8 HANDY TIPS FOR A THRIVING ORCHID
ORCHIDS are known for their simplistic yet elegant appearance. They are not always the easiest flowers to keep as they can be very finicky and and have specific watering and sunlight instructions. Take a look at this list of 10 handy tips to keep an orchid blooming and thriving, with these hints keeping an orchid happy should be no trouble at all!
1. Sunlight
Be sure to place your orchid in a sunny place such as a window sill as orchids love light, be sure that they don’t get too much sunlight, however as their leaves wil start to go reddish which happens when they are getting too much sunlight. Their leaves should be a dark green hue, indicative of a healthy orchid.
2. Watering
Orchids don’t need that much water, however you should water them every 2 weeks in the winter months, a quick spritz of water will do, although a preferred method of mine is placing an ice cube on top of the roots and soil which means the ice cube will slowly start to melt, watering the orchid in tiny increments. In the summer, however and depending on how much light your orchid gets, you should be watering your orchid every 5 to 12 days. Ensure proper drainage and avoid leaving your orchid’s roots standing in water.
3. Bathroom Window
Orchids are tropical/subtropical plants and some people strongly believe in keeping an orchid in the bathroom as steam from baths and showers can keep your orchid nice and moist without overwatering it.
4. Orchid Food
Be sure to acquire a good quality orchid food and be sure to carefully follow the instructions on the bottle to dilute the orchid food with enough water. I believe a one should usually mix about 5ml of orchid food with 1l of water. You can keep your orchid food mix in a bid bottle of water and only feed the orchid once every two weeks, depending on your solution. Orchid food drastically prolongs the life of your orchid as well as improve its appearance and vibrancy.
5. Repotting
An orchid will usually stay snuggly and comfortably in a pot for 2 years, however if its roots start to extend over the top of the pot you should repot the orchid into a bigger pot more suitable for its size.
6. Trimming
You should cut dead stems if there are any, this will encourage new growth. If the stems start browning and hardening you should definitely cut them right away. If you trim your orchid make sure to cut the stems diagonally rather that straight and cut away dead stems just above the lowest node on the stem. Make sure to never cut the aerial roots though, the roots on top of the plant’s base, they need to stay intact to assist in water drainage.
7. Stems
Support the orchid stems by placing sticks into the pot and tying the stems to the sticks using clips or cable ties (be sure not to squash the stems, however).
8. Warmth
As I mentioned earlier, orchids are tropical/subtropical plants therefore it is important to keep them in warm areas, avoid cold spaces and draughty areas as orchids should be kept in temperatures of at least 16.5 degrees Celcius or higher if you want your orchid to flourish.