Orchid Care: For the Beginner “demystifies orchid care for a wide audience in this slim, instructive volume. The book can function as a reference guide, but it's best read cover to cover, as the information is well chosen to keep from frightening off beginning
enthusiasts.” This quote came from a July 18, 2016 review in Publishers Weekly. The philosophy behind this book is that if you understand how orchids grow in their native environments, you can learn to mimic these conditions in your home. Most orchids are actually very easy to grow once you recognize their needs.
The book contains 14 chapters which are essentially broken down into four main topics: the history of orchids, care for orchids, growth patterns of orchids, and miscellaneous topics such as picking your first orchid, pest control, and repotting. There are also two tables in the book which can serve as reference guides: Orchid Characteristics and Troubleshooting Guide.
The author is an instructor for horticultural societies and universities, such as the Pennsylvania Horticulture Society, Western North Carolina Orchid Society and Cornell University She has a secondary science teaching degree, and has been raising and showing orchids for over 12 years. Her orchids have won a variety of awards, including first place ribbons at the Philadelphia Flower Show. This combination makes her uniquely qualified to author this book.
Industry Reviews
Publishers Weekly, July 18, 2016 edition, "Schmidt demystifies orchid care for a wide audience in this slim, instructive volume. The book can function as a reference guide, but it's best read cover to cover, as the information is well chosen to keep from frightening off beginning enthusiasts. Schmidt is a horticulture instructor who points out that "the key to being successful at raising orchids is to mimic their natural conditions as best as possible without driving yourself crazy." She takes readers through a brief history of the orchid-^these supposedly delicate flowers have been around since the Late Cretaceous period. They live mostly in
the tropics, but also above the Arctic Circle. Schmidt differentiates between keeping an orchid alive and raising one, writing that "the difficulty comes in correctly meeting its needs to get it to flower again." Readers come to understand the three different ways orchids grow-upright in soil, on another plant, or on or near rocks-before Schmidt segues into the basic light requirements (varied) and watering needs (less is more) of each group. For those who haven't yet purchased their first orchid, Schmidt provides suggestions on selecting the best-quality, most forgiving plant, so that one's first orchid experience is as happy and successful as possible." (BookLlfe)
Jacqueline Fisher, Pennsylvania Horticultural Society- "Everything you need to grow a beautiful orchid is in this book. Great layout, easy to understand and even a troubleshooting guide! Barb really knows her stuff!"
