Generally blooms will occur when the night temperatures are 10 to 20 degrees colder than the day temperatures . Orchids require a high humidity of between 40 to 85 percent by using humidifiers or by filling a tray with pebbles, saturating the pebbles with water and placing the pot on the pebbles. Orchids appreciate good air circulation from small portable fans or ceiling fans. The potting mix should provide good air penetration and fast water drainage . Commercially prepared orchid mixes are available.
Most mixes are a combination of shredded fir bark, peat moss, perlite or sand.
Orchids which naturally grow in trees can be grown on slabs of wood. Orchids should never be dug from the wild. Nineteen members of the orchid family are listed on the endangered and threatened species plant list in Illinois due to loss of habitat, over grazing and plant harvesting even in protected areas Look for a reputable grower who sells only nursery propagated plants. With the advent of tissue culture propagation, orchids are more available and less expensive. No fee or registration is required.