Orchid Care for Beginners

Orchids are one of the most sought after plants in the world because of their magnificent beauty and resilience to harsh climates. One of the biggest concerns that many enthusiasts fear the most is proper orchid care. This is something that has puzzled many for the longest time and with just a few simple tips caring for orchid is actually quite simple. You just need to know how to do it properly and that is where the problem is. There is so much misinformation that it can be difficult to know what is wrong and what is right. Some of it is actually trial and error but most of the time it is just poor or incorrect knowledge that you have regarding orchid care. In this article I am going to give you some facts about these flowers and how you can have yours blooming within a matter of weeks.

Part 1 – Watering

Watering is an essential part to the growth of any plant. This is something that you will have to keep in mind when learning about orchid care. For instance when the colder months come around you will not need to provide your plants with as much water as you do in the summer. You will have to change your watering habits to correspond with the correct season. During the hot summer months you will have to make sure that you increase the watering frequency to allow for the heat that will evaporate some of the water that you give it.

Part 2 – Fertilizing

This is a part of orchid care that many people think is not important or has no effect on the health and well-being of your flowers. This is completely not true because fertilizer can determine whether you have beautiful and healthy flowers or just plain unhealthy looking flowers. This can mean the difference between some of the most amazing blooms you have ever seen and one that will not bloom. The major macro-nutrients include nitrogen, phosphorous, and potash or potassium. These are the three most important ingredients when it comes to proper orchid care.

Part 3 – Sunlight

Something that is overlooked among many new enthusiasts is the proper amount of sunlight. Not having enough sunlight is not the problem it usually is supplying too much sun to your plants that cause them to become unhealthy and even die. With some simple orchid care tips like placing a curtain in front of your plant or keeping them in the shade can help you to keep these exotic wild plants happy and healthy. Since they like indirect sun it is important that you give them exactly what they need.

Part 4 – Temperature

This orchid care tactic is more crucial when you are planting them outside because you cannot change the temperature in the wild. All orchids have their own threshold of what they can tolerate but one temperature that you should always avoid is anything below 50 degrees Fahrenheit. If you leave them outside in this temperature they will surely die without any chance of blooming. The same goes for extreme heat and these plants do not like anything over 80 degrees Fahrenheit. There may be some orchid care exceptions here and there but this is the basic temperature guideline you should follow.

Part 5 – Growing Material

A fatal mistake of orchid care that most beginners make is planting these flowers in normal potting soil that you can purchase at any store. This is the wrong way to grow orchids and you will need to plant them in special orchid mixes that are now available in many stores worldwide. These mixes have the proper amount of materials that are needed to grow these amazing plants in your home or outside.

These are some of the most basic orchid care tips that should be used properly and you can begin having amazing blooms very quickly!