Orchid Growing Tips for Beginners

Growing orchids has long been made out to be a terrible task even for the experienced gardener with the greenest of green thumbs. This is only true, though, if you’re working with certain varieties of this beautiful plant. Even beginners with little or no experience growing houseplants can have thriving orchids in their homes if they use the right tips and tricks to grow their orchids. Here are just a few things you need to know about caring for orchids if you’re getting ready to purchase your first orchid plant.

Which orchid to buy

Any good gardener will tell you that the real key to having a thriving garden – indoors or out – is to purchase the right plants. This means getting plants that are suited to the environment you can provide and that are hardy against the problems of your particular area. If you have a home without much natural sunlight, don’t buy an orchid that needs lots of direct sunlight. If you can’t provide cool temperatures throughout the year, buy an orchid plant that can deal with fluctuating temperatures and with some higher temperatures. There are hundreds of varieties of orchids, many with different environment requirements. You can definitely find one that’s right for the environment you can provide if you just do a little research first.

Caring for orchids

Once you have your own particular orchid, you need to base the rest of these suggestions on what that variety prefers. Watering, fertilizing, flowering, and lighting requirements will all vary from variety to variety. Making sure you know what your particular variety prefers will help you give your plant the best environment for its needs.

In general, though, here are a few tips you can use for your orchid growing. For one thing, orchids typically prefer filtered light, as in indirect sunlight. In your home, this can work if your orchids are off to the side of a window where they receive light but not directly. Some varieties do prefer direct light, but often times too much afternoon sunlight will scorch a plant and turn its leaves yellow.

Watering orchids

Most orchids need to be grown in special growing mediums like bark or moss. These are lighter mediums that allow for better drainage. Before you water your orchid, you should let the growing medium dry completely. This is how it typically works with orchids in nature, and they can quickly be destroyed by over watering. Most plants only need watered once a week, though you may have to increase this when temperatures rise in the summer time.

Orchid Food

Finally, keep in mind that most orchids need food in order to really thrive. Your orchid plants might survive without being fertilized, but they’ll do much better when you give them proper fertilizer. You can often buy fertilizer specifically for orchids from your local garden store. Make sure not to over fertilize your orchids, and only fertilize them until they bloom. Fertilizer helps the plant remain healthy, and it may also extend the amount of time your plant blooms.

Want to learn more about growing orchids in your home, visit Orchids Types & Care.