Many orchids like abundant light, and grow best in bright light. Some may need filtered light during the hottest part of the day, and some may need filtered light all day.
How much: Orchids should be watered until water runs out the bottom of the pot.
How often: Orchids in osmunda fiber, shredded tree fern, or fir bark should be watered once a week during the growing and blooming season, and less often during the winter months. Orchids in soil mixes should be watered when the soil at the top is barely moist.
Grow epiphytic orchids (Cattleya, Laelia, Miltonia, Oncidium, Phalaenopsis, Vanda) in osmunda fiber, shredded tree fern, or fir bark. If using bark, orchids with large roots should be planted in coarse bark; those with smaller roots should be planted in medium-sized bark; those with small roots should be planted in fine bark. Epiphytic orchids may also be grown on pieces of tree fern to which sphagnum moss has been tied. Cymbidium, Epidendrum, and Paphiopedilum should be grown in an orchid mix or a mix containing 5 parts fine fir bark to 1 part standard orchid mix.
