Caring For Orchids Indoors
So you have bought some orchids and you want to learn all about caring for orchids. Well, you have come to the right place because I am going to discuss how caring for orchids indoors is so easy that anyone can do it. If you want to turn your orchid plants into beautiful and thriving flowers, then you need to read this article to learn how to care for an orchid. So without further ado lets get into the process of caring for orchids.
Watering Orchids
One of the basic things about caring for orchids is knowing how to correctly water orchids. Most people like to drench their orchids when they water them and then wait for the orchid medium to dry out before watering their orchid plants again. I actually prefer to keep orchid plants moist and periodically check them to make sure they do not dry out too quickly. Another method you can use for watering is to check the weight of your orchid when you water it then check the weight when your orchid has dried out. This is a great way to find out exactly when to water your orchid again. You can also place your finger about one inch into the top layer of the orchid medium and test to see if it is moist or dry. If it’s dry then its time to water your orchid. If the orchid medium is still moist then you should wait before watering your orchid again.
Fertilization and Nutrition
Contrary to popular belief your orchids do need to be fed if you want to have beautiful thriving orchids. The top three nutrients that you need to feed to your orchids are nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium also represented as N-P-K. These are the basic nutrients that every plant needs to have in order to thrive and bloom. There are some exceptions but, for simplicity we will discuss them as the basic macro-nutrients needed for optimum orchid growth.
Nitrogen is used for the leaves and flowers of your orchid plant. If you begin to see your orchid leaves turning yellow and becoming stunted in growth, this may be a sign of a nitrogen deficiency. If you happen to put too much nitrogen into the soil it may produce many leaves on your orchid plant, but may also inhibit orchid flowering. Make sure when adding nitrogen you only use the recommended amount for your orchid plants.
Phosphorous is also another important nutrient in caring for orchids. Phosphorous is a great nutrient for many different things. It’s great for using when you are transplanting your orchids into the ground or into another pot because it helps the orchid roots adjust much quicker to the new orchid medium. Phosphorous also helps the orchid roots become much stronger when you first plant your orchid. If your orchid happens to have a deficiency you will notice the leaves turning a blue to green discoloration and it may cause your orchid plant to grow very slowly. If there is too much phosphorous then your orchids will face a deficiency of other nutrients such as nitrogen, calcium, and many others.
Potassium is not as an important nutrient as nitrogen and phosphorous is but is worth mentioning especially when caring for orchids indoors. Potassium is used to keep the cell membrane of the plant intact and strong. It can also be used for more root growth and further production of starch and other sugars. If you happen to have excess potassium then you will most likely have a deficiency of nitrogen, copper, magnesium, calcium, and even iron.
Propagating Orchids
If caring for orchids indoors is important to you then you need to learn all about propagating orchids correctly. Basically propagation is repotting your orchids into a new medium and a new pot. If your orchid roots begin to become crowded inside of the orchid pot then it is time to repot your orchid plants. First you need to remove the orchid from your pot with care. One thing you can do is to bang the bottom of the pot with your hand and this may loosen the orchid roots so you can take out the plant. If not you may have to use a knife to get your orchid out of the pot being careful that you do not cut any roots or any important roots.
After you have removed the plant from the pot you then need to remove any decaying material on your orchid and discard of it. If your orchid roots happen to be thriving or healthy then you will need to repot your orchid into a larger pot than the original. If there is too much rot then I would suggest planting your orchid into a new pot of the same size or smaller depending on how many rotten roots were removed.
Once you have placed material at the bottom of the new pot for proper drainage such as Styrofoam peanuts or other materials you can then add the orchid into the pot. Make sure when caring for orchids the plant is at the exact same height it was in the original pot and then you can add your orchid medium. Make sure to fill the pot all the way up to the top of the orchid pot. Press firmly down on the orchid medium making sure that your orchid is in place and it will not move. If you have to you can place a stake in the pot and tie it to your orchid to keep it growing straight. This also gives your orchid more support as well.
Caring for orchids indoors is as easy as can be. All you needed was the right information and you too can begin to have beautiful and amazing looking orchids that will thrive for many years to come. Now that you know how to take care of orchids, you can start growing your beautiful orchids today!
