PHALAENOPSIS
Growing Tips
- Isolate affected plants
- Reduce irrigation
- Increase air circulation
- Spray bactericide 1 gm in 4 litres water at 10 – 20 days interval.
DENDROBIUM, ONICIDIUM, CATTLEYA – ORCHIDS
How to Plant

The roots of the dendrobium will come out of the pot. This is good as orchids take most of the nutrients from the air.
Humidity & Temperature : Tropical orchids like Dendrobiums thrive in High Humidity. Dendrobiums grow best at a temperature ranges 25-30°C.
Light : Dendrobiums need lots of light, but not direct sun. 50% shade is recommended. Keep the pot in a location that gets morning sun but shaded in the afternoon. Yellowish or Light green leaves indicates too much light. Dark green leaves indicate too less light. Parrot green is the right colour of the plant.
Water : Water your orchids in the morning so that the leaves are dry before night. Too much water can kill the plant. It’s best to allow medium to almost dry out between watering. Check the medium with your finger – if you feel moisture do not water. Do not let the plants stand in water. Water at least once a day by spraying the leaves with a sprayer. Fertilizer also can be sprayed same way. In hot dry months watering can be done twice a day but plants should be dry by evening.
Fertilizer : 30.10.10(High Nitrogen) – for better growth -3 gms per ltr, twice in a week, Foliar spray. 13.27.27 (Low Nitrogen) –for flowering size plants -3-4gms per liter, twice in a week
Pests& Diseases : Pests can be controlled by spraying systemic insecticide like Confidor @ 1.5ml per litre of water. Mites can be controlled by sparying Dicofol @ 1.5ml per litre of water. Fungal diseases can be controlled by spraying Contaf Plus @ 2ml per litre of water. Snails and slugs can be controlled by placing Snail Kill pellets in the pots.
DENDROBIUM, ONICIDIUM, CATTLEYA – ORCHIDS
How to Plant

The roots of the dendrobium will come out of the pot. This is good as orchids take most of the nutrients from the air.
Humidity & Temperature : Tropical orchids like Dendrobiums thrive in High Humidity. Dendrobiums grow best at a temperature ranges 25-30°C.
Light : Dendrobiums need lots of light, but not direct sun. 50% shade is recommended. Keep the pot in a location that gets morning sun but shaded in the afternoon. Yellowish or Light green leaves indicates too much light. Dark green leaves indicate too less light. Parrot green is the right colour of the plant.
Water : Water your orchids in the morning so that the leaves are dry before night. Too much water can kill the plant. It’s best to allow medium to almost dry out between watering. Check the medium with your finger – if you feel moisture do not water. Do not let the plants stand in water. Water at least once a day by spraying the leaves with a sprayer. Fertilizer also can be sprayed same way. In hot dry months watering can be done twice a day but plants should be dry by evening.
Fertilizer : 30.10.10(High Nitrogen) – for better growth -3 gms per ltr, twice in a week, Foliar spray. 13.27.27 (Low Nitrogen) –for flowering size plants -3-4gms per liter, twice in a week
Pests& Diseases : Pests can be controlled by spraying systemic insecticide like Confidor @ 1.5ml per litre of water. Mites can be controlled by sparying Dicofol @ 1.5ml per litre of water. Fungal diseases can be controlled by spraying Contaf Plus @ 2ml per litre of water. Snails and slugs can be controlled by placing Snail Kill pellets in the pots.
DENDROBIUM, ONICIDIUM, CATTLEYA – ORCHIDS
How to Plant

The roots of the dendrobium will come out of the pot. This is good as orchids take most of the nutrients from the air.
Humidity & Temperature : Tropical orchids like Dendrobiums thrive in High Humidity. Dendrobiums grow best at a temperature ranges 25-30°C.
Light : Dendrobiums need lots of light, but not direct sun. 50% shade is recommended. Keep the pot in a location that gets morning sun but shaded in the afternoon. Yellowish or Light green leaves indicates too much light. Dark green leaves indicate too less light. Parrot green is the right colour of the plant.
Water : Water your orchids in the morning so that the leaves are dry before night. Too much water can kill the plant. It’s best to allow medium to almost dry out between watering. Check the medium with your finger if you feel moisture do not water. Do not let the plants stand in water. Water at least once a day by spraying the leaves with a sprayer. Fertilizer also can be sprayed same way. In hot dry months watering can be done twice a day but plants should be dry by evening.
Fertilizer : 30.10.10(High Nitrogen) – for better growth -3 gms per ltr, twice in a week, Foliar spray. 13.27.27 (Low Nitrogen) –for flowering size plants -3-4gms per liter, twice in a week
Pests& Diseases : Pests can be controlled by spraying systemic insecticide like Confidor @ 1.5ml per litre of water. Mites can be controlled by sparying Dicofol @ 1.5ml per litre of water. Fungal diseases can be controlled by spraying Contaf Plus @ 2ml per litre of water. Snails and slugs can be controlled by placing Snail Kill pellets in the pots.
GERBERA PLANTS
Growing Media
The media should be porous and well drained to have better penetration of roots. Optimum soil pH should be between 5.5 and 6.5 to get maximum efficiency in absorption of nutrients.
Potting Mixture
Coco peat, sand and vermi-compost (2:1:1 ratio )
Bed Preparation
In general, Gerberas are grown on raised bed of size 2 ft. width, 1.5 ft. height and desirable length beds. Pathways of 1 ft. are maintained between beds.
The beds for planting should be well drained. Organic manure is recommended to improve soil texture and to provide nutrition gradually. Add single super phosphate (0:20:0) @ 2.5 kg per 100 sq.ft. for better root establishment and MgS04 @ 0.5 kg per 100 sq.ft. to take care of deficiency of Mg.
Planting
While planting gerbera plants, the crowns of plants should be just above soil level. Plant the seedlings without disturbing the soil around the plants. Generally, two rows are planted on one bed at a distance of 15 inches between rows and 12 inches between plants. Plants can also be planted in pots.
Irrigation
Gerbera does not like water to be stagnant on its leaves. If leaves are wet especially at night infections like Botrytis can occur which appears as brown spots/patches. It is recommended that drip irrigation is used for commercial production. Irrigate so that the plants are fairly dry in the late evenings and night.
The beds should not get waterlogged but must be moist and not allowed to dry out. The water requirement per plant per day is about 700ml per plant
Fertigation
Intercultural operations
Cutting of lower/ diseased leaf and loosening of soil to be performed with fertilizer application to maintain the health of plants.
Plant protection
Spraying of pesticide or fungicide as and when required.
Rogor or similar systemic insecticide 1 to 1.5ml/litre of water for all sucking pests and Bavistin @ 2g/litre of water for fungus infections. can be sprayed once in 15 days or as per need depending on the level of infection.
Mites : These are minute spider like pests which are not easily seen with the naked eye.Normal insecticides are not effective in controlling this pest. Spray Kelthane @1 to1.5 ml per litre once every 4 days. Minimum 3 sprays to be given to control infection.
Botrytis : Fungicide @1grm in 4 litres of water once in 20 days.
Harvesting