| Orchids are fascinating flowers that are fun to | | | | under the soil. Water the plant thoroughly but not so |
| nurture but do need some special care. These slow | | | | much that a pool of water is sitting on the soil - |
| growing plants are best grown indoors and will need | | | | water once a week or when you feel the soil has |
| to be repotted every other year. In addition to | | | | dried out. If your orchid is planted in bark, then it will |
| repotting, you will need to provide the plant with | | | | probably need to be watered every 5 days or so. |
| enough light, water and fertilization as well as prune it | | | | You can also moisten your orchid with a spray bottle |
| properly to keep it in the best of health. | | | | to give it a more humid environment. Some people |
| Repotting | | | | like to gently wrap the plant in a floral paper or wax |
| Orchids should be repotted in a pot that is larger then | | | | paper cone and spray inside. The cone helps to keep |
| the current, but not too much larger - go just one | | | | the moistness in. If you do spray your plant, use |
| size up. Don't make the mistake of thinking you can | | | | distilled water as tap and spring water can leave |
| repot into a really huge pot and then not have to | | | | deposits on the leaves. |
| worry about it for the next 5 years! Fill the pot about | | | | Temperature |
| 2/3rds of the way with soil that is formulated for | | | | Although orchids are tropical plants, they prefer cool |
| orchids and set the plant with the growing tip in the | | | | temperatures at night. Most orchids will do best in |
| center and it's roots spread out in the soil. Fill the pot | | | | temps that would be to cold for you in your house. |
| with the rest of the soil and pack it gently around | | | | When grown in professional greenhouses, they are |
| the plant. Water thoroughly. | | | | kept between 55 and 65 degrees at night. The cool |
| Soil | | | | temperatures help to keep the soil more moist. |
| Tropical orchids thrive in organic material. Fir bark and | | | | Fertilizer |
| osumda fiber mixed with peat are great for growing | | | | Orchids growing in bark or peat and bark mixes do |
| orchids. You need soil that has good drainage but will | | | | best with a liquid fertilizer that has a 20-20-20 analysis |
| also hold some moisture. You can buy special orchid | | | | or, better yet, a specialized orchid fertilizer (30-10-10). |
| mix soil to plant your orchids in. | | | | Try using a water soluble urea free fertilizer for best |
| Light | | | | results. When fertilizing, simply add it in your regular |
| Orchids like light and your plant will do best in a bright | | | | watering schedule following the instructions on the |
| sunny window. A south window, where the plant can | | | | fertilizer package. |
| get indirect light in the morning and afternoon is best. | | | | Pruning |
| Make sure the window is not drafty. In the winter | | | | Pruning is important for orchids to remove dead parts |
| you must be sure that your plant is getting enough | | | | and shape your plant. You can prune your orchids |
| sunlight and you may want to use fluorescent lighting | | | | periodically throughout the year, or reserve the |
| to supplement the natural sunlight. Fluorescent lights | | | | pruning for once a year typically in the fall or early |
| work quite well for growing orchids and you can use | | | | winter. When the blooms have died and the stalk is |
| them in even the darkest corner and have wonderful | | | | dried up and yellow or brown, use sharp shears to |
| plants. | | | | cut it back to an inch from where it comes out of |
| Water | | | | the soil. A new bloom will appear during the next |
| All plants need water but many people do not know | | | | blooming season. |
| how to provide it properly. Some water too much | | | | In some cases, you may want to just remove the |
| leaving standing water in the pot all day and | | | | end of the bloom stalk which may cause it to bloom |
| contributing to root rot. Others don't water the plant | | | | again. If you do this, you may find a new shoot or |
| for weeks and wonder why it can not survive. The | | | | baby plant to spring up. If this does happen, you can |
| first consideration is to make sure you use a pot | | | | remove the baby and plant it in a separate pot for |
| with good drainage - either one of those with a hole | | | | an additional orchid plant to enjoy! |
| in the bottom and a saucer or at least put pebbles | | | | |