Orchids are easy. For a flower that blooms for months, these blooming machines need minimal care. The keys to orchid success are right plant, right light and consistent (not constant) care.
The hardest part of growing orchids is choosing which type is right for you, since they are available in a wide range of spectacular colors and exotic shapes. Phalaenopsis, also called moth orchids, are easiest to grow at home.
Learn how to keep orchids happy and blooming for months with these tips.
How to Shop for Orchids
Of the many species of orchids, phalaenopsis, or moth orchids, are the easiest to grow as houseplants due to their reasonable sunlight demands. If you can grow African violets, then you will be successful with phalaenopsis orchids. Moth orchids have long arching sprays of flowers that stay fresh for up to several months and bloom in winter and early spring.
Another houseplant favorite is cattleya, the classic corsage orchid. Its profuse blooms emerge just once a year in spring or fall. Cattleya need about twice the amount of sunlight as moth orchids, and are often content on sunny window sills.
Oncidium orchids are called “dancing ladies” because their blooms look like ladies in skirts. They require bright, diffuse light and temps no higher than 80 degrees Fahrenheit.
Tips for selecting orchids:
- In the Garden Center, choose a plant loaded with flower buds and only a few flowers fully opened. The rest of the buds will open at home, giving you months of color.
- Look for a plant with firm, bright green leaves. And, if you can see them, healthy roots that are not brown or shriveled. Orchids have aerial roots that helped them attach to trees in their native habitat. Healthy aerial roots will be firm and white.
- Don’t leave your new orchid in a hot or cold car between the store and home. A few minutes of excessive temperatures can decrease the flower show.
When You Bring Your Orchid Home
Orchids like bright, indirect light. Cool morning sun is best, so choose an east- or north-facing window, if possible. Supplement natural light with grow lights. A mix of both types of light increases blooms. If your weather is snowy or icy, move orchids away from the window so they don’t catch a chill.
The best orchid varieties for low indoor light conditions are oncidium, phalaenopsis and paphiopedilum.
- In your home, place orchids in bright indirect light, never in direct sun.
- Orchids are sensitive to cold and drafts. Keep them away from vents and outside doors.
- Feed once a month with an orchid fertilizer. Water first and follow label instructions.
- After all of the orchid flowers have withered, cut back the stem halfway. If the stem has turned brown or died, cut back to the base of the plant. This prompts the plant to flower again.
Tip: The larger the orchid plant’s leaf, the less light it needs.
How to Water Orchids
Most orchids should only be watered about once a week. Wait until the bark or moss is almost completely dry before watering. Water until it pours out from the drainage holes, then completely drain excess water. Never leave your orchid in standing water.
One easy way to water orchids is by placing ice cubes on the potting media once a week. Use one ice cube for each inch of pot diameter. For example, use five ice cubes for a 5-inch pot. Let soil dry before the next watering.
How to Pot Orchids
Most orchids are planted using the double-pot system. The orchid is planted in a plastic pot with drainage holes and nested in a more decorative one, called a cachepot.
You may also find terra cotta or ceramic orchid pots that have holes in the sides for the aerial roots to emerge.
No matter what kind of planter material you choose, the planter must have drainage holes.
Depending on your orchids’ health, consider repotting every one to two years. When repotting, only choose a pot that is one to two inches wider and plant in an appropriate medium.
How to Care for Orchids
- Orchids use their aerial roots to absorb nutrients from the air. Healthy aerial roots are silvery white and plump. If the roots of your plant are shrivelled or show decay, you can trim them, but wait until the plant is dormant and not blooming. Use sharp garden scissors to trim your plant and be sure to sterilize your tools with an alcohol wipe to prevent the spread of any plant disease.
- Orchids need potting material that drains quickly while still retaining moisture. Choose from an orchid potting soil mix, or a combination of bark, moss and gravel.
- Select a water soluble fertilizer designed especially for orchids. Most orchids need to be fed once every three to four weeks. After flowering, reduce watering and feeding until new leaf production begins again. Once new leaves emerge, resume the full schedule of watering and feeding.
- Orchids need humidity in the 40 to 70 percent range. This is much more humid than the average home. The humidity requirement can usually be found in a bathroom with a sunny window. You can also place orchid pots on a tray filled with rocks or gravel that is then filled with water. On the down side, humidity can lead to mildew problems, so be sure to provide plenty of air circulation. If you think orchids may be your new hobby, invest in an ultrasonic humidifier.
- Orchids have periods of dormancy that can last up to nine months. Make sure the plant is adequately fed and watered (not too much, not too little) and receiving enough sunlight. Orchids like indoor temperatures between 65 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Encourage your orchid to bloom again by moving the plant to a room with nighttime temperatures between 55 and 65 degrees Fahrenheit until a new flower spike emerges. Return the plant to its original location and continue watering regularly.
Elegant orchids add color and interest to your home and are not always the persnickety houseplants we suppose them to be. Some varieties can tolerate low indoor light and still bloom. When you learn how to care for your orchids, you’ll never lose an orchid plant to root rot again.
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