ORCHIDS FOR DUMMIES

Title Page
Copyright Page
Table of Contents
Introduction
	About This Book
	Foolish Assumptions
	Icons Used in This Book
	Beyond This Book
	Where to Go from Here
Part 1 Welcoming Orchids into Your Life
	Chapter 1 Discovering the World of Orchids
		Understanding What Makes an Orchid an Orchid
		Knowing Where Orchids Come From
		Seeing Why You Should Grow Orchids
		Deciding Which Orchids to Bring into Your Home
		Identifying Orchids by Name
			Species orchid names
			Hybrid orchid names
		Recognizing What Makes an Orchid an Award Winner
		Growing Orchids Easy As One, Two, Three
			January
			February
			March
			April
			May
			June, July, and August
			September
			October
			November and December
	Chapter 2 Choosing the Right Orchid for You
		Figuring Out Where to Shop
			Specialist orchid growers or suppliers
			Your local garden center
			Orchid shows
			Online orchid suppliers
			Home centers and discount stores
		Considering Your Environment
			Taking temperature readings
			Measuring your light intensity
			Asking yourself these questions
		Growing Tropical Orchids Outdoors
		Knowing What to Look for in an Orchid
			Choosing a healthy plant
			Deciding between a blooming plant and a young plant
			Choosing seed-grown orchids or orchid clones
			Selecting orchids with a sweet scent
		Isolating Your New Orchid after You Bring It Home
	Chapter 3 Having the Right Tools on Hand
		Focusing on Cutting and Pruning Tools
			Pruners
			Knives and blades
		Considering Potting Tools and Supplies
			Potting tools
			Potting supplies
		Identifying Watering Accessories
			Water breakers
			Water-flow regulators
			Hoses
			Watering cans
			Sprayers and misters
			Fertilizer injectors
			Deionization and reverse osmosis units
		Looking At Humidifiers, Heaters, and Ventilation Equipment
			Humidifiers
			Ventilation
			Heating
			Thermometers and hygrometers
	Chapter 4 How I Love Thy Orchid: Enjoying the Orchid’s Beauty
		Caring for Orchids in Their New Home
			If the plant is in bloom
			If the plant is not in bloom
		Staking and Grooming Your Blooming Orchids
			Figuring out how to stake
			Helping your orchids look their best
			Displaying orchid plants in your home
			Arranging orchid flowers
Part 2 The Basics of Orchid Parenthood
	Chapter 5 Providing the Right Growing Environment
		Let There Be Light! Recognizing Natural Light Sources
			Exploring the ins and outs of light
			Listening to your orchids
		Comprehending Some Basic Light Terminology
		Considering Artificial Light Sources
			Fluorescent lights
			High-intensity-discharge lights and high-intensity commercial LED lights
			LEDs — The new kids on the block
		Figuring Out Which Type of Lights Are Your Best Option
		Knowing How Much Light Your Orchids Need
		Growing Orchids Under Lights — Tips and Tricks to Remember
		Humidity: Orchids’ Favorite Condition
		Providing Ventilation — Fresh Air, Please!
			Ceiling fans
			Oscillating fans
			Muffin fans
		Looking Closer at Orchid Temperature Requirements
			Too-low temperatures
			Too-high temperatures
		Giving Your Orchids a Summer Vacation
			A shade house
			A portable greenhouse
			Some orchids enjoy hanging out
	Chapter 6 Watering and Fertilizing Orchids
		Understanding the Art of Watering Orchids — Water, Water Everywhere
			The type of pot
			The type of potting material
			The age of the potting material
			Whether the orchid is pot-bound
			The growing environment
			The temperature
			The amount of ventilation
			Whether the orchids are growing or dormant
			The type of orchid
		Knowing What Works — Watering Your Orchid
			Using the pot-weighting method
			Watering your orchids — Tips and tricks
		Over- or Underwatering: Roots Tell the Story
			Figuring out whether watering is the problem
			Rescuing and resuscitating your orchid
		Considering Fertilizers — Not Magic Potions
			Knowing what to look for in orchid fertilizers
			Identifying types of fertilizers and how to use them
	Chapter 7 The ABCs of Potting Materials, Containers, and Repotting
		Choosing Potting Materials
			Knowing your potting material options
			Figuring out which potting materials are best
			Getting your hands on some not-so-secret recipes
			If mixing your own isn’t your thing
			Getting your potting material ready to use
		Giving Your Orchids a Home: Potting Containers
		Repotting Orchids without Fear
			Knowing when you should repot
			Orchid potting — step by step
	Chapter 8 Two, Four, Six, Eight, Let Your Orchids Propagate: Multiplying Your Orchids
		Dividing Your Orchids
		Giving Babies a New Home
		Producing New Plants from Cuttings
		Growing Orchids from Back Bulbs
	Chapter 9 Keeping Your Orchids Pest- and Disease-Free
		Preventing Problems Before They Start
		Besting the Bugs
			Identifying common orchid pests
			Finding safe and effective pest-control measures
		Identifying Fungal and Bacterial Infections
			Noticing when your orchid is sick
			Handling a sick plant
Part 3 The Best Orchids for Rookies
	Chapter 10 Moth Orchids: The Best Choice for Beginners
		Examining Why People Grow Moth Orchids
			Understanding why they’re so popular
			Making them even more appealing: Hybrid moth orchids
		Mirror, Mirror on the Wall: The Beauty of Moth Orchids
			The Leaves
			The flowers’ shapes
			Flower colors
			Scents
			Size — Small is beautiful
			Answering the call of the wild
		Oh, Give Me a Home . . .: Cultural Requirements
	Chapter 11 The Quintessential Orchids: Cattleyas and Their Relatives
		From the Jungles to Your Home
			Focusing on some selected cattleya species
			Recognizing some selected species that used to be called Laelias
			Looking at other cattleya relatives
		The Queens of the Ball: Cattleya Hybrids
			Pristine whites
			Purples, pinks, lavenders, and blues
			Hot reds and oranges
			Sunny yellows
			Cool greens
			Bring out the clowns: Splash petals and flares
			Fashionable art shades
		Exploring the Miniatures: The Minicatts
			Identifying the key players
			Naming some of their prized children
	Chapter 12 Lovely from Flower to Root: Lady’s Slipper Orchids
		Slipping into a Lady’s Slipper
			Seeing what lady’s slippers have to offer
			Giving your lady’s slipper a good home
			Getting lady’s slippers to bloom
		Straight from Nature: Bumps, Warts, Hairs, and All
			Paphiopedilum bellatulum
			Paphiopedilum callosum
			Paphiopedilum delenatii
			Paphiopedilum dianthum
			Paphiopedilum fairrieanum
			Paphiopedilum glaucophyllum
			Paphiopedilum hirsutissimum
			Paphiopedilum spicerianum
			Paphiopedilum sukhakulii
			Paphiopedilum venustum
		One Step Removed from Nature: Primary Hybrids
			Some superior primary hybrids
			Marvelous Maudiaes
			Huge and round: Modern hybrid lady’s slippers
			A different kind of slipper orchid
	Chapter 13 Dancing Ladies: Oncidiums and Their Relatives
		Taking a Closer Look at the Ladies
			Oncidiums from the wild
			Hybrid oncidiums
			Miniature oncidiums or tolumnias
		Pansy Orchids: Miltonias and Miltoniopsis
			Growing them with success
			Miltonias
			Miltoniopsis
		Other Members of the Club: The Oncidium Alliance
			Orchid spiders: Brassias
			Butterfly orchids: Psychopsis
			Sigmatostalix
			Trichopilias
		Mixing It Up
			Trying to make sense of these orchids
			Identifying a few popular ones
	Chapter 14 Considering Some Significant Others
		A Huge and Interesting Lot: Dendrobiums
			Naming the most popular dendrobiums
			Considering some other Dendrobiums
			Listing some popular hybrids
		Weird and Wonderful Relatives: Bulbophyllum
		Orchid Miscellanea: All the Rest
			Angraecoids
			Catasetums
			Cochleanthes
			Coelogynes
			Cymbidiums
			Lycastes
			Vandas and some of their close cousins
			The small-growing vandas
			Zygopetalums
	Chapter 15 Hardy Orchids That Laugh at the Cold
		Focusing on Exotic and Easy Terrestrial Orchids
			Chinese ground orchids
			Calanthes
			Spiranthes
		Identifying Hardy Slipper Orchids — Not Easy, But So Worth It
			Easy-to-grow North American natives
			More adventuresome hardy slippers
		Dipping Your Toe In — A Few Others to Try
Part 4 The Part of Tens
	Chapter 16 The Ten (or So) Easiest Orchids to Grow
		Moth Orchids
		Lady of the Night
		Maudiae Type Lady’s Slipper Orchid
		Cockleshell Orchid
		Sharry Baby Oncidium
		Twinkles Oncidium
		Mari’s Song Cattleya
		Fan-Shape Orchid
		Phalaenopsis Dendrobium
	Chapter 17 Ten Common Reasons That Orchids Die (and How to Avoid ’em)
		Overwatering
		Underwatering
		Too Much Light or Heat
		Leaving Orchid Foliage Wet Overnight
		Too Much Fertilizer
		Improper Use of Pesticides
		Insect Infestation
		Purchase of Sick Plants
		Poor Water Quality
		Inadequate Ventilation
	Chapter 18 The Ten Most Frequently Asked Questions about Orchids
		Are Orchids Difficult to Grow?
		Why Should I Grow Orchids?
		Do I Need a Greenhouse to Grow Orchids?
		Are Orchids Expensive?
		How Long and How Often Will Orchids Bloom?
		What Makes an Orchid an Orchid?
		Are Orchids Fragrant?
		Where Can I See the Best Collections of Orchids?
		Are Any Orchids Hardy?
		Are Orchids Parasites?
	Chapter 19 The Ten Most Common Reasons Why Orchids Don’t Bloom
		Not Enough Difference between Day and Night Temperatures
		Too Moist during the Winter
		Too Little Light
		Excessively High or Low Temperatures
		Not Using a Fertilizer or Using One with Too Much Nitrogen
		Immature Plants
		Too Low Humidity
		Disease, Insects, or Mice
		Not Enough Water
		Recently Transplanted and Divided
Appendix A Additional Orchid Resources
Appendix B English-Metric Conversion Tables
Index
Supplemental Images
EULA