Orchids are beautiful, fragile, and extremely popular. As appealing as they are, the idea of growing orchids can be a bit intimidating. Proper watering is key. Aaron Steil, assistant director of Reiman Gardens, recommends against ice cube irrigation.
"If ice is always on the plant or if there's a lot of ice on the plant a lot of the time, that medium is never allowed to dry out completely," Steil says. It is important for orchids to get as dry as possible, without becoming bone dry, before watering again.
On this Talk of Iowa, host Charity Nebbe chats with Steil, Iowa State University horticulturalist Richard Jauron, and callers about how to select and care for orchids, create environments orchids can thrive in, and coaxing new blooms from plants.
