I have three orchids that keep flowering and flowering and flowering. They are supermarket orchids so nothing special, but every year I get loads of comments on them – so I thought I could give you some tips on how I take care of them. It might sound dramatic calling my method “rebel” – but when I asked on Instagram earlier this week if people wanted to know how I cared for my orchids, I asked for a reason: I don’t do what every other orchid care guide tells you to. Sure, that was were I started, as I had no clue what to do and, to be fair, it kept my orchids alive. But they weren’t thriving. One of them had never reflowered. Then I slowly discovered these and *boom* flowers every year. I have even got a double stem this year!
So here are the three main things I do to keep my orchid healthy and flowering every year.
1. I water them like I water all my other plants
I have soaked my orchid in the sink. I have put ice cubes in their pots. But I have changed my routine after watching my dad take care of his orchids. He has an amazing collection of them and he just waters them. It helps that he lives in Brazil and they are in their natural habitat – but it got me thinking if it would not be better to just water them. So I started an experiment: a little bit of water every so often, being careful not to left the roots sit in too much water. And they haven’t complained so I kept it going. I don’t have a schedule – I have found that once a week is ok, but I don’t have a set day I do it. I just make sure there is no water in the pot before I water them.
2. I feed them when they are flowering
This is probably more of a standard care tip – but I always do it! I use the drippy type that you cut the tip and plop on the pot, as well as orchid water and orchid mist, though not all at the same time. The orchid water I use instead of water, and I only use that when I don’t have the drippy feeder on. The orchid mist I use together with water. I don’t tend to use more than one bottle a year, and I only use them when the blooms are growing, after they are open I leave it alone.
3. I give it sunshine – in winter!
Now this is an odd one. I have always read and been told orchids don’t like direct sunlight. And the truth is they don’t – in summer. It is very harsh, and it is too much. But they seem to quite enjoy winter sunshine. My orchids are positioned in such a way that they get full sunshine in winter but not in summer.
This door is west facing and the sun goes all the way to the left in winter and all the way to the right in summer. The orchids are tucked away next to the right wall so they are bathed in direct sunshine from September-ish to March and then when the sun is its strongest, the orchids only get sunlight from being next to this light box.
I found this out accidentally – I left them on the table when we went away for a few days so that the cat sitter could keep an eye on them for me and when I came back they were sprouting stems! I thought that maybe they would have sprouted anyway – and then I put one that had never flowered (after it shed the flowers it came with) on the table too. I was sure this one was doomed but I didn’t wanted to bin it because the leaves were green and seemed alive, just not flowering. But after putting on the table it flowered too. It has now flowered every year since I moved it – so I am going with my theory that the winter sun is actually good for them.
My orchids normally start growing their stem in January and I should have flowers soon – then these last until August – September.
Now, I don’t want to mess with anyone’s system. If soaking in the sink and keeping them in the shade gives your orchid flowers, then great! Keep up the good work 🙂 But if your orchids are not quite as happy, give these tips a try – and let me know how you got on!
