Description

With an estimated 25,000 species worldwide, orchids are loved for their exotic and mysterious flowers. In the wild, they can be found in almost every conceivable habitat, from cloud-shrouded mountians and tropical rainforests, to mangrove swamps and semi-desert scrubs. They are perhaps the most challenging of all flowering plants to cultivate outside their natural habitat, often taking many years before the first flower appears. In The World of Orchids, Jack Ross presents the results of his many years of research into orchid cultivation using soilless culture techniques. He provides research-based advice on organic in organic growing media, fertilizing and watering, plant nutrition and nutrient feed systems, pH measurement, stress factors, tissue analysis, and mineral deficiency and toxicity. He also describes the unique root system of the orchid plant, propagating and raising seedlings, as well as repotting and potting-on. The book is for the small orchid enthusiast as well as commercial growers producing high-quality orchid plants and flowers on a large scale.