Caring for orchids indoors can be a challenge. Orchids are very delicate plants and can easily be damaged by high humidity and intense temperatures. They also need very clear, shady areas to grow. If these factors aren’t present in your home or garden, caring for orchids indoors becomes a very difficult task. However, if you follow some simple guidelines, caring for orchids indoors will be a breeze!
Repotting orchid plants is one of the easiest gardening tasks that anyone can do. But it can be very difficult to spot them when they are just starting out, so make sure that you have a good place for them to sit when they are young. Place them on a window sill, in a small pot or container, inside a potting mix, in a plastic basket, or another similar location. You should repot them about every two months or every few months. The rule of thumb is that you should remove the plants from their original pot and replace them with a new medium (soilless potting mix, newspaper, etc.)
You should water your orchids regularly. When you water your orchids, don’t flood the pot, just moisten the leaves around the flowers with a wet towel or cloth. Overwatering orchids can encourage root rot, a fungal condition that can ultimately kill your orchids. When you do report your orchids, don’t keep them in a small pot or container for an extended period of time. Remove them from the pot, rinse them off thoroughly, and put them somewhere relatively dry.
During the winter months, you should fertilize your orchids just like you would during the summer. Make sure that you purchase a fertilizer that is designed for orchids, not just for plants. Orchids have their own special fertilizer that should be purchased separate from other plants and then added to your plants via a water-based fertilizer sprayer. If you repot your orchids and put them in a small pot or container, make sure you fertilize them just as you would during the summer.
Some of the most enjoyable aspects of caring for orchids indoors are seeing the flowers bloom and enjoying eating the flowers themselves. If you want to grow orchids indoors, you need to provide them with as much of the natural light they require each day. Most orchids prefer six hours of sunlight, but you should aim for eight hours, or even ten hours, of growing light. It’s important that you remember that the roots will eventually stop growing, so you will have to replant the orchid if it begins to stop growing.
Phosphorous is another key element in caring for orchids indoors. If you want to grow an orchid with beautiful blooms, you must give them enough phosphorous to encourage the growth of strong roots and strong new root systems. Phosphorous is found in many different fertilizers and soil additives available at garden stores and is typically used as a soil additive rather than as a nutrient by itself. When purchasing phosphorous for your orchid, make sure that it also contains a high amount of nitrogen.
Finally, you’ll want to keep your orchids growing healthy and happy. This means taking care of the roots of the orchid. When growing orchids indoors, you can either use a simple growing medium such as gravel or soil, or you can purchase specialized growing mediums such as Nitropum. In either case, the growing medium should be packed tightly and aerated every few days, and you should water the growing medium no more than once a week. Watering the growing medium also keeps the roots cool.
Caring for orchids indoors doesn’t have to be hard work. As long as you follow the guidelines above, you can be assured that your plant will grow just as well as if you were growing them in your natural environment outdoors. Take the time to learn what type of orchid you’re interested in growing, and pick the right kind of potting soil and growing medium, and you’re on your way to enjoying your orchid for many years to come. Good luck!