Page 65 - Panama City Living Magazine

A greenhouse behind Jonnie Smallman’s house is where she keeps many of her beloved orchids and protects them when the weath- er gets cold. Orchids can be found everywhere in the Smallman household – in various locations throughout her home and even hanging from small trees in the back yard. “You can bring the girl out of the tropics, but not the tropics out of her yard,” the South Florida native jokes.Growing Tropical Orchids in Northwest FloridaOrchids are perennial. If treated properly, they can be enjoyed for many years. Most of the plants commonly for sale in stores are native to the tropics. In the wild, these orchids grow on structures such as trees or rocks instead of in the ground. Orchids have ae- rial roots that, in addition to absorbing water and nutrients, are adapted to hold them in place on these structures. In the wild, they get plenty of light and air circulation and never sit in standing water. These conditions should be mimicked as much as possibleto successfully grow them in a home or Northwest Florida garden.“Orchids are not hard to grow once you know how,” says Jon- nie. She recommends orchids to be potted in a porous medium that allows some contact with air, drains quickly and decompos- es slowly. Materials commonly used for growing orchids include dried plant bers (for example dried coconut husks) rocks, and bark. According to Jonnie, the most common mistake people make is overwatering which leads to rotting. “Wait to water until the growing media is almost dry. I generally water once or twice a week, letting the water drain from the pots. Indoor growers can take them to a sink to drain, or they can set the plants in a tray, emptying the tray after watering, so the plants do not sit in the water. Orchids prefer bright light in order to ower. Dark green leaves on an orchid may be an indication that it needs more light.” Orchids should also be repotted every few years as de- composing medium material can cause the plant to decline.”www.PanamaCityLiving.com • March - April 2018 • 65