How to care for your orchid

The orchid is one of the most common indoor plants. Learning to care for your orchids is fairly easy, as long as the right growing conditions are in place. These beautiful plants come in a variety of colours and make a lovely decorative choice for any space. Orchids need relatively little care, provided we meet their basic needs for light, temperature and humidity.

Growing conditions

The Phalaenopsis orchid prefers a bright spot in the home, but out of direct sunlight. Especially in the summer months, when sunlight is stronger, its leaves can get scorched and its flowers can dry out. Another thing that can harm an orchid is exposure to radiators, air conditioning, and cold or hot draughts. The ideal temperatures for an orchid to thrive are similar to those of its natural environment, that is, between 18 and 27°C.

Watering your orchid: how often and how?

The most effective way to water is to soak the pot with the plant in a basin of room-temperature water. If you keep your orchid in a decorative cachepot, take out the inner pot with the plant and dip it into the basin until the roots are well soaked. Then lift the pot out of the basin, set it aside to drain well, and put it back in the cachepot.

Before watering your orchid, check whether its roots are dry. If there is still moisture from the last watering, wait a few more days. How often you water depends on the season. In winter, water your orchid every 10 days. In spring, plan to water it every week, while in the hot summer months it’s best to water every 5 days.

Remember that the orchid is a tropical epiphyte that absorbs nutrients and moisture from the air. That’s why we always mist the orchid’s leaves, both in summer because of the heat and in winter if the air is quite dry from the heating.

Feeding your orchid

For orchids, we use a specialised liquid fertilizer, which you’ll find in our shop. Dissolve one part fertilizer in the corresponding parts of water and use this solution to water the plant. During the flowering period, fertilize once a month, that is, roughly every 4 waterings. Once the flowers have fallen, apply fertilizer every 2 weeks.

Pruning your orchid

Once flowering is over, the green flower spike remains and can bloom again. That’s why we don’t prune it straight away. If the spike starts to dry out, cut it at the first or second “node” below the point where it has dried.

Frequently asked questions

Why isn’t my orchid flowering?

An orchid stays healthy and grows in conditions similar to those of its natural environment. Make sure you keep the temperature between 18 and 27°C, place it in a bright spot away from radiators, and don’t skip feeding it.

Why are my orchid’s flowers falling off?

First of all, it’s natural for orchid flowers to mature and gradually fall. However, intense heat in the summer months can dehydrate the flowers and make them wilt. In summer, we mist the orchid’s leaves quite often to raise humidity levels. Sudden changes in temperature can also cause the flowers to drop.

Why are my orchid’s leaves turning yellow?

The most common cause of yellowing orchid leaves is insufficient light. Although direct sun is harmful, always keep your orchid in a consistently bright spot. If there is too much moisture from frequent watering, the leaves lose their colour, and the roots need to be aired and the next watering delayed. To keep the plant healthy, we use a specialised liquid fertilizer.

Why are my orchid’s roots rotting?

Excess moisture from frequent watering or poor drainage damages the orchid’s roots. To prevent further damage, remove the rotten parts and let the potting medium dry out before the next watering.

In our shop you’ll find specialised orchid fertilizer, orchid potting mix and a wide range of decorative cachepots.