Orchids are one of the largest groups of flowering plants on the planet. It has around 30,000 species growing in the wild as well as 120,000 man-made hybrids that plant enthusiasts can choose from!
C&B Orchid Farm in San Rafael, Bulacan recognizes the potential of orchids as being more than an eye-catching plant that only the privileged can enjoy. Since 1964, the farm has been working on making the plant available for all by selling quality yet affordable seedlings to buyers.
In the first part of the article, Alfonso Isidro recalled how his parents established their family farm and managed to make it prosper over the years. Here, he shared some tips on how to grow orchids since they’re fairly easy to handle and not quite as difficult as many believe.
Tips on how to grow orchids
C&B Orchid Farm was established by Bonifacio and Carmen Isidro who the farm was named after. Presently, it is managed by their son, Alfonso Isidro who continues their advocacy of making orchids available to the public.
Aside from making the flowering plants affordable, he ensures that their hybrid Thailand and Taiwan-bred orchid varieties are well-accustomed to Philippine conditions to make them easier to grow for their customers.
For some, orchids are often considered as a tough plant to grow and are better reserved for more seasoned growers. But according to Alfonso Isidro, this is a common misconception as orchids are actually one of the easiest plants to care for.
“It’s perfect for those who want to start gardening as a hobby,” he said.
The first thing to remember is that orchids don’t like to be coddled. The eye-catching and delicate plants are very low-maintenance. If given enough space as well as proper input, sunlight, and water, these plants can grow well on their own.
Basically, orchids are one of the hard to kill plants if they’re properly taken care of.
If caring for hybrid orchids that are imported, Alfonso said that the best way to ensure the plant’s life is to acclimatize it and propagate it so it can create offspring that’s more tolerant to Philippine weather conditions.
Presently, the farm has roughly over 900 different varieties of Thailand and Taiwan-bred hybrid orchids and manages to sell around 3,000 orchids on a slow day. It also has other branches located in Batangas, Laguna, and Quezon City.
Photos courtesy of Alfonso Isidro
For more information, visit C&B Orchid Farm on Facebook.