Table of contents
- species
- General care tips
- companion plants
- identify deficiencies
- Buy garden orchids
The different types of garden orchids sometimes have very different requirements when it comes to their location, soil and care. That is why there are often mistakes in care that make a culture a failure. As a rule, hybrids are more tolerant than natural species (wild species). Outdoor orchids are best bought from specialist dealers. Here the plants are not only optimally prepared, but also important care instructions and site conditions are given, which can prove to be very helpful in cultivation.
species
Orchids are not only found in the tropics. A large number also grows in our latitudes. Some species are native to mountains or very calcareous soils, others prefer moist meadows near streams or even moors. At the beginning of the following list are the more robust garden orchids, which are more suitable for beginners, and the outdoor orchids are increasingly sensitive towards the bottom.
Gymnadenia (Organic Root)
Some species of the outdoor orchid Gymnadenia are also native to us and can be described as hardy. Overall, this garden orchid is one of the easier to care for and tolerant specimens and therefore well suited for beginners. A flower stalk usually consists of many (up to 50) small individual flowers with a characteristic orchid flower shape.
- Location: partially shaded, also tolerates full sun locations with appropriate soil moisture
- Soil: well drained, otherwise very tolerant
- grows on almost any normal garden soil, like sandy or calcareous
- Fertilizer: do not fertilize on humus rich soil, otherwise once a month
- Growth height: 30-65 centimeters
- generally frost hardy
- Cover with bark mulch in winter
- robust varieties: Gymnadenia conopsea, Gymnadenia odoratissima
Genus Bletilla (Japanese orchid)
One of the most beautiful genera of garden orchids is the bletilla. It originally comes from Asia (China, Japan) and is known as an outdoor orchid that is quite easy to cultivate. Bletilla is characterized by wonderfully filigree flowers in different colors. Some hybrids even tolerate frosts down to minus thirty degrees.
- Location: partially shaded, no midday sun
- Soil: quite tolerant of soil, neutral or slightly calcareous
- Substrate: Mixture of humic soil, sand, pieces of bark
- Growth height: 20-30 centimeters
- some species extremely cold-resistant (-30 degrees)
- no special winter protection necessary
- protect against moisture in winter (bark mulch, stretch foil if necessary)
- With good care, multiplies by itself and forms colonies
- robust varieties: Bletilla striata and Bletilla formosana
Calanthe
Although the calanthe is actually native to the tropical areas of Asia, Central America and Africa, however, breeders have now created a number of strains that are also suitable for outdoor cultivation are.
- Location: partially shaded
- Soil: well drained, slightly acidic
- hardy to about -10 degrees
- do not fertilize
- Hardy species: Calanthe discolor, Calanthe kozu hybrid, Calanthe reflexa
Genus Epipactis (Hellwort, Swampwort)
The site conditions of the orchid, some of which is also native to us, are very different. While species such as Epipactis Helleborine (Broad-Leaved Helleborine) are mainly found in the deciduous forests of Europe and Asia, but also on forest edges and Native to clearings, Epipactis palustris grows in distinctly wet areas and tolerates a bit more sun and acidic floors.
- Location: sunny to semi-shady
- Epipactis gigantea: calcareous soils
- Epipactis Helleborine: neutral soils but very tolerant
- Epipactis palustris: acidic to neutral soils
- Substrate: higher humus content possible, well permeable to water
- Growth height: 20-100 centimeters
- many species are frost resistant
- in good site conditions very vigorous
- some varieties require a root barrier
- most common species: Epipactis helleborine, gigantia and palustris
Pleione (mountain orchid)
The mountain or Tibetan orchid only occurs in a few species in nature, but countless hybrids have been bred from the pretty garden orchids. The orchids originally come from Southeast Asian monsoon areas. The variety of different flower colors is considerable.
- Location: shady to semi-shady
- Soil: lime-free and well drained, humic
- Flowering: some varieties in spring, others in autumn
- species that bloom early are usually not frost hardy (except Pleione limprichtii)
- somewhat critical during long, wet periods in winter (rotting)
- need a little more nutrients
- Fertilize very diluted every 3-4 weeks (between April and the end of July)
- cover with pine needles or peat in winter
- occasionally add a few horn shavings in addition to liquid fertilizer
- robust varieties: Pleione formosana, Pleione limprichtii
Dactylorhiza (orchid, fingerroot)
The genus Dactylorhiza includes about 40 different species and is found in the temperate zones of Europe, Asia and North Africa. The racemose inflorescence of the garden orchid is usually much more densely covered with flowers than in the other genera.
- Location: partially shaded, many species also tolerate full sun
- Soil: sandy, pH 6-7, low nutrient content
- good water permeability, both damp and rather dry locations possible
- can also be found in nature in dry grassland, on dunes or in swamps
- Growth height: 60-70 centimeters
- Fertilize: in nutrient-poor soils every 14 days with diluted orchid fertilizer (during flowering)
- Work a little compost or horn shavings into the soil in spring
- robust species: Dactylorhiza fuchsii and purpurella
Lady's slipper (Cypripedium, Phragmipedium)
One of the most striking orchid species, native almost exclusively to temperate latitudes with cool winters, is the genus Cypripedium. Of the almost 60 known species and varieties, along with around 200 hybrids, many have good frost tolerance. What they all have in common is the characteristic shoe-shaped petal, which is usually a strikingly light yellow colour. However, the lady's slipper is one of the sensitive garden orchids that only grow under optimal conditions and care conditions.
- Location: semi-shady to shady (not too dark)
- Soil: well drained, rather calcareous
- Growth height: 15-60 centimeters
- Fertilize: only very cautiously during flowering, lime the soil regularly
- very sensitive to high levels of salt and nutrients in the soil
- fertilize frequently during flowering with a low concentration (1/5 of the normal concentration of orchid fertilizer)
- robust varieties: Gisela, Michael, Ulla Silkiens, Cypripedium formosanum
General care tips
Garden orchids are a little more complicated than other bedding or garden plants in terms of their location, soil and care. They need a soil that allows rainwater to run off well, but can also store it, because the substrate of outdoor orchids must never really dry out. However, they react promptly to waterlogging with root rot. A substrate made of garden soil, sand and granulate is therefore best suited. To keep the moisture better in the ground, it is advisable to apply a layer of bark humus.
Conditions applicable to all species:
- Location: partially shaded
- high humidity
- moderate exposure to the sun should not be missing (never midday sun)
- Planting on the north side of a sparse, deciduous tree (shrub) is optimal
- Protection against heavy rain, hail and strong gusts of wind
- do not plant under a tree or shrub (must get light from vertically above)
- Leave the floor untreated if possible (do not rake)
- Soil: admixture of seramis, lava granules and sand, pH neutral (6.5)
- additionally: wood fibers or coconut fibers
- do not fertilize with compost
- Fertilize: better too little than too much, spring and summer with diluted orchid fertilizer
- do not fertilize at all in the first few years, then every 4-6 weeks
- Never let the soil dry out, do not produce waterlogging
Tip:
A watering stick (such as for Seramis hydroponics) can be used to control soil moisture in coarse substrate.
companion plants
Companion plants are an indispensable part of any orchid bed in the garden, but they must be selected very carefully. When it comes to the demands on soil, moisture and much more, they have to match the orchids and must not overgrow them or hinder root growth. These companion plants perform the following tasks:
- shading of the ground
- Elimination of superfluous nutrients
- increase in humidity
Tip:
Slow-growing plants that spread out like clumps and do not grow too high are particularly suitable for this. These include small hosts (hosts), lye flowers (cotula, leptinella), small spleen ferns, dwarf columbines or forest anemones.
identify deficiencies
Garden orchids rarely need to be fertilized, if at all. Nevertheless, deficiency symptoms can occur on one or the other floor:
- Nitrogen deficiency: yellowish, pale leaves
- Phosphorus deficiency: brownish-purple leaves, poorly developed roots
- Potassium deficiency: brown edges on the leaves
- Lack of lime: shoot tips and leaf edges dry up
- Iron deficiency: yellow leaves with green veins
Buy garden orchids
It goes without saying that no wild plants may be dug up from nature for the cultivation of orchids in your own garden. This is not only punishable because most specimens are under nature protection, but also because of failures crowned, since either the sensitive roots are damaged or the plant does not tolerate the change of substrate coped with. The best chance of successful cultivation is achieved by purchasing bred hybrids, which can be purchased from appropriately specialized breeders or dealers. When buying, make sure that you buy a variety that is frost hardy.
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