I still remember the first orchid I received as a gift long ago. I did not know that it was an orchid, much less what type of orchid, but later I learned it was a popular Phalaenopsis. It was the fragile, beautiful flowers that most intrigued me. Given my most ungreen of thumbs, the orchid died a slow death, despite my attempts to love it back to health. What makes them a plant apart from the normal houseplants grown at home and why do they appear to be a challenge to so many?
I definitely was no gardener when I got my first orchid. While my first orchid died on me, I was hooked by its fragile and strange beauty. Since the demise of that first orchid I have bought more, had mostly successes, and have finally realized that I was making it more difficult than I needed to make it. What I found is that proper caring for orchids boils down to six easy steps. Pay attention to these and you will quickly find that growing vibrant orchids is fun and it will give you a lifetime of satisfaction .
1. What Is Your Orchid’s Natural Habitat?
When you buy an orchid, make sure you can recreate the conditions the plant requires in its natural environment.. Start by reading the label that came with your orchid. Also, some places will give you a basic growing and care guide.
2. How To Tell If Your Orchid is Getting Enough Light
There is some variablity among orchid types, but most require at least 6 hours of bright, indirect light. Direct sunlight will burn the leaves. Think about your orchids natural environment, where the light it receives is filtered by surrounding trees and plants. Your orchid’s leaves will be medium to light green if it is getting enough light. Dark green leaves means not enough light and pale green leaves means too much. Pretty simple right?
3. Don’t Kill Them With Love
This is how I managed to kill my first orchid. I basically overwatered it. And when it turned yellow I gave it more! Watering them about every 4 – 7 days seems to be enough, but it does depend on the season. Try taking a wooden stick, and push it into your orchid’s growing medium. If it comes out darker, then your orchid have sufficient moisture. Just remember, orchids can require different amounts of water at different times of the year, so keep checking!
4. Feed Me, But Not Too Much!
You don’t give cat food to your dog, so don’t give regular plant food to your orchid. Get real orchid fertilizer for best results. Then apply it as a weak solution about once per week during its growing season. Mix you orchid fertilizer at half strength.
5. When to Repot Your Orchid
Sooner or later, unfortunately, the orchid is going to need repotting. Gently remove the orchid from its pot, taking care not to hurt the roots. Wash off the dirt from the roots so you can inspect them to see if any are hollow or mushy. These you can cut off. Don’t use too big of a pot, because it will hold too much water and your orchid can rot. Just a couple inches bigger is fine. Add the new mix/medium to the pot, tapping the sides to make sure it settles properly. Press gently to settle the plant but don’t use too much force or the roots may break. Use a stick to support the plant in the pot so it is secure. If your plant is growing in sphagnum moss, make sure it is damp before wrapping it round the roots and repotting, that way you don’t have to worry about pockets of air. Once your orchid is in its new pot, the plant should be moved away from bright light and should not be watered for 3 – 5 days to allow it to recover.
6. Got Flowers? Now What?
Determine if your orchid reblooms from the same spike or whether blooms will come from new spikes. Once the plant has finished flowering the spike needs to be removed at the base with a sharp instrument to lessen damage to the plant itself. If you aren’t certain, don’t cut it off!
7. Orchid Diseases and Pests
OK, there is a seventh issue to think about. Sometimes your orchid will get a disease or a pest. An important part of orchid care is looking out for various fungi or parasites. Isolate any plant that has a problem, check it out, find the remedy and start treating as soon as possible.
I am here to tell you, if you focus on these conditions and provide the amounts your orchid prefers, your orchid will thrive. Caring for orchids will become easy for you, and your satisfaction and pride will grow along with your healthy orchid.
What you just learned about caring for orchids is just the beginning. To get a FREE Orchid Care minicourse, check us out at Growing Orchids .
