Orchid winter care tips: how to keep your orchids fit and vital
Do you ever wonder this: how much water does an orchid get? What is the best place in the house? And does an orchid actually need nutrition? The biggest misconception is that orchids are difficult to look after, when in fact they are so easy! With a little extra attention, you can enjoy your orchid for months, often even years. We collected some tips to keep your orchids in top condition this winter.
Orchid winter care tips: how to keep your orchids fit and vital
Watering
By far the most important step of orchid care is watering. In winter, we recommend watering once a week. Tip: to see whether your orchid needs water, just look at the roots. Are they grey then it’s time for water. Green roots mean the orchid has enough water.
If you wonder: when do I water too much or too little? With these three methods you’ll make sure your orchid is watered correctly. Check the video below or read it here: 3 ways to water your orchid.
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Put your orchid in a bright spot
As it is darker in winter, it is recommended to place your orchid close to the window. This way, they will still catch enough light, during the darker days. When looking for a spot for your orchid, there are a few things to consider:
- Orchids like plenty of light, but they don’t like direct sunlight. Fortunately, this doesn’t mean that you can never put your orchid on a window sill, just make sure to pick a sill that’s not in full sunlight all of the day. In winter, the orchid can safely be placed in the window sill, as the sun shows itself much less often then and is less bright.
- Orchids don’t like draughts. A little fresh air now and then won’t be a problem, but be wary of windows and doors that are often open.
- Another thing orchids don’t like is being near a heater. In summer, when your heater is off, it’s not a problem, but pay attention to this in winter.
- Orchids like a room temperature of at least 15 to at most 25 °c. Most rooms in modern houses comfortably meet these demands.
- The kitchen is a fine place for orchids, but be wary of fruit and vegetables. Fruit and vegetables emit ethylene, which may cause your orchid to drop all its buds at once.
Cut off dead flowers
When the flowers of your orchid die, they dry out and eventually fall off. If this doesn’t happen naturally, you can also cut off the dried flowers carefully yourself. Doing so allows the plant to focus all its energy on its blooming flowers and new buds. During the bloom period of your orchid you don’t need to trim it. When your orchid has completely finished blooming, you may choose to trim it to stimulate the creation of new buds. How? Read this article: How do I get my orchid to flower again?
