AboutOrchids

Orchids love fog. That’s one reason why the Northern California coast is a great place to grow orchids outdoors. Frequent fog, especially in areas closest to the ocean, creates a perfect humid climate for cool growers.

Orchids want at least 50% humidity. Fog occurs when levels reach 100%, and the air is saturated with enough water to see visible drops. Here on the coast, cool ocean water evaporates, and winds carry the moisture inland. The gentle breezes and strong winds which blow the fog onshore minimize fungal and bacterial problems with the plants. In fact, the fog perfectly mimics the cool, breezy, cloud forest homes of many orchids native to high elevations in the Andes and the Himalayas.

The next two rows of photos show orchids I have grown outdoors for years in our Pacifica garden, and previously, in our San Francisco garden. These cool growing Cymbidiums, Epidendrums, Odonts, Coelogynes, and Pleurothallids are all very happy when the fog creeps in.

It’s not just water vapor in that fog, either. Fog is actually a good source of fertilizer, since it can carry essential plant nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, calcium, and sulfur. It’s just another great reason why orchids are a perfect match for gardeners who live in foggy areas.

The final row of photos show a few more of the huge number of cool growing fog lovers. These three shots come from 2015’s Pacific Orchid Expo.

Explore posts in the same categories: Cool Growers, Fertilizing, Growing, Growing Orchids in San Francisco, Photos

This entry was posted on Friday, June 17th, 2016 at 9:12 pm and is filed under Cool Growers, Fertilizing, Growing, Growing Orchids in San Francisco, Photos.

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