My elder son bought me a stunning orchid for Mother’s Day last year. I knew that it needed a sunny window and liked good drainage but that was the extent of my knowledge. I didn’t know how to grow orchids. It took about a month for all the pretty flowers to fall off and my orchid to begin failing. What was I doing wrong, I wondered? 

I am largely an outdoor gardener. I attended my monthly Master Gardener meeting and was thrilled to find that the topic was orchids. The following tips are a blend of this lecture along my own research.  I am happy to report that my beautiful flower is back from the brink of death and pictured above. If you follow these guidelines, you can grow orchids.

General Information about Orchids

There are over thirty thousand species of orchids (orchidaceae) and each has many different varieties. Some orchids are “air plants” which receive nourishment from the air but the ones we are concerning ourselves with are the kind that live in soil, called terrestrial. Want to know how to grow orchids? Try starting out with a cattleya (the lavender and white ones that you often see where plants are sold) when you purchase one. Often, your orchid will be sold with information about the care and I advise hanging onto this since all orchids thrive in different conditions.

Ideal Locations for Orchids

In the winter months, a south or west facing window is best. In the remaining months, the orchid needs to be in a north or east facing window to avoid too much hot sun.  Orchids prefer temperatures between 68 and 80 degrees. Make sure to place your container in a location that will have appropriate light, temperature and air circulation.

Soil and Transplanting Orchids

Because orchids are planted in a soil medium that is coarse and allows for fast drainage, chopped or shredded bark from cedar, birch and pine trees are typical choices. Orchids like their roots to dry out between waterings, so selecting a soil made for orchids is best. Transplanting isn’t required often, only every 24-36 months. If you notice that your plant’s roots are starting to grow over the top of your container it’s time for a larger pot. 

Select a slightly larger vessel and fill it 1/3 with gravel or bits of broken pots.  Add some new growing medium and gently remove the plant from the old pot.  Cut away the brown, dead roots with a sharp knife or scissors and insert carefully into newly prepared home. Fill in gently with more soil to hold the plant firmly in place. You can use your hands or even a wooden stick to pack the soil around the root system.

Watering and Fertilising Orchids

Overwatering is the kiss of death.  Orchids prefer to be completely dry between watering. Therefore, my method is watering about every 8 days. I pour water (room temp) over my plant until it comes out the drainage holes and them I leave it alone. I will point out that the orchids often sold in groceries often have no drainage holes.  If this is your situation, simply saturate your plant then gently hold the plant in it’s pot and pour the water back out. In other words, make sure that you take care to really let it drip for a few moments before turning it upright again,  

Orchids are light feeders. Above all, I’d suggest a water-soluble fertiliser made for orchids or a 23-19-17 plant food. Monthly feeding should be sufficient to grow orchids.

General Plant Maintenance

It isn’t uncommon for orchids to bloom 3 times annually.  Happily, blooms last for several months.  When they fall off, you can leave the spike for a few months to see if it will bloom again.  If it doesn’t, cut the spike down to about 2 inches.  In conclusion this encourages the plant to grow a new spike and flower again. It’s not hard to grow orchids with these tips.

Pro Tip:  Rotate your container in the sun every few days.

Pro Tip: Common orchids love humidity. Set your container on a large saucer of gravel which has water just below the rock line.How To Grow Orchids