Orchids are beautiful flowers that are relatively easy to maintain. We’ll show you how to grow orchids by teaching you the proper way to water, trim, and care for them so you’ll have a gorgeous looking flower for years to come.
There are 6 steps to completing this project:
Orchid pots should have drainage holes in the bottom to stop the water from stagnating and help prevent root rot. Keep a plate or drip tray underneath your pot to keep the water from spilling out onto your shelf or floor. Proper drainage will keep your orchid healthy and thriving.
Make sure you use a fast-draining medium like bark soil or moss to ensure good drainage, as adequate drainage is ideal when potting orchids. The combination of the right soil and the right pot helps your orchid stay healthier for longer. Repotting orchids that aren’t thriving can often help them become healthier.
Orchids should get about 6-8 hours of indirect sunlight per day. Keep them in a bright but shady area – out of direct sunlight - to ensure the healthiest growth and to prevent them from being burned. A room temperature of around 21 degrees Celsius (70 degrees Fahrenheit) is recommended.
Watering orchids is a bit different than watering other flowers. Orchids should be watered enough to keep them consistently damp. Press two fingers into the soil and test for dampness, if it's dry, add a bit of water, but be careful not to over water. Let excess water drain out onto the drip plate and then pour it off. If the humidity in your home is below 40%, mist your orchids with water in a spray bottle daily.
Fertilize your orchid using a balanced liquid fertilizer mixed at half strength once per month – usually when they’re flowering. Hold off on watering them for a few days after fertilizing to ensure you don’t dilute the fertilizer effects.
Once the orchid’s flowers have died, be sure to prune their stems. Remember, other than the moth orchid, orchids do not flower twice on the same stem. Trim green stems just above the bottom node, while for brown stems, trim it as close to the soil as possible. Keeping the stems pruned and fresh will help keep your orchid flowering for years to come.
