Facts, Types, Meaning and Care Tips
Orchids are a wonderful plant to gift to your loved ones but let's be honest, they have a reputation for being difficult to keep alive. In fact, with a little know how, you'll find that orchids are surprisingly easy to care for and it is entirely possible to keep an orchid living for years.
Follow our step-by-step orchid care guide to help keep orchids thriving.
Although orchids are commonly found growing wild in tropical rainforests, they do not need heavy watering.
In fact, the most common way people harm an orchid is by over watering. When it comes to watering an orchid, the golden rule is to ensure the plant is not constantly sitting in water so that it causes the roots to rot.
Here are three ways you can water an orchid plant...
Depending on where the orchid is placed and the time of year, submerge it once a week
Most orchids will live in a clear container with a potting medium such as soil and bark, which will then sit inside a holding pot. Using distilled or recently boiled and cooled tap water, fill the clear orchid pot and holding pot so that the orchid roots are fully submerged.
Do not fill above this point - fill just under the crown of the orchid and leave the orchid to soak. After 10-15 minutes remove the orchid from the water and allow it to drain for 5 minutes. Pour the remaining water out of your holding pot.
Once the orchid has drained away the excess water, pop it back inside the holding pot and return it to its home.
Yes, that's right. Ice cubes straight from a small/medium sized ice cube tray are a great way to water orchids. 'Why would you use ice cubes?' we hear you ask. Well using ice cubes will...
Depending on seasonality and where your plant is situated, adding ¼ glass of distilled or boiled and cooled tap water every week is suitable
Simple pouring is still fine to water orchids. If the orchid cannot be removed from its larger pot, be mindful that it may not have any drainage holes. In this case, water sparingly as orchids will suffer when they are standing in pooled water. Also, make sure the water is not poured directly onto the plant and is poured into the roots underneath the leaves at the base.
Avoid getting water into the crevices of the leaves. If this happens, grab a towel and dab any excess moisture away to prevent rot.
Watering can be a little bit of trial and error. Keep in mind that long summer days may require you to water the orchid more and short winter days will require less watering.
Here's how to tell if the orchid needs water:
Another easy way to judge if the orchid needs watering is to use your finger to poke deep into the pot:
Here's some of the most popular varieties available to buy:
Vanda orchids require a great deal of water. Keep them moist at all times but avoid over-watering.
Phalaenopsis orchids generally require brief dry periods between every watering.
Cymbidium orchids need their soil to be evenly moist at all times. Be careful to ensure the soil is not soggy or wet.
Dendrobium orchids require evenly moist soil during growth but also need a brief dry period between watering when it is not growing.
Humidity is important as it recreates the conditions of an orchid's natural habitat, which of course helps them thrive.
There are multiple ways of creating ideal humidity for your plant but by far the easiest method for indoor orchids is to mist them regularly.
If possible, use distilled or water boiled in the kettle and cooled for your mist bottle. Standard tap water is laden with impurities, which can cause the orchids leaves to become covered in white crust. This can be unsightly and can also block moisture from entering the leaf.
Insufficient misting and lack of humidity can lead to a few problems. If you notice any of the following, increase your misting:
Like most plants, optimal light is the absolute key to keeping orchids happy.
Under no circumstances, place the orchid in direct sunlight, as they will get sunburnt - yes, really!
It can happen in a matter of hours, so keep your eyes on the light the orchid is receiving.
An ideal place for the orchid to live is in a room that stays at a consistent temperature through the day, away from drafts, fruit and where it can receive indirect sunlight.
Indirect sunlight is simply sunlight that has been filtered by bouncing off a wall or through an object before hitting the orchid. If you're unsure if your location is suitable, the simplest way of measuring light intensity is to use your hand. It sounds strange but, at the height of the day, when the sun is pointing through the window at its brightest (a bright day is best to try this rather than overcast), put your hand a few inches above the plant’s leaves so that you cast a shadow over the plant.
When the orchid peaks its blooming period, its new flowers will last up to 12 weeks. After this time, they may fade, droop or fall off their stems (spikes) when they are spent.
Once they do this, you will need to determine how to prune the orchid. First, check if the stem is healthy or in poor condition:
Healthy stems are green and firm to the touch
Unhealthy stems are brown/yellow in colour and hard to the touch
Cutting back an orchid for the first time can seem daunting. Nevertheless, by following the next few tips, you should expect the orchid to produce their beautiful flowers for its next blooming cycle (providing all other care instructions are followed of course!).
If your stem is healthy and this is the first prune. Trim the stem just above the stem notch/node where the first flower had bloomed. This will allow a new shoot to emerge.
If your stem is unhealthy or you have already rebloomed your orchid pruning once already, it is best to cut an inch above the base of the stem. This allows the orchid to focus its energy into producing new strong leaves and roots.
Often people think because there are no flowers that an orchid is past its best. DonÂ’t worry, if the leaves are healthy then keep going. Often insufficient light causes orchids to concentrate their energy elsewhere. If the orchid has already bloomed, try pruning them.
Some loss of leaves for an orchid is natural, providing they donÂ’t all fall at once. Excessive leaf loss usually indicates that the plant is either kept too cold or is overwatered. Allow the plant to dry and remove the dead foliage.
This is orchid nectar which is created to attract insects to pollenate it. If you notice this in excess on the leaves, wipe it away with a damp cloth.
When new leaves grow from an orchid they tend to stick to one another if the atmosphere is too dry and crinkle. If you spot this, increase the humidity by misting.
Orchids commonly grow on trees with their roots exposed to a moist rainforest atmosphere so this is normal. Lots of aerial roots is a great sign that the orchid is happy in its environment. Spray these roots regularly with the misting technique to keep them green and healthy and not grey and dry.
Yellow leaves are either a sign of too much water or too little light. Check that your roots are not brown and waterlogged. If they are, hold off the water and allow the plant to dry. If your roots are healthy then try the plant in another spot to get more light. Also use the light measuring technique.
