Six Guidelines For Choosing the Right Plants For Your Orchid Garden

By Brenda Stevens

So you have decided that you want to take care of orchids – congratulations! You are that much closer to having a paradise-like garden at home, with different orchids in full bloom.

But before you go shopping for new orchids, take some time to read our guidelines to ensure that what you will be getting will be a healthy orchid that is capable of blooming beautifully during the growing season.

Buying an orchid is a bit like buying wine – you can pick up any old orchid along the way, or you can take some time to find the really good specimens from quality orchid suppliers.

Orchids are generally beautiful – but if you want something with longevity that will survive for years, you really must take some time in choosing the supplier. Ask your friends for any good referrals – this usually works best in the preliminary effort of finding good orchid suppliers.

Should you purchase orchids that are already in full bloom? The majority of first-time orchid buyers like the idea of a fully-bloomed orchid because it provides instant beauty to any garden – the flowers are already there!

But take note of the possible consequence of buying an orchid that has already bloomed: variants like the phalaenopsis often produce flowers to the point that they are unable to recover the next blooming season. Yes – orchids can actually grow flowers to death.

So from the perspective of seasoned orchid growers and enthusiasts, an orchid that is in full bloom may actually be an orchid that is about to expire. So be cautious when being offered such specimens – there may be a reason why the supplier is so eager to sell the specimen for a discounted price.

If you want to buy an orchid that is already in full bloom, ask the supplier how old the plant is. If the supplier says “Oh, maybe 3 or 4 years old,” do not buy the orchid.

Because usually, orchids produce beautiful sprays of flowers for years at a time then suddenly go into sudden growth arrest and expire. If the orchid is only a year old or less, then there might be a chance that the orchid will bloom again the next growing season.

You can also approach this issue using your basic intentions for buying new orchids. Do you want something to decorate your garden for a few months? If so, you can buy any orchid in full bloom, regardless of the age of the plant.

Do you want something that would live for years at a time? Then do not buy orchids that are already in full bloom, because there is a risk that the orchid will not be able to survive for many years.

Ready to pick your new orchids? Follow our tips:

1. To check if the orchid has attached itself firmly to the available plant media, use the “wiggle test”. The wiggle test is simply holding the plant near the roots (not the roots itself) and shaking it gently.

If the orchid has been able to send out its root network firmly into the potting material/potting base, the base will be firmly attached to the roots. Be careful not to separate attached roots from the base material, though.

Orchids like cattleya and brassavola, as well as dendrobium can be inspected easily using the wiggle test. What if you find some roots sticking out from near the top of the potting material?

This is okay as long as the entire plant appears to be healthy and actively growing. If the potting seems inappropriate or inadequate, you can still buy the orchid as long as you re-pot it once you get home.

2. The most important part of an orchid is its root network. The complex root network is responsible for anchoring the orchid to the potting material and transmitting the moisture, minerals and other nutrient from the potting material, too. If the roots are damaged, the plant suffers, plain and simple.

Healthy roots usually look light green when relatively dry. When wet, roots can become dark green. If the roots of the orchid appear tan (or light brown) or white, then the orchid can be approaching expiration/death.

Do not buy the orchid. More so if the roots of the orchid appear disheveled and very dry. This means that the roots are no longer drawing water from the base material. If you see such roots, you can be sure that the orchid will not be able to survive for a very long time.

3. Next to the roots, the leaves of the orchid are also of paramount importance to the survival of the orchid. Take note of the following when inspecting the leaves of orchid plants:

- Slightly yellow-green leaves are fine – as long as the yellowing does not extend to the whole plant, including the stems. If you want a good color guide, just look at green apples. The color of the common green apple is ideal for orchids.

- Glossy leaves may be a sign that the orchid has been given too much fertilizer. You can still buy the orchid, but the blooming capacity of the orchid may have already been affected.

- As for the physical appearance and feel of the leaves, look for orchids with leaves that are firm and hard – sure signs that the orchid is in active state and is healthy.

- Check the leaves to make sure there are no blemishes. Discolorations and small holes usually point to pest problems. If the structural damage to the orchid is significant, then the plant is definitely a no-no.

- Check other orchids from the same supplier to see if the same blemishes are present. If so, then do not buy from the supplier at all. Look for another supplier who knows how to control orchid pests.

- Inspect the orchid’s leaves to ensure that there are no soft, mushy or rotting parts.

4. After inspecting the health of the leaves, it’s time to check the growth bulbs of the orchid. The growth bulbs are the points where new stems and flowers can grow.

Some orchids (e.g. phalaenopsis) have just one growth point. Others, like the cattleya plant utilize elongated rhizomes for growth. When buying new orchids, always check to see if the bulbs (the newest bulbs are called “pseudo bulbs”) are healthy-looking and plump.

5. What about the number of unopened blooms? If you want to enjoy your orchids longer, avoid orchids that have already bloomed completely. Orchids with some opened buds and some closed buds are a good choice – because you would be able to enjoy the orchid’s blooming in the coming weeks.

6. It would be best if you can find a supplier that actually marks the orchids with their scientific names (or at least, their popular common name e.g. chocolate orchid, bumblebee orchid, etc.).

Some suppliers simply write “blooming orchids” on the tags of the orchids – these tags are least helpful because they do not actually identify the genera or species of the orchids.