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Basic Orchid Culture
Orchids - the Goldilocks of the Plant World
Beginners Advice
In-Home Orchid Culture
Are You Really Doing That?
Be Faithful to Your Roots
Outdoor Orchid Growing
Getting the Most from Your Plants
Support the Reserves!
Culture Guides by Type of Plant
Catasetum
Cattleya
Cymbidium
Chinese Cymbidium
Dendrobium
Lycaste
Masdevallia & Dracula
Miltonia
Odontoglossum & Cool Growers
Oncidium & Warm Growers
Paphiopedilum
Phalaenopsis
Spathoglottis
Stanhopea
Vanda
Zygopetalum
Getting New Plants
"Chilling" Phalaenopsis
Making Plants Bloom
Multiply Your Plants Faster
Interpreting Orchid Culture Advice
Growing Conditions
Air Management
Humidity
Humidity
Evaporation
Humidify Your Home
Air Movement Around Orchids
Light
Plants & Light
Natural Sunlight Intensity
Light Level Recommendations
Artificial Lighting
Light Reflection & Reflectors
Artificial Lighting Intensity
Supplemental Light
Choosing a Light Fixture
LED Lighting On The Cheap
Growing Area Wall Color
Temperature
Grow Cool Plants
"Stretch" Your Growing Conditions
Sizing a Greenhouse Heater
Feeding & Watering
Fertilizers & Feeding
Primer on Plant Nutrition
Fertilizer Basics
Orchids and pH
“Bloom Booster” Fertilizers
pH & Nutrient Availability
How Much Do I Feed My Orchids?
It’s Time for Food!
Must I Supplement Calcium & Magnesium?
Magnesium Supplementation
Epsom Salts and Electrical Conductivity (EC)
How Important is Fertilizer?
K-Lite Orchid / Epiphyte Fertilizer
The Origin of K-Lite Fertilizer
Do-It-Yourself K-Lite
“K-Lite Knock-Off” Calculator
AOS "What do Orchids Eat" Article
Fertilizer Additives
Magic Additives
Growth Stimulants
Comparing Seaweed Extracts
Kelpak Kelp Extract
Why Do I Push Kelpak?
Why Use KelpMax?
Using Kelpak Wisely
KelpMax = Kelpak
Multiply Your Plants
Plant Growth Stimulants IPA 3Q2014
Issues with Root Growth Stimulants
What do Plant Probiotics Do?
Comparing Plant Probiotics
Water & Watering
How Watering Works
General Recommendations for Feeding and Watering Orchids
Watering Strategy
Water Supplies
“Water Your Orchids”
Water Purification
Reverse Osmosis Process & Systems
Why First Rays Uses RO Water
Reverse Osmosis Basics
"Reverse Osmosis" Article
Sizing a Reverse Osmosis System
RO Temperature Pressure Effects
RO System Maintenance
Quick Connect Fittings
Upgrading System Capacity
Using RO Flush Water
Reverse Osmosis Water Conservation Strategies
Rev Up Your Plants
How Watering Works
Water Does Not Cause Root Rot
Measurement, Handling & Application
How to Feed Your Plants
Feeding by Mass
Plant Feeding Regimen
Fertilizer PPM Calculator
The Ideal Fertilizer Concentration
Nitrogen Management Calculator
Simplified Fertilizer Dosing Guide
Simple Fertilizer Mixing Calculator
Measuring Powders & Liquids
Dealing with Fertilizer Powders
Making a Fertilizer Concentrate
Using a Siphon Proportioner
Selecting and Using a Metering Pump
Slow-Release Fertilizer Use Calculator
Don't Trust Your TDS Meter
TDS & EC
Electrical Conductivity Meters
Simple TDS Meter Calibration
Using Proportioners
Simple Fertilizer Dispenser
A Regimen for Growing Excellent Plants
The Benefit of the “First Rays Regimen”
Potting, Mounting & Displaying
How to Pot Up Plants
Choosing Potting Media
Choosing a Container for your Orchid
Particle Packing
Water Holding Capacity of Potting Media
Flower Pot Drainage
Keeping the Potting Medium Airy
Avoiding Repotting Woes
Transplant “Adaptation”
Residues in Potting Media
Mineral Buildup in Potting Media
Mineral Buildup in Inorganic Media
Flushing Potting Media
Sphagnum Moss – Friend or Foe?
Rock Wool Potting Medium
Pot-Bound Orchids
How Roots Grow
Dealing with Aerial Roots
“Extended Moisture” Mounting
Root Rot – Causes & Cures
Do-It-Yourself Pot Clips
Stabilizing Pots
Slab Stands
Space-Saving Plant Rack
Pests & Ailments
Common Pests
Aphids
Fungus Gnats
Mealy Bugs
Scale
Spider Mites
Thrips
Pesticide Selection Guide
Biological Controls of Orchid Pests
Home Remedies
Pesticide Use Guidelines
Bud Blast
Root Rot – Causes & Cures
Rescue Plants with No Roots
Additional Guide to Pests, Diseases
Commercial Pesticide Guide
Semi-Hydroponics
General Concepts
Semi-Hydroponics™ Basics
The “Dry Line”
Transplant “Adaptation”
Flooding versus Topping Up
Roots & Culture (Yes, they’re connected)
Will it Grow in Semi-Hydroponics™?
“I Can’t Grow in Semi-Hydro!”
Objections to Semi-Hydro Culture
Water-Saving, Simple Hydroponics Setup
An Unsolicited Testimonial
“No Longer A Killer” AOS Article by Charles Rhodes
Detailed Information
Preparing Media for Use
Presoaking Inert Media
Repotting into S/H from Traditional Media
Evaporative Cooling from Potting Media
Evaporation Reducing Barrier
Bottom Heat
Inert Media Comparison
Inert Media Comparison 2020
Miscellaneous
Ray’s Orchid Bio
Avoiding and Handling “Problem” Orders
Nomenclature
Register Your Hybrid
Labels & Faded Label Recovery
How to Pack Plants for Shipping
Cutting the Flower Spike
DIY Photo Background Rack
Vent Screens
Tray Drains
Free Services
Hybrid Names & Genealogy Lookup
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Welcome to
First Rays!
Supporting the
hobby orchid grower
since 1994
With 50 years of
orchid-growing experience...
coupled with a background in
science and engineering...
...has allowed us to "demystify"
many aspects of orchid culture,
making it easier to understand.
Here you will find over
200 informational articles,
and...
...and some
unique, state of the art products
to help you grow your plants better.
Please contact us if
you have any questions.
Our aim is to be
your growing partner,
not just a vendor.