Outdoor Orchid
Inside the house
An orchid needs to be placed no further than one meter (or more preferably 50cm) from a window that is well lit especially during autumn and winter.
Regular living spaces of the house (dining room, kitchen, lounge, etc) are perfectly adapted if you take care to lower the temperature to around 5° at night, after the typical 18-20° temperature during daytime.
By using several different rooms, and being sure to choose the plants which correspond to their usual ambient temperatures, you could try other orchid types. Even easy-to-manage botanical varieties, which you could keep temporarily keep in your living room to enjoy them whilst they are flowering.
More than 60% of amateurs cultivate orchids in the house, 20-30% have a conservatory, and the remainder, a greenhouse.
The pros and cons of a conservatory.
Compared to the interior of a house, on the one hand, there is more light, a greater variation of temperature between the day and night, BUT, on the other hand, high temperature and excess of light in summer and the necessity to heat during winter to avoid falling below 10°, means that the choice of orchids is rather limited.
Cultivation behind glass.
A greenhouse has similar inconveniences to the conservatory, but allows you to cultivate difficult species which require a lot of humidity (needing frequent watering).
Certain amateurs prefer to cultivate their orchids in an artificially lit basement (neon, MH Lamps or HPS, etc…), in an attic, a room specifically fitted for orchids, glass display cabinets, aquariums…
The ideal would be a greenhouse divided into several compartments, each regulated to the temperature and humidity levels required.
Conclusion
To succeed in your first steps, it is imperative to start with easy-to-manage orchids like: Phalaenopsis, Cambria et Phragmipedium. Then, when you have a little more experience: Paphiopedilum, Vanda, Miltonia (Miltoniopsis)…
Finally, when hybrid orchids are no longer a mystery to you, you could move on to botanical orchids, of which the diversity is vast.
Watering orchid
Orchids, like many plants, require special attention when it comes to watering. Too much water, and there is a risk of rotting which would kill the roots. Not enough water and the orchid will not be able to grow quickly, and may droop and then die.
When to water the orchids?
One must find a balance. To water every day is a silly mistake, equivalent of trying to water with ice. The frequency of watering depends on several factors: What is the climate? What is the substrate?
In winter, if temperatures are lower in your home or apartment than during summer (which is likely), you should water less often. Indeed, the water will evaporate more slowly, and the plant will use less water too. Though, if you leave the orchid near a radiator, there is, of course, a good chance that water will evaporate quickly, and so it will need watering regularly.
In summer, the plant receives more light, benefiting from favorable weather conditions for growth, and thus draws water reserves contained in the substrate more quickly. As such, you will have to water more often than in winter. Proper maintenance of the orchid is generally linked to the seasons.
Finally, as a rule, the easiest way to tell if your orchid lacks water and needs watering is to look in the clear pot to see if there is still moisture. If you see droplets of water in the clear jar, then you can wait a little while before watering. If, on the other hand, you see no water, and the substrate has dried on its surface and sides, then it is time to water your orchid.
How to water the orchid ?
There is no single way to water the orchids. Like many plants, it is best to water by immersing the pot in water for several minutes. For proper maintenance of the orchid, do not immerse the whole pot! Else, you then expose the plant to the risk of mildew if water gets stuck between the leaves at their base.
Soaking up to about 1 inches (3 cm) away from the roots should keep you out of danger of the problem of decay. After soaking the orchid for a few minutes, let it drain for a few minutes, especially in winter, to avoid keeping the roots in contact with water at the bottom of the pot or cache pot.
If you have a hydroponic substrate (such as ball clay, peat moss from Chile), the situation is rather different. In contrast, we must ensure that the substrate of the orchid remains in contact with water.