There's a TON of info online about Orchid care. Not to mention books, magazines, and social media groups.
Your library should also have quite a few resources. And there are Orchid societies and hobby clubs worldwide.
If someone wishes to know more about them and their care - plenty of resources to tap into.
While a student at UF in the seventies.....I was lucky enough to study under one of the best....Dr. Tom Sheehan, who sadly left us in 2016. From his obituary:
Tom joined the Marines in December, 1942 and served as a weather forecaster until 1945 when the Marines transferred him to a Naval V-12 program at Dartmouth. He was discharged in March, 1946.
He married Marion Elizabeth Ruff in June, 1950 and they had three children: Thomas, Peter and Marian.
After graduation from Cornell in 1952, he got a job at the Georgia Agriculture Experiment Station in Griffin, GA as a horticulturist. In 1954 he joined the staff of the Ornamental Horticulture Department at the University of Florida and was involved in extension teaching and research for the next 37 years. He also served as Chairman of the Department before retiring. His specialty crop was orchids and he was deeply involved in the international orchid scene.
Tom attended 18 of the 21 World Orchid Conferences, missing only the first, fourth and seventh. He was a speaker at ten World Orchid Conferences, as well as the program chairman for the 11th WOC in Miami, Florida. He was awarded the World Orchid Conference Medal for outstanding contributions to the science and practice of Orchidology during the 21st WOC in Johannesburg, South Africa. He authored books about orchids and served, with his wife Marion, as co-author of the longest running series, Orchid Genera Illustrated, in the American Orchid Society's monthly magazine, Orchids. Tom was the recipient of two AOS Gold Medals of Achievement, only the third person in the organization's history to be so recognized. In addition, he served for 14 years as the American Orchid Society's representative to the Royal Horticultural Society Advisory Committee on Orchid Hybrid Registration.
Tom also served as a consultant for the United Nations Food & Agriculture Organization on cut flower production in Singapore, Kenya, Guyana, Barbados and Bolivia, as well as for the Canadian Aluminum Corp in Jamaica.
He was also an active member of the Florida State Horticulture Society, where he served as Vice President, President and Chairman of the Board, as well as program coordinator for 11 years.
I graduated in 1977, and have remained in the Green Industry since. Dr. Sheehan was one of my fav. professors. His wife, Marion Ruff Sheehan, a renowned illustrator, also taught and was a lovely person.
I was fortunate to have attended a local Orchid presentation by Dr. Sheehan at the County Extension Service facility in Deland back when I still had my 4 speed '69 Volvo 145S. I brought Mom with me to this function. She wasn't used to riding with someone who drove with such gusto, but still enjoyed the outing.
I've dabbled with Orchids over the years and do pretty good with them overall. They are fun to grow and not very hard to maintain, as long as you follow some basics.
I like to use these clear containers with lots of drainage. I also liquid feed them on a regular basis. Most do not like full sun so I have them under a piece of shade cloth on the south side where they do get plenty of bright light.
I have some work to do with mine - mostly dividing and re-potting and will do so sometime this Spring.
