How to Choose and Care for Orchids
If you have received an orchid as a gift, or you are thinking about buying one, there are things you need to do to make sure that your orchid blooms successfully. Learn how to choose and care for orchids in this video by Better Homes and Gardens:
Orchids have become popular because the flowers last for a long time; under ideal conditions, it’s not uncommon for blooms to last 2-3 months.
When shopping for orchids, look for plants that have some buds developing; there can be some open flowers, but you want more buds than flowers so you have a longer blooming experience. Look not only for the quality of the flowers but of the plant as well. The leaves should be firm and not withered. A healthy plant will have longer lasting blooms than one that is starting to get dehydrated.
Protect the plant immediately when you leave the store. Avoid temperatures below 50 degrees as it can seriously damage the plant. Put your orchid in bright filtered light, not in full direct sunlight (the leaves can actually burn). To determine whether the light is suitable, hold your hand about 6-8 inches above the leaves the shadow should be fuzzy on the edges, not clearly defined.
Allow the plant to dry between waterings. Bring the plant to the sink and allow the water to run through the pot. This will help saturate the roots, bring oxygen in and flush out any accumulated fertilizer salts, diseases, and broken-down potting material.
The best time to really pay attention to your orchid is actually when blooming is over as it’s storing up the energy it needs to produce more beautiful blooms. Feed it with a balanced fertilizer on a small but regular basis. You don’t need to use specialty orchid fertilizer, but you need a balanced fertilizer with an equal number of nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus. Orchids are tropical plants that are always growing and need to be fed year-round, but they don’t like lots or high concentrations of food. so 1/4 of the recommended strength is an ideal amount, and you want to fertilize every third to fourth watering. Once it’s well fed, your plant will make new roots, new leaves and new beautiful flowers.
