Growing Orchids At Home

Orchids are beautiful flowers that look great indoors. If you don’t have a lot of space but would like to add some greenery to your home then orchids are the perfect flowers for you. Learning how to grow orchids is very simple, most people assume due to their exotic nature and origin they are hard to grow. Nothing could be further from the truth; orchids need water, sunlight, fertilizer, and a little space just like all plants. You just need to be a little careful and once you have all the information you will love growing orchids.

Watering

When you are growing orchids you need to watch how much you water the plants. You don’t need to water orchids every day. In fact this can cause your orchids to die. How often you water your orchids depends on the type. So be sure that you first determine the type of orchid when growing orchids.

With Cattleya, Oncidium, and Dendrobium orchids you need to be especially careful about overwatering. Watering once or twice a week is sufficient for these types of orchids. Place the orchids in the sink and let water run over the roots for about 30 seconds.

Then place the orchids back in their pot, you want to make sure that the water drains off properly. These types of orchids like to be dry in between watering, so don’t worry too much if the roots and medium feel dry.

If you are growing Phalaenopsis orchids then you might need to water a little more frequently. The growing medium should feel a little damp, or spongy, when you stick your finger in it. If it feels dry then you should water the plants.

Lighting

Lighting is another important aspect to growing orchids. Orchids don’t do well in very strong light. A general rule of thumb would be to choose an area for your orchids that receive about four hours of sunlight a day. Cattleya orchids can be exposed to as much as six hours of sunlight. Any place that your orchids can receive indirect light is best.

Humidity

The humidity in your home is another important thing to look at when growing orchids. If the humidity levels are below 40% then you will need to mist your plant regularly. Another way to keep the orchids in your home in a humid environment is to use a humidity tray. Simply use a tray with a layer of pebbles in it and fill it with water, but be careful that the roots are not submerged in water.