How long do orchids bloom and how to properly care for them?
Orchids are beautiful, exotic - and difficult to care for. But that's not true at all. If you follow a few simple rules, you can enjoy these wonderful flowers for a long time.
What you need:
- Spray bottles
- Possibly. Water bowls or electric humidifiers
- special fertilizer
- Possibly. a stick and string
- knife
- a flower pot
- Orchid plant material (substrate)
The variety determines how long orchids will bloom
- How long orchids bloom depends on the variety. Some can bloom almost all year round with good care, others fall into a kind of rest period after blooming, which should not be disturbed under any circumstances.
- When buying, inquire which type yours orchid listened to. There are varieties for which minimum temperatures of 10 degrees in winter and 14 degrees in summer are sufficient, but the more tropical orchids need at least 16 degrees in winter and 22 degrees in summer.
- Orchids like it bright, but under no circumstances can they tolerate the direct irradiation of the midday sun. You should take this into account when choosing a location.
- By spraying it finely, you ensure the necessary humidity. Water bowls and electric humidifiers can also help. Also make sure that the location of the flowers is always well ventilated, but that they are not in the train.
- Orchids are not grown in normal potting soil, but require a special plant material, which can vary from species to species.
- You should not water the orchids with water that is too cold or too chalky. Check once a week to see if the soil is sufficiently moist. If it is more likely to dry out, pour it generously. The best way to do this is to take the flower out of the planter so that the excess water can drain down unchecked.
- In summer you can fertilize the plant every two to four weeks, in winter much less often. Less is definitely more.
- If the orchids become too top-heavy, you can prop them up with a stick. To do this, fasten the shoots one after the other with string halfway up the stick.
- Many orchids have a dormant period during which they shed their leaves. Then move the plant to a cooler place with less humidity. The orchids then only rarely have to be watered, but you should make sure that the soil does not dry out.
- When your orchids are between two and three years old, you'll need to repot and divide them. The best time to do this is at the beginning of the growing season. Carefully remove the plant from the pot. Find a point of division and use a large knife to cut through the root ball. Now remove the old planting material and old roots and plant both flowers again.
- When planting, place the orchids in the pot with a slightly rotating movement and make sure that the new shoots have enough distance to the edge of the pot. Carefully fill the pot with substrate so that the shoots touch it but don't get too tight.
Faded orchids - this is how they will continue to be cared for
You shouldn't just throw away bloomed orchids. Because with a little care ...
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