Ludisia Discolour (Jewel orchid)

These care instructions are a guide only and not a rule. When buying a new plant the following criteria need to be considered:

• Light
• Water
• Feeding
• Humidity
• Temperature

Light

Each plant needs different levels of light

Direct sunlight:
Light that enters an unobstructed window for most of the day oir at least for a few hours.

Bright filtered light:

Direct sunlight filtered through a leafy tree outside the window or filtered through a translucent blind.

Bright light:
This is the brightest light that is not direct sunlight.

Medium light:
This refers to shaded areas within a sunny room.

Poor light:
Poor light is found in areas that do not face a window.

Temperature

Every plant has a temperature tolerance range. Most house plants will enjoy temperatures between 16* and 24* with not more than a 10* drop in night temperature.

Humidity

Humidity is water vapor contained in the air and it is very tricky to gauge or provide. Some plants, especially those from tropical rain forests need high humidity.

There are 2 ways to provide humidity. You can spray water around them once a day or youcan stand your plant on a humidity tray. This is a tray filled with pebbles. Keep the tray filled with water and don’t let the water level rise above the pebble.

Watering

Different plants have different watering requirements and many factors may affect watering application and frequency i. e. in heated room, direct sunlight and hot days more frequent watering will be required. In the active growing season a plant will need more water, and water frequency needs to be reduced during their resting period. The type of container a plant is growing in will also affect the amount and frequency of watering. Clay pots dry out faster than glazed or plastic pot and will need more water more frequently. Large plants I small pots and pot- bound plants will need more frequent watering.

Water liberally:

Keep potting mixture moist all the time. Give enough water and let the excess flow out through the drainage holes. Do not let the pot stand in water.

Water moderately:

Water the potting mix throughout but let the top 2- 3 cm dry out between waterings.

Water sparingly:

The potting mix should be barely moist throughout and allow most of your potting mix to dry out between watering.

Feeding

All plants need certain nutrients to grow optimally. Three chemical elements are found in plant fertilizer and is essential for balanced growth:

N (nitrogen). Essential for the growth of stems and leave and for the production of chlorophyll that makes the plant nice and green.

P (phosphorus). Essential for root growth.

K (potassium). Essential for promoting flower and fruit formation as well as general sturdiness.

Labels on fertilizers will always show amounts of these 3 main nutrients. Sometimes only the amounts/ numbers will be shown but it will always be in N P K order.

E.g. if you want to promote growth and greenery you will choose a fertilizer with the first number being the largest.

When to feed:
A newly bought plant should not require immediate feeding. Start feeding after plus minus 3 months and only in active growing period.