Warning: Orchid growing can be habit forming

Darrell Albert, 62, admits he has addiction issues.

"I am pretty much an orchid addict,"he said."My mother bought me a phalaenopsis and then one thing led to another and now I have 1,500 plants in the greenhouse attached to my house."

Orchids are found on every continent except Antarctica and belong to one of the largest plant families witharound 30,000 species worldwide, Albert said.

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Of those, only 26 species grow in the wild in Alberta.

But visitors to theOrchid Society of Alberta's40thannualfair this weekend at The Enjoy Centre in St. Albertwill be able to see many more than that.

"The orchid show is like a window in time," said Albert, the society's president."It is a little one-week slice of time for whatever happens to be in bloom, right at that very point in time."

Albertsays anybody can become an orchid lover.

The phalaenopsis purchased at the big-box or grocery store is relatively easy to care for, he said.

The main thing an orchid needs is the proper amount of light with the best locations being near an east or west window.

A south window works in the winter,but may be toobright in the summer, burning the plant's leaves.

Orchidsshould be watered only once a week.

"The fastest way to kill an orchid is to water them too much," Albert said. "The roots get soggy and they will ruin."

He recommends poking a finger into the soil to see if it's starting to dry.

However, if you end up with anorchid species from high in thecloud forests of the Andes, be prepared to water every day, he said.

How to orchid

8 years ago

Duration 1:42

Darrell Albert explains how to keep your orchids healthy and happy.