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TEMPERATURE:

      For growing Odontoglossum we would recommend:-

      Day      15 - 23 C (59 - 73 f)  

      Night      10 - 15 C (50 - 59 f)

  LIGHT:

      Your plant will be happiest in good light, but not in direct sunlight.

  WATERING:

      Where possible we would recommend using rainwater, particularly if your orchid is in sphagnum moss.

        If your orchid has been grown in peat and perlite it's important to let the compost dry out between waterings BUT if your plant has been raised in a rockwool mix, you should never let it dry out completely or the rockwool will harden.  If this happens, you'll have great difficulty getting the rockwool to hold enough water again.

        Plants grown in a sphagnum moss mix should be allowed to dry slightly before watering once more.

        Never stand the plant in excess water but make sure that it's allowed to drain away.  Be especially careful if the pot is placed inside another container where the water may get trapped.

  FEEDING:

      Feed your plant regularly with orchid fertiliser when you water. Every fourth watering leave out the fertiliser to allow any build up of salts to be washed from the compost.  Plants in poor condition should have very low levels of fertiliser, if any, until a substantial root system is reestablished.

  HUMIDITY:

      If you live in a dry atmosphere, standing the plant on a moist gravel tray will create a micro climate and assist growth.  Make sure that the base of the pot is above the water level.  Putting the pot on an upturned saucer would help lift it slightly.

  COMPOST:

      A well aerated, free draining mix is best. The commercial grower would be using either:-

a)    2 parts fibrous peat (the peat is brought to a pH of 6.2)

      1 part coarse perlite

      (Sometimes growers also add bark.)

or

b)      Rockwool and foam

      1 part rockwool - absorbent type

      1 part foam

(the foam should be suitable for plant growth, with no added chemicals like fire retardants)

or

c)    We have grown many of our young plants in a sphagnum and perlite mix with very good results.

  POTTING:

      This should be carried out between February and April for young plants and those not producing flower spikes, or in September for flowering size plants.  This need not be done every year.

  FLOWERS:

      Normally your plant will produce a single spike, although sometimes large mature plants will produce several.  The flowers may last five to seven weeks.  Peak flowering times are late autumn/winter or late spring.

        In order to get maximum pleasure from your plant in flower, place it in a cool corner.  When the plant has finished flowering cut the flower stem to within three centimetres of the base.

  OTHER HINTS:

*  Never stand your plant too close to a heater or radiator, nor in a draught.

*  Plants may lose the odd leaf from time to time. Don't worry.

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Last modified: February 01, 2006