House Plants 101

Beautiful Orchids in the Home

By Ramona Borkman, Magazine Editor

Who doesn’t love a beautiful orchid? Even in the cold dark days of winter, orchids can be displayed and appreciated in our homes for weeks if not months, and if you understand the basic requirements orchids need, you can enjoy their beauty for many years. They’ re incredibly elegant, make great gifts, and can enhance the beauty of any space. Fundamental to successful orchid care is understanding the requirements of the orchid for support, light, food, humidity, water, air movement, and temperature.

Since many orchids, in nature, grow on trees and not in soil, the best orchid mixes contain special medias that promote healthy drainage and good airflow. The best media for an orchid is the one that best matches the type of orchid and the conditions in which it is growing. The conditions on a sun porch in Florida are different from a heated home in Ohio yet orchids, with proper care, can thrive in both. Orchids require special fertilizer designed for orchids to grow really well. They do not require very much fertilizer, but most orchid growers recommend fertilizing weekly.

Photo by TU HAN-WEI: https://www.pexels.com/photo/ purple-orchid-flowers-in-bloom-9526406/

Achieving a good balance of humidity and air movement is one of the goals of successful orchid care. Orchids do not like ‘wet feet’ but they do like humidity. When grown inside a home, orchids are often placed on humidity trays. These trays allow water to collect in the base while the plant is suspended above the water. The orchid benefits from the evaporation of the water. Orchids can also be gathered close together to help raise the humidity among the plants. This is a balancing act because orchids like air movement and not too much moisture.

Orchids have very widely varying light needs and understanding the appropriate amount of light for the type of orchid is essential to their care. It is often inadequate light that inhibits orchid blooming.

The key to orchid watering is to not overwater.

Orchids want the right amount of water, not too much and not too little. When an orchid is watered liberally, allowing the water to pour from the bottom of the pot until the plant and media are completely saturated, you will have the greatest success with your orchids.

Reference repotme.com "Orchid Care: 10 Easy Steps"