Orchids grow on every continent, except Antarica, and in conditions ranging from desert to rainforest to snow. Most will grow under normal household conditional, but their culture is different from other types of plants because most orchids are epiphyteS (tree dwelling) or lithophytes (rock dwelling).
As a general rule, temperature, light and humidity must be kept in balance for optimum growth. Plus, air movement and water are important factors also. In cool, cloudy conditions, excess humidity and/or water leads to disease and rot. When temperatures are high, additional moisture is needed to avoid stressing the plant.
This guide to orchid care that covers some basic right and wrong ways of doing things. It is not comprehensive and adjustments may be needed for your specific growing situation, but it will get you started. The cultural requirements covered are: Light, Water, Temperature. Humidity, Air Movement, Potting media and Fertilizing. We also touch on the imporatant, but not so nice, topic of pests.