Nowadays, many people have chosen orchids to decorate their homes because they are elegant flowers, and their beauty makes them a great gift option. However, there seem to be many general doubts regarding its care, especially in urbanized areas. The truth is that these flowers need special care to stay in perfect condition and last as long as possible.
In this article you will find the necessary information to take care of your orchids.
What do you need to take care of orchids?
- Light
- Water
- Nutrients
- Ideal temperature
- Humidity (40%)
- Hygiene
- Ventilation
- Substrate
- Special compound for orchids
- Transplant
Instructions for caring for orchids
- The first step is to find a place to place your orchids. The ideal place is a humid place where the plant receives a lot of light, but is not directly hit by the rays; But if you don’t give it enough light, the orchids won’t bloom and turn brown and look unhealthy. Orchids require a lot of ventilation, so there must be a window in the room through which air can enter and periodically renew what is already in the room. You can put it on the balcony if the sun’s rays do not directly affect the plant and the temperature does not drop below 8ºC.
- The second step that must be taken into consideration is the watering of the orchids. It is not recommended to water it daily; experts say that it is enough to water it once every ten days, approximately. It is important to let the soil dry out between watering. To water them, it is not recommended that the leaves get wet, so you should pour the water directly on the ground, preferably with a sprayer. If you have wet the leaves, dry them with a cloth.
- A trick to make your plant look good and last a long time is to moisten the roots once a week. To do this, fill a container with water and submerge the base of the orchid completely (never wet the leaves). Leave them in the water for a few minutes until there are no more air bubbles, and then let them drain. This technique allows the plant to oxygenate.
- It is good that you provide nutrients to your orchids and the best way to obtain them is through specific fertilizers for this plant. You can find them in specialized stores.
- It is recommended to transplant orchids once every two years. The transplant mixture must be light because the plant needs to be aerated, for this reason neither soil nor mulch is recommended. It’s best to use an orchid- specific compound that you can easily find at nurseries, gardeners, and specialty plant stores. This mixture is made up of polystyrene and pine bark. Another option is to use sphagnum from Chile, alone or mixed with gravel.
- The cutting of sticks is good to do to clean up the plant. It is essential to carry it out when it is observed that a rod has dried. On the other hand, if the stem has already lost all its flowers but is still green, there are two options: you can leave it and let nature take its course. The plant will decide if a kie kie will be born, which is a shoot from which a flower is not born, but a plant identical to the mother; or if a new flower is born. The other option is to cut the stick at the base, just above the first node (which is the little bumps on the stem).
A well cared for orchid can live up to 20 years! Finally, you have these tips that will help you a lot:
Tips for caring for orchids
- It is important to take into account the season of the year in which we find ourselves, since if it is summer; it is recommended that the plant is not placed directly below or next to the window, so that it does not receive direct sunlight. However, when it is winter, you can move your orchid under the window or close to it, because the sun’s rays are not as strong or harmful.
- The ideal temperature to keep your orchid in perfect condition ranges between 17ºC and 23ºC.
- Keep in mind that it is as harmful for the plant that it is very hot as it is very cold.
- If several days have passed since you watered your orchid and you see that the soil is still wet, you should wait until it is dry to water it again. Otherwise, you will flood it and it will wither.
- It is recommended that the water to irrigate the orchids be non-calcareous water.
- When the orchid has bloomed, you can give it special vitamins to keep it beautiful and healthy. You can also find them in specialized stores.
- If you have chosen to cut the stem while it is still green, the plant will create new flower stems. On the other hand, if you have not cut it and a flower bud comes out of it again, you must take into account that the quality and quantity of the flowers will be less than those that will come out of a new rod.
