10 Ways to care for your Orchid

While living in cold places, I discovered my love for orchids. Since it’s been so cold for so long, the plants in the house add a little joy to the house. Orchids are easy to care for. They require very little water, and once they bloom, you can enjoy these flowers for months! Here are 10 tips to keep your orchid alive and healthy for years to come!

10 Good tips for your Orchid

1. Don’t overwater. Orchids are tropical plants, but they don’t need a lot of water. Water about once a week. Fill the container with water (do this in the sink to avoid messing up) and let it sit for a minute or two, then pour out all the water. no time needed. 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 don’t need soil off the ground to thrive, and the soil collects too much moisture for them. Orchid bark is your best option.

3. Repot when blooms die. Here’s a tip from a botanist and orchid caretaker Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens. Use fresh orchid moss and cut away the brown roots.

4. Cut off the stems when the flowers die. This gives the plant more energy for new growth. Botanists recommend stopping at the second groove at the bottom.

5. Put them close to a window. They love light and do best when exposed to as much as possible.

6. Keep them warm As mentioned, they are tropical plants and like warmth (even humidity). A bathroom is a great place to keep them as they love the steam from the shower!

7. When it gets hot outside, put 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 very heavy. Use a sturdy pot or even fill the bottom with stones or heavy objects to keep them from falling and breaking. I have learned this lesson the hard way!

9. Pot them tight. It’s important because 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 can be kept for many years. You just have to be patient and wait for the break. They can remain inactive for months to a year. Just keep the roots moist from time to time. Once you think you can’t stan