Wondering where to place an orchid in your house? Many people place this plant on the windowsill, which is not surprising as it’s a beautiful plant to show off! But there are more places where the orchid can be showcased. In this article, we’ll share the 4 best spots to place your orchid in your home.

Also read: 3 ways to water your orchid

 

Where should I place an orchid in my house?

The bathroom

You might not think about placing an orchid in the bathroom, but you should! Because orchids are epiphytes, they thrive in humidity. They do need daylight, so if your bathroom doesn’t have windows place your plant in indirect sunlight every now and then.

 

 

The living room

Maybe the best place to put an orchid is in the living room. It’s a subtropical plant that likes to be in a spot with a lot of daylight, which in most homes is the living room. Be careful not to place an orchid in direct sunlight, because the leaves can get sunburned. Make sure not to place it near heating or in a draught either: the ideal room temperature for an orchid is between 15 and 25 degrees.

 

 

The bedroom

Indoor plants provide a calming environment and therefore are ideal for the bedroom. Waking up with such an exotic plant on the bedside table provides instant happiness! Just like in the living room, most bedrooms receive a lot of daylight. A good spot for an orchid!

 

 

In the (home) office

Research has shown that plants can have a positive impact on productivity. Plants in the workspace can increase productivity by up to 15%! People also complete tasks faster, without the quality deteriorating. In addition, plants have a positive effect on your concentration, because they reduce noise by 8%. Enough reasons to fill your desk or home office with a beautiful collection of orchids, right?

Also read: Add colour to your kitchen with the help of orchids

 

 

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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!

Also read: How to make orchids rebloom again?

 

What are air roots?

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.

 

 

Also read: 3 ways to water your orchid

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!

 

Find more care tips here.

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! Continue…

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!

 

Watch the video here:

 

 

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? In any case, don’t throw it away! You can make orchids rebloom again. You can read how to do that in this article.

How can you make orchids rebloom 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.

Read everything about the Phalaenopsis in this article!

 

 

My Cymbidium has finished blooming

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.

Read all about the Cymbidium in this article!

 

 

My Cattleya has finished flowering

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.

Read all about the Cattleya in this article!

 

 

My Oncidium has finished flowering

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.

Read all about the Oncidium in this article!

 

 

Is your orchid not listed? Look here for the care tips per orchid.

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.

Also read: How to care for an orchid

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.

 

You can find more care tips at Care tips.

You often see the phalaenopsis or dendrobium, which is not surprising because you can buy them at many shops! Yet many people don’t dare, because there is a big misconception that orchids are difficult to care for. A great pity, because it is super easy! With a little time and these 4 general tips, your orchid will last for years!

1.      Keep an eye on the sun
A phalaenopsis or dendrobium should be placed in a place where there is enough light, but avoid the bright sun, especially in the summer months.
Are the leaves turning yellow? This could be a sign of too much direct sunlight. On the other hand, dropping flower buds or dark green leaves indicate a possible lack of light.

2.     Temperature
A phalaenopsis or dendrobium does not like draughts and should not be placed near the central heating. An orchid feels best at a temperature between 20°C and 22°C.

3.     Immerse
Immerse the pot in a bucket for a minute. Allow the plant to drain thoroughly after immersing, this will allow the excess water to run off. The orchid can then easily go seven days without water.

Rainwater is better than tap water which contains (too) much lime. It is best to water early in the day. In the winter months when the heating is on, it is a good idea to spray the orchid with water regularly to ensure that the humidity does not drop too low.

No time to immerse your orchid? Pour the water on the soil in the pot, not in the heart of the plant. Always use water that is at room temperature.

4.     Nutrition
Orchid nutrition can be bought at the garden center or DIY store. A phalaenopsis or dendrobium does not need much nutrition, once a month is enough. Read the packaging carefully to see what quantities have to be given each time.

Do you have another type of orchid? Or would you like to read more tips about each orchid? Then take a look here.