I acquired my first Bulbophyllum at a grower exchange event, without really knowing what I was getting into. Only later did I discover that this is the largest genus…
After years of growing orchids only in conventional pots, I decided to try mounting an orchid on a wooden plaque, curious to better understand this method that I always saw in photos…
Masdevallia has a reputation that hinders more than it helps: "a difficult orchid, only for those with air conditioning." The part about temperature is true, but incomplete—and that…
In a well-intentioned attempt to accelerate the growth of an orchid that seemed a bit slow, I applied fertilizer at a higher concentration than recommended, thinking that "a…
I received my first Epidendrum as a small seedling, almost like just a handful of thin, unremarkable stems. I didn't expect much from that unassuming plant, but in a few months…
Every time I bring a new orchid home, I resist the temptation to immediately move it to a prettier pot or place it in its final position. I learned later…
The way most people diagnose orchids is the worst possible: they see a yellow leaf, search "yellow orchid leaf," find eight possible causes, and choose the…
Those who grow orchids in Europe or the United States need a heated greenhouse for much of the year. In Brazil, in much of the country, it's possible to do this…
I received a concerned question from a reader about a strange, irregular striped pattern on the leaf of a newly acquired orchid, a symptom that, after considerable research, I realized…
For a long time, I simply didn't know how to identify when an orchid really needed repotting, leaving some plants in the same substrate for too long until the problem...