The OrchidExotic beautiesThere are many different types of orchids, each with their own scent and color. Each orchid must be cared for in a different way.
The Orchid
What to do with the air roots of an orchid?
It’s common knowledge that a plant has roots, but the air roots of an orchid are a little less known. So you’re probably wondering what they are, what their function is and whether you can cut off an orchid’s air roots. Read all about it in this article!
Curious about what the roots that grow outside of the pot of your orchid are? Air roots are crazy-looking tendrils that look a little like tentacles, but they are perfectly normal! They are firm and white, and often grow downwards.
What is the function of air roots?
Orchids use their roots to absorb nutrients from the air, absorbing moisture and obtaining carbon dioxide they need to thrive. However, this is especially true in areas and climates with high humidity. In the average living room, this function is therefore less effective and doesn’t have a huge effect on the growth of your plant.
Fun fact: orchids are epiphytes, which means they grow on other plants – such as a tree in a tropical rainforest. They use their roots to attach themselves to tree branches high above the jungle floor, to attempt to reach the light filtering through the leafy canopy. So, many plants that we place in a pot are actually climbing plants!
Should I cut the air roots off my orchid?
Not everyone is a fan of aerial roots, as they can make the plant look a bit crazy. However, if the air roots are firm and white, they are healthy and you don’t need to do anything at all. Trim the ones looking brown and soft, but work carefully to avoid cutting too deep and harming the plant. Do the air roots really bother you? Then cut a few off, but not all at once. This way your orchid can slowly get used to it.
The most important step when taking care of an orchid, is watering. This can make a lot of orchid owners a little nervous as the exact amount is not specified. But there’s no need to be nervous, because we have noted three methods to guarantee that you water your orchid right. Pick the method that suits you and your orchid best!
3 ways to water your orchid
1. Bathing
If your orchid is still in its (plastic) inner pot, it’s best to bathe it. To do so, put the root ball of the orchid in a shallow bath for a short while (5-10 minutes). You can use a basin, a bucket or your sink. Leave the (plastic) inner pot in place to ensure that you don’t damage the roots. It’s also essential that the plant dries thoroughly after its bath, because orchids don’t like wet feet!
2. Dish of water
If you don’t have a good basin, bucket or sink, you can also use a dish filled with water. By putting the orchid with its (plastic) inner pot on the dish for 5-10 minutes, the roots will also absorb all the water they need. If you do this, make sure to let the orchid dry well.
3. The shot glass
If you don’t have a lot of time and your orchid is in a pot without its (plastic) inner pot, the shot glass is the perfect tool for you! To give an orchid the exact amount of water it needs, you only need to pour one shot glass of water (around 60 ml) at the side of the root ball. Be careful to not pour the water in the centre as the leaves will rot!
How often should you water your orchid?
How often you need to water an orchid depends on the season that you’re in. In summer your orchid is a little thirstier and it’s best to water it once per week. In winter, once per two weeks is plenty. But if you love to keep your heating on in the winter months, we’d advise you to keep watering your orchid once per week.
Did you know…..
…that the type of water you give to your orchid is important? Ordinary tap water is fine, but if you really want to treat your orchid, it’s best to use rainwater or condensation water from the dryer. It may sound strange, but this water is completely free from lime and minerals, so it’s extra good for your orchid!
When caring for an orchid, you don’t want to overwater it. Because excess water in the pot can cause the roots to rot. In general, watering once a week is sufficient during the summer, and once every two weeks in the winter. But since every plant has different needs, it’s always best to check whether your orchid needs water first. We’ll tell you a very handy trick! (more…)
By far the most important step of orchid care is watering. This is also the part that some people find tricky. Do I water too much or too little? To find out whether your orchid needs watering, here’s a handy and easy trick!
How can you tell if your orchid needs water?
Check the roots! The colour of the roots will tell you if an orchid needs water. If the roots are grey, it is time to water. If the roots are green, the plant has enough water.
If it is necessary to water your orchid, there are three methods to ensure orchids are watered properly:
Bathing: Put the roots of the orchid in a shallow bath for a short while (5-10 minutes). You can use a basin, a bucket or your sink. Leave the (plastic) inner pot in place to ensure that you don’t damage the roots. It’s also essential that the plant dries thoroughly after its bath because orchids don’t like wet feet.
Dish of water: You can also water your orchid by immersing it in a dish filled with water. By placing the orchid with its (plastic) inner pot in a layer of water for 5-10 minutes, the roots will absorb the water they need. If you do this, make sure to let the orchid dry well.
A shot glass of water: If you don’t have time or you can’t take the orchid out of its pot, the shot glass is the perfect tool for you. To give an orchid the exact amount of water it needs, you only need to pour one shot glass of water (around 60 ml) between the roots.
Orchid summer 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 summer.
Orchid summer care tips: how to keep your orchids fit and vital
Watering
By far the most important step of orchid care is watering. In summer, we recommend watering once a week. You may wonder: when do I water too much or too little? To make it easy, we have highlighted three methods to make sure your orchid is watered correctly. You can read it here: 3 ways to water your orchid.
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.
An orchid is often placed in the windowsill or somewhere else close to the window, but in summer that can be a little too warm. If you’re looking for a nice place for your orchid, there are several things to keep in mind:
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.
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?
If you have an orchid, you want to enjoy it for as long as possible. With the care tips below, you can keep your orchid in perfect condition!
Use special orchid potting soil
When you buy an orchid, it will already be in the right type of soil. You can leave your orchid in that pot, or you can style it in your own pot, with multiple orchids or on its own. The type of soil you use when repotting orchids is very important. Never use normal potting soil, because it doesn’t have all the nutrition your orchid needs or the right structure for your plant. Garden centres sell special orchid soil that has the right composition.
Put your orchid in a bright spot
If you’re looking for a nice place for your orchid, there are several things to keep in mind:
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.
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?
Did you know…
…that you can make your orchid truly shine by giving it a little extra food? Give your orchid a little orchid food once per month in summer, or once per two months in winter. Make sure you do not use normal plant nutrition, this is too strong for the orchid. Only use special orchid food!
Every year we look forward to the blooming of our orchids. That’s not surprising because, with all its beautiful colors and all the different shapes and sizes, it’s always a party! Unfortunately, the party always comes to an end. When an orchid has finished blooming, the beautiful flowers fall off. So what’s the best thing to do to make orchids bloom again? In any case, don’t throw it away! You can make orchids rebloom. You can read how to do that in this article.
How can you make orchids bloom again?
Since there are as many as 25,000 species of orchids, there is not one solution for all. That is why in this article you can read tips for a number of different types of orchids, such as Phalaenopsis, Cymbidium, Cattleya and Oncidium. That’s how you get them to bloom again!
My Phalaenopsis has finished flowering
To get a Phalaenopsis to flower again, it is necessary to cut off the branch above the second ‘eye’. Look at the bulges on the branch and start counting from the bottom. The branch above the second eye can be cut off up to twice, after which it is wise to cut the branch as low as possible. A Phalaenopsis can start flowering again after six months. After cutting, water the plant a little less and put it in a cooler place. If the plant is put back in its old place after about two months, the regular watering can be started again.
With the Cymbidium, you can completely cut off the withered branch after flowering. Then you put it in a cool but light place for 10-12 weeks and water it a little less than usual. The Cymbidium develops a few new shoots that can give one or more branches again in the following year. Unlike the Phalaenopsis, the Cymbidium flowers once a year. The natural flowering occurs between September and April.
Repotting the Cymbidium
Repot the Cymbidium in the spring, when it starts to grow again. Remove the pot, making sure you damage as few roots as possible, so it’s a meticulous job! Rinse the roots well and place the Cymbidium in the new pot. Preferably fill it with orchid soil that is well moist and then add some (orchid) food immediately. After repotting, it is best not to water the Cymbidium for a few days, so that it can recover well.
With the Cattleya there is no need to cut at all. Treat the plant after flowering in the same way as during flowering. The flower dries up on its own and falls off itself when it has finished blooming. After flowering, a new growth shoot will appear at the bottom of the spent shoot. A new flower stem emerges from the sheath, at the beginning of the leaf. The sheath provides protection at this early stage, when it is fully grown, it will flower. This whole process takes about six to nine months.
Repotting the Cattleya
Put the Cattleya in a larger pot every two years. Use fine bark (orchid soil with tree bark). This is an important step in the care of the Cattleya, it must be kept growing vigorously, because only the new shoots give flowers.
Cut off the branch with the faded flowers at the bottom of the flower stem. After flowering, place the Oncidium in a cooler place, but in a place where there is light (no direct sunlight) and you continue to give the spent Oncidium (orchid) nutrition once a month. The spent shoots of the Oncidium will not bloom again, it will produce new shoots. This shoot must thicken (bulb) and from this thickening a new flower stem emerges on the side of the longest leaf. When there are new flowers, the Oncidium can be returned to the living room. Note: the Oncidium forms aerial roots, these must not be removed. The natural bloom occurs in summer and autumn.
Repotting the Oncidium
You can repot an Oncidium if it gets too big. Do this immediately after flowering. You can then split the Oncidium into two or three new plants.
In general, you’re probably looking for tips on how to take the best care of your orchid. But it can also be useful to know what you should not do with an orchid especially if this is your first one. So, we gathered a few tips that help you avoid deadly mistakes and enable you to grow your orchid healthily. Read them below!
4x what should you not do with an orchid?
Overwatering
Be careful not to overwater your orchid. Most orchids require water once a week in the summer, and once every two weeks in the winter. Avoid overwatering, as it can lead to root rot.
Mist your orchid
In general, tropical plants like to be misted with water from time to time. The orchid isn’t one of them. Misting increases the risk of causing a fungal or bacterial disease to the leaves or stems.
Exposure to direct sunlight
The best place for an orchid is a bright spot, but they shouldn’t be exposed to too much sunlight. The sun can cause the leaves of your orchid to burn. And of course, we want to prevent that! The plant does need sufficient daylight, so it’s best to place it in indirect light.
Repotting with regular potting soil
Don’t repot an orchid too quickly. Repotting only is a good idea when the roots are growing out of the plastic pot, causing it to break. Use airy soil, preferably special orchid potting soil, because regular potting soil is too dense and doesn’t drain thoroughly enough.
Help! My orchid is suffering from aphids. How do I get a Dendrobium to bloom again? What should I do if my Cymbidium’s leaves are drooping? Our growers are happy to answer these and other questions!
My orchid is pestered by mealybug or aphids
Mealybug or aphids. There are definitely beasties that are not welcome on orchids. Unfortunately, they are a common pest in many plants. Mealybugs and aphids often appear in the winter months when the humidity indoors is too dry and the pot and roots are too wet. Draughts can also contribute. Alongside the products that you can buy at garden centres, there is also a home remedy: mix green soap with methylated spirit in a 1:1 ratio and spray this on the plant. You usually need to repeat this a couple of times, because these pests are stubborn. And be careful of the flowers, because it can cause staining on them.
My orchid is drooping
Oh no! My orchid’s leaves are drooping. Don’t panic! The most common cause of this is watering. First look at the roots. If they’re nice and green, your orchid has enough water. So don’t give it any more water now. If the roots look a bit greyish, that means that your orchid is too dry. The best thing is to soak your orchid. Ideally, you should immerse your plant in a bucket of water for a few minutes (5-10 mins). Note: don’t take the plant out of its inner pot. The roots will now fill themselves with water. Leave the orchid to drain thoroughly after soaking it. Now it can go back into its cachepot. Orchids need less water in winter.
Don’t catch a cold!
One essential tip from the grower: when you buy an orchid, make sure that it isn’t left in the cold car too long. And make sure that the orchid is wrapped up well when you buy it in order to take it outside. Orchids don’t like the cold. It’s a good idea to bear this in mind, particularly in the winter months. The cold causes the buds to dry out more rapidly and flowers to fall from the branch. When you get it home place your orchid in a light spot, but not in direct sunlight. And don’t place an orchid directly over a radiator.
My orchid has shoots
You might find that there is a new plant growing from your orchid. You can leave the new shoot to develop as a plant in its own right. But if you don’t want to do that, you can take the gamble of cutting the plant away from the mother plant. Wait as long as possible to do this. Allow the root to develop a bit more first. You then place your new plant in a pot with orchid soil, called bark. This is available from most garden centres.
How do I get my orchid to flower again?
If your orchid is no longer producing any new flowers on the stem, it’s time for a trim. To get your Phalaenopsis to flower again, you need to cut the branch above the second ‘node’. These are thickenings on the branch. Start counting from the bottom. If you have a Cattleya, Cambria, Cymbidium, Dendrobrium, Miltonia, Oncidium, Paphiopedilum, Vanda or Zygopetalum you can also cut the entire branch off, so that a new branch can grow from a leaf joint. Once you’ve cut the branch off, put the plant away in a cool and light spot. Water once a month. After two months replace the plant in its normal spot. Now water once a week again. After about six months the plant will form new attractive long branches with stronger blooming. This varies according to the species.
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