For some reason people can be extremely nervous about growing an orchid. There is absolutely no rationale for this. These same people often grow other plants beautifully. Orchids need exactly the same basics as other plants. The most common worries centre around:

            Watering

            Fertilising

            Repotting

            Dividing Plants

            Growing Media

            Lighting

            Deflasking

Throughout this website I have added comments on cultivation because they seemed particularly relevant to that plant. At the risk of being repetitive and also for your convenience I have tried to collate some of these personal comments on this page. The emphasis is on Coelogynes but the comments apply to most cultivated plants.

The essential point to remember is that people with so-called 'green thumbs' are simply people who constantly 'talk' to their plants. They spend a lot of time with each plant looking at moisture levels, health, plant changes, the environment, etc. Healthy, happy plants are generally the result of this constant attention. One can find healthy plants in nature but this is generally only in perfect seasons. Sadly, in many years the plants look dreadful. If you are an over-loaded gardener and the plants are not looking their best, then here is your excuse - it's natural!