Orchids are one of the most captivating flower plants out there. If you want a bright, beautiful flower in your home it’s hard to beat an orchid.
But are you a little intimated by them? So much so that you aren’t sure if you’d be able to grow them at home?
Well growing orchids indoors might seem challenging at first but really anyone can do it. So if you’re on the fence or don’t have the confidence to start this guide is for you.
These 20+ tips will help you to begin your journey of growing orchids and will get you a growing a beautiful orchid indoors.
Understanding Your Orchid’s Needs
1. Choose the Right Orchid
Some orchids do better growing indoors than others. So choosing the right one is important.
Phalaenopsis, also known as moth orchids, are probably the easiest to grow indoors. They will put up with some inconsistent care and bloom multiple times every year.
Other good choices are Cattleya, Dendrobium and Paphiopedilum. They all have different needs when it comes to their care, what they like etc. so do your own research before you pick one.
2. Copy Their Natural Habitat
Orchids come from many different types of environments. Most of the indoor varieties are epiphytes. That means they grow on other plants.
So the best way to get them to grow well is by copying how they would grow in nature. Basically making everything as close to the natural way they’d normally grow but in your home.
- Air Circulation: Orchids need lots of air flowing around their roots and leaves. You can help them get this by having a fan blow air around them constantly.
- Humidity Levels: Keep the humidity at roughly 50 to 70% for them to be at their happiest. If your house can’t get to those levels on its own then use a humidity tray or room humidifier.
- Indirect Sunlight: You will want to put your orchid in bright but indirect sunlight. If they’re directly in the sun there’s a good chance the leaves will burn. A sheet curtain can help to diffuse any direct sunlight.
Light Requirements
3. Find the Right Spot
As we just touched on orchids like bright and indirect light. Burnt leaves will be an issue if you get the lighting wrong.
So putting your orchid in an easy or west facing window is perfect. North facing windows usually don’t get enough light and south facing ones can get too much.
You should also rotate your orchid from time to time so that the light get disturbed evenly to every side of the plant.
4. Supplement with Artificial Light
If you can’t get enough natural light then use an LED or fluorescent grow light. They are a good alternative that will work as well.
Put them about 6 to 12 inches above the plant. You want them to be giving your orchid 12 to 14 hours of light each day so use a timer to get it right. That number of hours will copy the amount they would get naturally and help with growth.
Watering
5. Watering Schedule
Overwatering is the most common mistake people make with orchids. You should be watering your orchid every 7 to 10 days and letting the putting medium dry before each watering.
How often you water will come down to the type of orchid you have as well as the potting medium. Before you water it’s important to check how moist the soil is too.
6. Use Room Temperature Water
Cold water is an issue because it can shock the roots. So try to use tepid, lukewarm or room temperature water.
Rainwater or distilled water is ideal as tap water often contains chemicals and minerals that orchids really don’t like.
7. Proper Drainage is Crucial
Orchids really hate sitting in water. So you must make sure their pot has good drainage.
Always use a pot that had drainage holes. If need be add some pebbles to the bottom of the pot as it can help with the airflow.
And catch the water that runs through by putting the pot on a tray. Just don’t forget to empty the tray after as the collected water will cause root rot if you don’t.
Feeding and Fertilizing
8. Fertilize Regularly
Fertilizing every two weeks during the spring and summer (which is the growing season) makes a big difference. You should use a water soluble, balanced ferilizer though.
Bring the fertilizing down to once a month
when you get into the fall and winter. Also dilute your fertilizer to half quarter strength for regular feeding.
9. Dilute the Fertilizer
As we just touched on, orchids like a weaker fertilizer. So dilute whichever one you’re using to half the recommended strength.
Overfertilizing can burn the roots and damage the plant. Salts can build up too so it’s a good idea to flush your potting medium with clear water every few weeks.
Potting and Repotting
10. Choose the Right Potting Medium
Orchids don’t grow in regular soil. So you’re going to need to use a special orchid mix. One that is made up of the like of perlite, bark and sphagnum moss works best.
But the different types of orchid may like a different medium. So you should customise the medium based on what your orchid likes.
For example, Phalaenopsis orchids like bark while Paphiopedilum do well in a mix that holds on to moisture better.
11. Repot Every 1-2 Years
Repotting go orchid refreshes the growing medium and will help with the roots and getting them to stay healthy. The best time to do this is after it blooms.
Some of the signs that your orchid needs repotting are the roots growing out of the pot, the plant getting too heavy and the medium braking down.
When you do repot it first gently remove the old medium from the roots and trim any dead or rotting roots before you start repotting.
Temperature and Humidity
12. Maintain The Right Temperature
Orchids like daytime temperatures of between 65 to 75°F (18 to 24°C) and nighttime temperatures of 55 to 65°F (13 to 18°C). Don’t put your orchid near drafts, heaters or air conditioners as they get stressed by sudden changes to the temperature.
13. Increase Humidity Levels
Increasing the humidity levels of your orchid can help it to grow. So put a humidity tray under it or use a room humidifier.
You can also group some of your plants together as they will all raise and keep the humidity at the right level. Misting the leaves can give more humidity too, but don’t mist the flowers or they will get spots.
Pest Control
14. Watch for Pests
The most common pests that affect orchids are aphids, mealybugs and spider mites. Check your orchid on a regular basis for pests as finding them early is important to stopping a large outbreak.
Look for signs like sticky residue, webbing or discolored spots on the leaves.
15. Natural Pest Remedies
Use neem or insecticidal soap to treat any pests you find. For a less strong way to deal with pests you can wipe the leaves with a mixture of water and a mild dish soap.
Isolate any plants you find that have pests as you don’t want them to spread to other plants or orchids. If you need to repeat whatever treatment you’re using and keep an eye on your orchid.
Pruning and Maintenance
16. Prune Dead or Damaged Parts
Remove any yellow leaves and spent flowers. This will keep the plant healthy and encourage new growth.
Use sterilized scissors or pruning shears as you don’t want to spread any diseases. You can also cut back flower spikes after they’ve bloomed as it can help with reblooming.
17. Support Flower Spikes
Use stakes to support the flower spikes of your orchid. This will stop them from breaking when they blooms get too heavy.
Gently tie the spikes to the stakes with soft plant ties or clips and make sure the is enough room for the spikes to grow.
Tips for Blooming
18. Encourage Reblooming
After the first bloom cut the spike just above a node. This will encourage new flowers. Orchids often rebloom from these nodes. You can also trigger reblooming sometimes by making the temperature during the night cooler for a few weeks.
19. Provide a Rest Period
Orchids need a period of rest before they rebloom again. So once they’ve bloomed slow down how much you’re watering and feeding your orchid until you start to see new growth.
This period of rest is copying their growth cycle they would naturally do.
Advanced Tips
20. Experiment with Mounting
You can also copy your orchids natural habitat by mouthing them on cork or wood. You will have to water them more regularly if you do and increase the humidity but if done right it can get bigger and healthier orchids.
The way it works is the roots have a chance to breathe more freely.
Troubleshooting Guide
- Yellow Leaves: Often a sign of overwatering. Let the medium dry out completely before watering again.
- Leaf Spots: Could be a sign of a fungal or bacterial infection. Remove the leaves with spots and improve the air flow.
- No Flowers: Make sure the orchid is getting enough light and there’s a temperature drop at night.
Final Thoughts
Orchids might have a reputation for being fussy but if you treat them right and care for them properly they’re tougher than you might think. These tips should help you to get thriving orchids indoors.
