Orchid Mania: Must-Know Things Before Growing Orchids

Orchids add beautiful splashes of vivid color to their surroundings and so many people opt to have these rainforest beauties in their homes. But before bringing the joy into your home, you should know that these delicate plants have special needs. In order to maintain the beauty of orchids and extend their life and blooming period, you must know the following tips for orchid care. We all love joy, but we must learn how to maintain it! i think that orchids are the serotonin of plants since people are crazy over them.

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1. The easiest orchid to grow is a Phalaenopsis

Also known as a moth orchids, Phalaenopsis is a a beginner’s best friend because they will grow in low light and do not require extreme humidity. Also, Phalaenopsis orchids are probably the easiest to get to re-bloom.

2. If you think it’s time to water your orchid, wait one more day

Avoid overwatering which leads to the demise of many more orchids than under-watering. To determine if your orchid needs water, “use the pencil trick (the point of a sharpened pencil, when inserted into the medium, will darken with moisture if the plant has enough water). And, there’s always the old standby – put your finger in the mix. If it feels wet, it is wet. If you aren’t sure whether it is time to water, wait one more day.

3. To get an orchid to re-bloom, trick it into thinking it’s in the tropics

When an orchid stops blooming, cut off the flower stalk at the base of the plant. Then put your moth orchid in a room in your house where you can simulate the tropical climate conditions it likes.

4. You probably don’t need to put your orchid in a bigger pot

Orchids like tight spaces. Don’t re-pot yours until its roots have grown through the holes on the pot and are dangling in air.

5. Your orchid will not be any happier in a special Swiss-cheese pot

The Swiss-cheese pots attempt to replicate orchid-growing conditions in the wild, where the plants either grow visibly on the surface of trees or on rocks, with roots working their way into crevices.

6. An orchid will not grow in soil

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Orchids are epiphytes, and in their native tropical environments, they grow on tree. Plant orchids in an orchid potting mix (which contains wood chips or bark) and they will be happy.

7. No ice cubes for Orchids

Some orchid owners avoid over-watering by putting an ice cube in the pot at the base of the plant. As the ice slowly melts, it releases water for the plant’s roots to absorb. But experts warn against this practice. For one thing, orchids are tropical plants that love warmth—and ice cubes are cold.

8. Orchids thrive on neglect

Orchids thrive on neglect. In the wild they often grow in tree crevices!

9. Orchids don’t need a lot of light

When the orchid has finished blooming, position it in indirect light­­. An east-facing window works well for orchids. While the plant is blooming, don’t worry about light conditions and place it wherever it looks best in the room.

10. Don’t prune old orchid blooms

Do not cut off the orchid bloom stem unless it is completely brown. Quite often new flowers will appear on the old stem.

11. Orchids don’t like a lot of fertilizer

Add a very small amount of orchid fertilizer to the water of a non blooming plant every 3 months or so. Don’t fertilize a plant that is in bud or bloom.

12. Orchids re-bloom the next year

When one re-blooms for you, enjoy the smile and feeling of pride you get each time you look at it.

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