Top Tips for Choosing Orchid Planters
Top Tips for Choosing Orchid Planters
By Matt C Clarke
Orchid planters offer a slightly more stylish and decorative way of displaying your orchids than standard plastic pots or baskets often do.
There are a huge array of planters available to you so you should have no trouble finding one to suit your orchid. They come in all shapes and sizes with a huge range of designs, colours and textures. This is my brief guide on what to look for in a suitable orchid planter.
Buying a decent planter follows the same basic rules as any other orchid pot. The pot should be able to hold your orchids roots tightly but still allow good air flow and drainage when filled with a good potting media such as bark or sphagnum moss. Try not to buy a planter that is too large for your orchid, they won't appreciate the extra space.
An added advantage of using planters or at least planters designed for orchids is that they are usually made of clay which is naturally slightly permeable when turned into pottery. This is great for orchids as it will store a small amount of moisture and improve the humidity in the planter. As a rule orchids enjoy a high level of humidity and epiphytic orchids, those that grow clinging to the surface of trees, are specially adapted to absorb moisture from the air through their exposed roots.
Some planters will have glazed interiors, this can help prevent the orchid becoming too attached to the inside of the pot making it easier to remove when it comes time to re-pot it, reducing potential damage to the roots. Although in my opinion the benefits of a better adapted growing environment outweigh the potential risks of damaging your plant, if your careful when re-potting your orchid should be just fine.
A well designed planter should allow the roots of your orchid room to breathe. This can be achieved with various gaps or holes cut at different heights for ventilation around the planter. It's good if these gaps are placed at different levels because you want the whole of the root system to have a decent amount of unrestricted air flow.
My final tip is to make sure that your orchid will be supported adequately by the planter, you don't want your orchid to tip over. Fortunately planters are generally fairly heavy so should keep your orchid grounded. If your orchid is very tall or it's weight is distributed unevenly in a way that makes it liable to tip your planter over, try one with a wider base or you may need to use a stake for added support.
Matt Clarke has been gardening orchids now for well over seven years and enjoys every second. When he's not taking in the garden or spending time with his family he likes to write about caring for these amazing plants. You can visit his website at http://www.orchidgrowingcentre.com/ where you can find many more orchid care tips including more on orchid planters.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Matt_C_Clarke/769114
http://EzineArticles.com/?Top-Tips-for-Choosing-Orchid-Planters&id=5071966
By Matt C Clarke
Orchid planters offer a slightly more stylish and decorative way of displaying your orchids than standard plastic pots or baskets often do.
There are a huge array of planters available to you so you should have no trouble finding one to suit your orchid. They come in all shapes and sizes with a huge range of designs, colours and textures. This is my brief guide on what to look for in a suitable orchid planter.
Buying a decent planter follows the same basic rules as any other orchid pot. The pot should be able to hold your orchids roots tightly but still allow good air flow and drainage when filled with a good potting media such as bark or sphagnum moss. Try not to buy a planter that is too large for your orchid, they won't appreciate the extra space.
An added advantage of using planters or at least planters designed for orchids is that they are usually made of clay which is naturally slightly permeable when turned into pottery. This is great for orchids as it will store a small amount of moisture and improve the humidity in the planter. As a rule orchids enjoy a high level of humidity and epiphytic orchids, those that grow clinging to the surface of trees, are specially adapted to absorb moisture from the air through their exposed roots.
Some planters will have glazed interiors, this can help prevent the orchid becoming too attached to the inside of the pot making it easier to remove when it comes time to re-pot it, reducing potential damage to the roots. Although in my opinion the benefits of a better adapted growing environment outweigh the potential risks of damaging your plant, if your careful when re-potting your orchid should be just fine.
A well designed planter should allow the roots of your orchid room to breathe. This can be achieved with various gaps or holes cut at different heights for ventilation around the planter. It's good if these gaps are placed at different levels because you want the whole of the root system to have a decent amount of unrestricted air flow.
My final tip is to make sure that your orchid will be supported adequately by the planter, you don't want your orchid to tip over. Fortunately planters are generally fairly heavy so should keep your orchid grounded. If your orchid is very tall or it's weight is distributed unevenly in a way that makes it liable to tip your planter over, try one with a wider base or you may need to use a stake for added support.
Matt Clarke has been gardening orchids now for well over seven years and enjoys every second. When he's not taking in the garden or spending time with his family he likes to write about caring for these amazing plants. You can visit his website at http://www.orchidgrowingcentre.com/ where you can find many more orchid care tips including more on orchid planters.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Matt_C_Clarke/769114
http://EzineArticles.com/?Top-Tips-for-Choosing-Orchid-Planters&id=5071966
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