Carol Reese of the University of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service offers tips on growing orchids at home. Potting medium is very important for growing orchids successfully. Several commercial orchid potting mixes are available, made of perlite, charcoal and fir bark. Orchids are sometimes grown in pure charcoal, bark or sphagnum moss. Orchids are epiphytes, plants that grow upon other plants but don't draw food or water from them. In the wild orchids send their roots into the bark of trees to cling, not to steal nutrients. They receive nutrients from rainwater and from decomposing leaves that fall on them from the jungle canopy. We can duplicate those growing conditions at home, but it can be difficult to provide the humidity these tropical plants need. You can create your own miniature jungle in a large saucer, which will provide orchids with everything they need. Once the container is planted, place it in bright, indirect light. Begin by placing potted bog plants such as elephant's ear (Alocasia) and papyrus (Cyperus papyrus) so that they're sitting directly in the bottom of a large saucer. You may add some carnivorous plants if you like. They tend to be native to clear streams and bogs and should be watered with distilled water. Once the plants are in place on the bottom of the saucer, add some clean gravel. After putting gravel in the bottom of the saucer, place some large, flat rocks on top of the gravel to support the orchids. Orchids need perfect drainage, and the roots must never stand in water. The flat rocks provide a place to rest the potted orchids to keep them up out of the water. Once the plants are in place, add water to cover the bottom of the saucer, just to the base of the flat stones. The water will provide the perfect environment for the bog plants as well as humidity for the orchids. To water your miniature jungle, water the orchids in their pots so the water runs out of their containers and into the saucer. If you don't want the pots to show, cover them with rocks or sheets of moss.
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