I found my love for orchids while living in Sweden. With it being so cold for so long, having plants inside adds a little happiness in the home. Orchids are very easy to take care of. They need little water and once it blooms you can enjoy those blooms for several months! Here’s 10 tips to keep your orchids alive and well for many years!
1. Do not over water. Orchids are tropical plants but do not require much water. Water about once a week. Fill the container with water (do this in your sink to not make a mess) and let sit a minute or 2 and then pour all of the water out. It takes no time. And the best thing is that if you forget one week, just do it the next!
2. Do not use potting soil. Orchids naturally grow on trees. They do not need soil from the ground to thrive and that soil collects too much moisture for them. Orchid bark is your best option.
3. Repot when blooms die. This was a tip given to me by the botanist and orchid care taker at Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens. Use fresh orchid moss and cut away the brown roots.
4. Cut the stems when the bloom dies. This gives the plant more energy to create new growth. The botanist recommended stopping at the second notch from the bottom.
5. Leave them in a window. They love light and do best when exposed to as much as possible.
6. Keep them warm. As I said, they are tropical plants and like it nice and warm (humid even). A bathroom is a great place to keep them as they love the steam from the shower!
7. When temperatures get warm outside, set them out! Make sure that the weather doesn’t dip below 50°F at night though. That’s about as cold as they can stand. The rise and fall of the weather can even encourage blooms!
8. Weight the bottom of the pot. These guys can be pretty top heavy. Use a sturdy pot and even fill with rocks or something heavy on the bottom to prevent them from falling and breaking. I have learned this lesson the hard way!
9. Pot them tight. They like to be tight in their pot so don’t repot to give them more space. They do not like that.
10. Be patient! Orchids will last for many years. You just have to have the patience to wait out the dormant season. They can remain dormant for many months to a year. Just keep the roots moist from time to time. Once you think you can’t stand to wait any longer you will see a stem start and develop and then blooms. It’s so exciting!
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