thumb green, so to speak, before you take on the rarer or more “foreign” species.

All of the rules governing successful orchid gardening apply to the Lady Slippers and similar plants. You need accurate information before you begin attempting to grow these or other orchids, and  the best, most thorough guide to modern orchid growing, hands down, is Orchid Care Expert by Nigel Howard, which can be downloaded online. Howard’s wonderful guide will provide a complete education on the subject. Also, visit the Orchid Secrets web site, which has a growing database of postings on all aspects of orchid cultivation.