Easy Care: Orchids
By Ken Hoyt
There are two types of houseplant owners: the types that strive for long life for all plants and those (like myself) that employ a little triage to houseplant maintenance. Trees and decorative plants that come in 12 inch or larger pots are, by my definition, long-term roommates. If it sports a showy flower, moderate price tag and is tucked into a 6" or smaller pot it's a houseguest.
You may consider these actions cruel or think me heartless but once the proverbial bloom is off the rose (or whatever) the plant has become a spent cut flower in my cold and calculating eyes. In years gone by I recycled my spent orchids with growers that could coax another spike of blooms. Then orchids were a little more expensive and less prevalent. These days I pick them up with my groceries.
If you're a plant nurturer this tip will not interest you: it doesn't prepare a flower for a long life. If you wish to enjoy orchids plants as extremely long-lived cut flowers read on.
Orchid plants are frequently potted up in very coarse soil, resembling bark chips more than humus. That's because orchids like their roots to be damp, but not soaking wet. Watering is a chore because they really don't like drying out (they'll tell you so by dropping un-bloomed buds). For me the solution is to top the orchid plant with a generous layer of moss. Then, once or twice a week, I load a 1/2 a cup to a cup of clean ice on the surface of the orchid. The ice melts slowly allowing the water to soak into the moss and bark and raise the moisture level and overall humidity.
There are arguments against this and I'm sure that they are valid if your intention is to keep your orchid in premium health. If I collected specimen plants I would adhere to those guidelines. It seems to be just perfect for making my grocery store Phalaenopsis thrive.
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Member since: 07/03/07
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My small business, Interior Advocate, provides design solutions for interiors. And I write about living...
DIY Maven
Hey Bruno, I used to have the same problem. First, don't over water them. Mine gets watered maybe once a week or so. To get them to bloom year after year, you need to put them in a spot with good indirect sun--in a northwest window or a few feet back from a southern window seem to work great. Also, the room can't have any artificial light that extends the hours of natural light or else they won't bloom. This is where most people mess up, I think. They put them in the kitchen, for instance, which gets all kinds of light beyond the natural amount of daylight hours. (The plants don't know what time of year it is, so they get confused, as it were.) You can force them to bloom by manipulating the amount of light they get, but that's a pain. Just let mother nature dictate the light. Finally, to give your plant the best shot at blooming next year, put it outside late spring in a shady locale. I put mine out around May 31st and bring it in early September. Good luck and don't give up on her!
Ken Hoyt
hey Bruno,
I'm on the clean and dust at the same time schedule. Each Saturday our home is brought back to human standards, and little necessary chores occur at the same time. I admire people that spread their chores throughout the week but I just don't manage my time well for that system.
The Great Ice Cube Drop happens on Saturday and Wednesday while I'm having my first cup of coffee. I'm truly unable to focus on any task more complicated than that...
I'm no expert about Christmas cacti, although I love them. In my experience whenever a plant begins to act a little sad it can often be remedied with new soil, and if it looks like it's shoes are too tight, a new pot. I hope that helps.
have a great day!
Ken
bruno
Thanks for the great tips! I'm curious what your watering schedule is like? Once a week, on a certain day, specific amounts? I ask because I always have trouble sticking to a routine and my houseplants seem to suffer from it.
Also, any tips on keeping Christmas cacti going? Mine are soooo picky. Thanks!
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