Orchid Flower Care and Maintenance for Beginners

Flowers are the most beautiful thing in this world in my opinion, why? Because it could refresh our mind when we spend time by seeing them especially when its bloom. Based on experience nowdays many people hunting flowers as houseplant, to add home decoration, or even make them as bouquet as a gift for loved one. One of most beautiful flower is Orchids.

Well for those of you who are going to plant orchids, commit that you have to take care them  well so it will avoid from rot root for example that causes die. For beginners usually have difficulty while growing and care for orchids. Naturally, because the way to grow orchids is different from other plants. Even though it’s different, it doesn’t mean growing orchids is a difficult thing. In fact, if you already know how, even you will be easy to cultivate  orchids at home and in the yard.

Phalaenopsis is one of the most popular types of orchids. This moth orchids will usually blooms one to two times in a year and the flowers last from two to three months. Orchids are also not like other flowering ornamental plants that keep flowering. The period of flowering depends on the type of orchid. There are once a year, something unexpected who knows it will flowering. So if you think to plant orchids requires patience to wait for flowering, that’s right. But calm down, not all types of orchids are difficult to have flower, there is dendrobium hybrid which can flower three times a year and the flowers last for weeks (not wilt).

Care and maintenance of Orchids

Our article tries to help those of you who are new to orchids but are confused about how to grow and care them. Please see the steps!

For friends who are going to have orchids for the first time, I recommend, please choose the hybrid orchids because these cruciferous orchids are generally more resistant to pests, resistant to extreme weather, easy to flower, it has large flower sizes and long lasting flowers (not easy to wither).

Hybrid dendrobium orchids, orchids that flower easily

This type of orchid mostly sold by many florist especially dendrobium hybrid or the result of crucifixion (marriage). Dendrobium hybrids have many types and colors and you could say that this type of orchid is not that expensive.

Media for planting orchids fern roots and charcoal. It can also be a mixture of 2 or 3 of these ingredients. The three media have advantages and disadvantages. Using charcoal as a growing medium makes orchids resistant to fungi and other pests. But lack of charcoal, lack of nutrition so orchids need to be fertilized to make them more fertile and flowering..

Fern roots, have a lot of nutrients like NPK which means Nitrogen (N), Phosphat (P) dan Kalium (K), but fern roots easily become a nest for insects, especially ants. To avoid this, do not make the media too wet and occasionally spray with anti-pests. Especially for phalaenopsis, the planting medium used is most or moss. It can be found in a complete ornamental plant shop and the price is more expensive than other types of orchid growing media, so don’t be surprised if this orchid will cost you.

Ideal bright for orchids you can get from an eastern or southern window. Direct sunlight can burn orchids eventhough these plants thrive in strong light. The sunlight being one of factor that will make orchids grow better because it is main useful energy source in the photosynthesis process, especially of leaves, flowers, and seeds of these plants. It has function as well to repair damaged plant parts and store food reserves. Check out whether our house is good exposed to the sun or not will be something that need to pay attention, in order to ascertain the age of the orchid plant and its growth. You can keep in mind that leaf of color can be a good indicator of the amount of light an orchid is getting. Bright green leaves indicate a healthy plant

Do not expose to full sun except for ground orchids, such as Vanda Douglas, only requires 65% sunlight, so they should be stored under a paranet, on the porch or canopy.

For phalaenopsis orchid which only needs to be watered 3 times a week, other types of orchids if not exposed to rainwater should be watered every day. Can be twice a day or once, depending on conditions. This means that if the planting medium looks wet it is enough to water it once.

Some orchids that have difficulty flowering so fertilize them. Fertilization is recommended 2 to 3 times a month. If the orchid is still small, it can be fertilized with a growth fertilizer, if it is an adult, it can be fertilized with a flowering stimulating fertilizer.

Use of pesticides or fungicides only when necessary. If you only have a few orchids at home, you should not use pesticides, even if there are pests removed manually. Pests that like small snails in the growing medium, snails eat leaves, rust leaves and stems that are black on the stems and leaves, just wash and rub hands. Fungicides usually attack during the rainy season, the growing media rot and die. To avoid this, don’t let the planting medium get too wet. If the orchid is stored in a rainy place, it should be removed.

Depends on the season, you can choose to repot your orchid into a more friendly container with the right growing medium. Short-term care to long-term maintenance can be your attention for orchids when the bloom is over. You will want to cut off the old flower spike which near the base after your orchid blooms. But some peoples hoping it will rebloom from the same spike which does sometimes it happen by keeping this spikes on.

Note : Orchids dislike a direct sunlight, slight draft, and being in hot conditions. The fruit bowls produce gases that have a deteriorating effect on flowers so refrain from placing the orchid near a fruit bowl.