Creating a Beautiful Outdoor Space

4 Tips To Growing Healthy, Beautiful Orchids Indoors

3 September 2021 by Delores Chavez

Orchids are rare beauties that some people find difficult to care for. They do take some special care to keep them alive and reblooming.

If you are having issues keeping your orchid plant alive, here are some tips for growing beautiful, healthy plants.

Tip One: Watering

Orchids are much like other plants when it comes to watering. Too much can lead to root rot, and too little can cause the plant to die.

Water your orchid once a week. You can check orchid roots to determine watering requirements.

• Green roots mean moisture is spot on
• Brown roots are soggy and getting too much moisture
• Greyish or white-colored roots indicate too little moisture

The size of your orchid container can also help you determine moisture needs. Smaller pots usually require water less often than larger pots.

Tip Two: Sunlight 

Orchids require lots of sunlight. These plants need at least six hours of sunlight per day. While some orchids can grow well with less, more sunlight equals better flowering potential.

Orchids do grow with less light, but keep in mind this prevents blooming. Indoors, place your orchid near a window facing west or east where it can get bright sunlight.

Tip Three: Feeding

Orchids thrive when fed regularly and have a bit of a different requirement for feeding. A balanced fertilizer that includes trace elements is best. A balanced fertilizer is one such as a 20-20-20 formulation.

Keep in mind they aren't heavy feeders, so a liquid fertilizer formulated for orchids is sufficient. Use the fertilizer every third watering session during the plant's growing season. Follow the directions on your chosen fertilizer for the amount to use.

Tip Four: Trimming

Once the orchid drops its lovely blooms, you have some choices in how to care for the plant. The step you take depends on the health of the plant.

• Leave the flower spike on the plant
• Cut the spike back to a node

For healthy plants, leaving the spike intact is fine. If the stem starts to turn yellow or brown, it's best to remove the spike at the base of the plant, instead of cutting to the nearest node. Keeping plants trimmed and removing unhealthy stems keeps your plant blooming and looking its best.

Orchids aren't really more difficult to care for; they just have different requirements. They are a unique and lovely plant, and with the right care, you can get long-term enjoyment from an orchid houseplant. Contact a company that sells orchid plants to learn more.

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