LIGHT TIPS
Light is a key ingredient in sucessful orchid growing. Too much light willburn the leaves, too little light - or light at the wrong time - will keep the plants from flowering. Follow these tips to make sure your plants are receiving the illumination they need to grow and bloom.
      - Turn plants occasionally to keep them from becoming lopsided. Don't
        turn them when they are in bud, though, or the flowers may twist around
        at awkward angle to face the sun.

      - Move an underexposed orchid into stronger light one step at a time over
        aperiod of several weeks. If you are using a light mater, try to increase
        the light intensity by no more than 100 to 200 footcandles at a time.

      - Remove plants from full sun once their flowers have opened. Bright
        sunlight can make the colors fade.

      - Watch new acquisitions closely to be sure they don't burn before they
        adapt to a possibly stronger eposure than that to which they were
        accustomed.
 
      - If you suspect a plant is receiving too much sun, feel the leaves. If to
        the touch of your fingers they feel noticeably warmer than the
        surrounding air, reduced the light intensity.

      - Be sure to keep your plants and windows clean- dust and dirt block
        valuable sunlight and rob your indoor garden of sustenance.

      - Some orchids need a period of uninterrupted darkness at night in order
        to flower. Plants growing in a living area may be prevented from
        flowering by the illumination of a single table lamp.

TEMPERATURE TIPS
Temparatures can vary considerably within a given growing area.
      - At night, the temparature is coolest next to the windows and near the
         floor. warmest air in the room. You can take advantage of these
         small-scale variations in temparature or eliminate them by mixing the
         air with a fan. When in dout, place a maximum-minimum thermometer
         in the area so you will know precisely what temparature your plants are
         experiencing within 24-hour period.

       - Place orchids with lower temparature needs closer to the floor and
         those with higer temparature needs on shelves above them. Those on
         the top shelf will likely experience the highest temparatures.

       - Hang plastic curtains around windows to create microclimates that are
         cooler at night and warmer during the day.

       - Don't let plants touch the windows in the winter in cold regions.

       - Use a fan to circulate warm air or bring cool air in from another part of
         the house.

       - Be on the alert for any hot or cold drafts that may blow directly on
         your orchids.

Temperature Requirements
The chart at right shows the ideal night temperature ranges for the kinds of orchids. You will notice that many kinds will grow in more than one temperature category. This may be a reflection of the orchid's adaptability, or it may be a result of plant breeding; many hybrids are much more adaptable than their parents. For example, a hybrid produced by crossing a cool growing parent with an intermediate growing parent may grow well in either temperature range.

HUMIDITY TIPS
There are many ways to increase the humidity in a growing area. Here are some pointers for care of evaporation trays and some ideas for maintaining the moisture in the air around your plants.
      - Remove the pebbles two or three months evaporation tray every two or
         three months and wash them in a weak bleach solution to remove
         accumulated salts and algae. Do not add bleach or algaecide to water
         in the trays when they are in use.

       - Use a turkey baster to remove any excess water from the evaporation
         trays afer you water your plants.

       - Mist your plants only if they will have plenty of time to dry off before
         nightfall.

       - Plants themselves are effective humidifiers. Group your plants to create
        an attractive display and humid microclimate,but don,t place them so
        close that they restrict air circulation.

POTTING TIPS
Potting an orchid is fun. You get to hold the plant, look at it from all sides, and prune and wash the roots. Here are some tips to help you master this enjoyable process:
      - Sift or wash the splinters and dust out of fir bark or tree fern before use.
         Otherwese, the smallest particles will settle to the bottom of the pot
         and clog the air spaces.

       - Always sterilize tools with a propane torch before working on each
         plant to avoid spreading viral diseases from one plant to another.

       - Place a plastic bag over a newly potted plant to help maintain humidity.
         To allow some air flow, don,t close the bag completely, and cut a few
         small holes in the plastic on all sides of the plant. Don,t allow direct
         sunlight to strike the covered plant-the trapped heat will roast it.

       - Never use ordinary, all purpose potting soil for orchids.

       - Label plants immediately after potting them, otherwise names and tags
         are easily lost and often impossible to match up again.

      - Cymbidium pseudobulbs are held close together by tough rhizomes.
        Bend and twist the bulbs apart to separate them, then cut through the
        rhizome with a knife.

      - To pot successfully, let this be your motto: Make haste with deliberate
        slowness.

WATERING TIPS
The old expression, "He who holds the hose, grows the rose," also applies to
orchids, but only to the extent that proper watering is the key to success. Here are some suggestions to help you master this all important aspect of orchid care.
      - Before you water a plant, lift the pot to see how much it weighs. With
        some practice, you will be able to tell whether the plant needs water
        simply by hefting it.

       - Water your plants in the morning so that the excess water will
         evaporate rapidly.

       - All other things being equal. Plants in clay pots or small pots will
         generally require water more often than will plants in plastic pots or
         large pots.

       - You can tell if a pseudobulbous orchid is receiving enough water by
         lookintg at the pseudobulbs. The youngest pseudobulb shoud remain
         plump, but the older ones may shrink slightly between waterings
         without harm.

       - As a potting medium ages, the air spaces in it shrink, making it retain
         more water. Thus, newly repotted plants need to be watered more often
         than those that have been in the same growing medium for a while. In a
         collection of many plants, it will help at watering time if those in aged
         potting medium are separated from those that have been recently
         potted.

FERTILIZER TIPS
      - Most fertilizer problems result from too much rather than too little
         fertilizer. Keep in mind that in the wild. Orchids grow in a lean regime.
         If the tips of the leaves become dry and blackened. You may be
         overfertilizing. Cut off the burned tips with sterilized scissors and pour
         plenty of fresh water through the medium to flush out the excess
         fertilizer. If the symptoms are severe, repot the plant with fresh medium
         regardless of the time of year.

       - Fertilize only when the plants are actively growing - in other words,
         fertilize only when the season and growing conditions are conducive to
         active growth.

       - Always use a measuring spoon when adding fertilizer; guessing leads
         to overfertilizing!

       - Don,t fertilize plants suffering from too little water or damaged roots.
         Water them with plain water until they recover.

       - Water plants immediately before fertilizing to prevent injury from
         fertilizer salts. Resist the urge to "push" your plants with extra fertilizer.
         Extra fertilizer actually stunts plants.

       - It is generally thought that it is better to fertilize orchids with nitrogen
         derived from sources other than urea. If in doubt about the source, read
         the label on the container.

       - Until you settle on one or more fertilizers that give you the results you
         want with your orchids, try products labeled specifically for orchids or
         purchase the fertilizers sold by specialist orchid growers.