How To Care For Orchids

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Did you know that orchids are the most common flower on the planet?

So being that ordinary, you might think that they’re not very special.

But just look at them —

They’re beautiful and showy and dramatic

and they add instant style to a room.

What’s not to love??

My favorite orchids are the Phalaenopsis variety.

These plants have large blooms with showy petals attached to long draping stems on a base of broad, waxy green leaves.

They come in a lot of amazing colors and they work with just about any decorating style.

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Given the right conditions, orchid blooms can last up to 2 months

which is about 8 times longer than cut flowers in a vase!

And really, they’re super easy to care for —

In fact, this is one of the few houseplants I actually can keep alive!

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So…

Here are some quick tips on how to care for orchids:

CHOOSE YOUR PLANT CAREFULLY

You can find orchids just about anywhere that flowers and plants are sold —

Nurseries, Lowe’s, Costco, Trader Joe’s, the grocery store…

(I like the orchids at Trader Joe’s the best and they’re a great price!)

Look for plants that have a few open blossoms and several buds. Each bud will open over time and your bloom time will be a lot longer than if you bought a plant with all open blossoms.

Smell the pot — if it smells rotten, it is. Pass that one by.

Look for plump, white or green roots. Brown or dry or mushy roots are a sign of an unhealthy plant.

The leaves should be plump, shiny and bright green.

PICK THE RIGHT SPOT

Bring your plant home and put the plastic container it’s planted in into your own decorative container. Orchids look amazing in an urn, a ceramic pot, a bucket or just about any container that goes with your decor.

I like to put a little bit of green moss over the top so you can’t see the plastic container inside.

Set your orchid in a spot in your home that gets lots of indirect light. Make sure it doesn’t get any direct sun shining on it.

Keep it away from heating and air conditioning vents.

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DON’T OVER WATER

Only water your orchid every 7 to 12 days. It should dry out completely between waterings.

When it’s dry, take it out of the decorative container and water it completely, letting all the water drain out of the pot before placing it back into the container. Never let the roots sit in water.

FEED IT

Fertilize your orchid with a good orchid food a couple of times a month when it’s in bloom and about once a month when it’s not in bloom.

SNIP IT

When a bloom fades and drops off, snip the stem just below the last bloom but above the nearest node. The plant may send out another shoot and bloom again.

I’ve heard that once all the blooms are spent, you can continue to care for your plant and it may bloom again the following season. To be honest, I’m not patient enough to wait another year for more blooms, especially when the plant itself is not very attractive without any blossoms on it.

So now that you know how to care for orchids

I hope you’ll give them a try in your home decor.

Because, for something so common

They really are uncommonly beautiful!