Many people believe that orchids are extremely complicated to care for and some even throw them away once they have finished their first bloom. The truth is that orchid care is fairly easy, at least as long as you stick to the sturdy orchid species and hybrids that are common in the floral trade.
Two of the most popular orchid genera in the floral trade Cattleya and Phalaenopsis and caring for these orchids are actually fairly easy. One of the most important aspects of Cattleya care is to never allow the orchid to stand with its roots in a soggy medium. In the wild, Cattleya orchids grow directly on tree branches and they are therefore ill suited to a life in soil. Always use a well draining potting medium, unless you with to place your Cattleya directly on a tree branch or similar in a moist environment.
Phalaenopsis orchids are not only found on trees, some species grow on stones and cliffs. Just as the Cattleya orchids they will suffer if forced to grow in a soggy medium and picking a well draining substrate is imperative when it comes to Phalaenopsis care. Never give a Phalaenopsis orchid more water than what is required to keep the potting substrate moist right below the surface. In most cases watering the orchids once per week is enough.