Orchid care

Orchids look so beautiful and we all love seeing these exotic flowers. When I started growing these couple of years back in my garden I had no clue on how and what to do, that too in a city as hot as Chennai. Sanjay got a shade net done and we kept our pots and they were looking so pretty for quite a while. It's only after the blooms died out and the plant was bare of any new leaf or bud that the actual learning & experimental journey started. Prithvi an avid home gardener with an enviable collection of orchids helped us along the way. So here we are sharing our learnings with you. 

 It's pretty easy to grow these provided you keep few points in mind....

1) Never over water. Over watering can rot the roots.

2) Do not mist the flowers

3) Ensure your pot has good drainage

4) Do not use your normal potting mix for most orchid varieties. However Spathoglottis and Epidendrum need regular soil.

5) Don't cut the aerial roots

6) Do not keep in direct sunlight

although some varieties do need 4 to 6 hours of direct sunlight.

7) Don't separate pseudobulbs individually, they are energy centers

8) Don't use ice cold water to water your 

9) Do not water by pouring from top 

10) Ensure there is aeration or circulation of air where you place them

11) Water your orchids in the morning hours, it gives time for your leaves to dry out.

12) Watch for the colour of your leaves, if they turn yellow it could be becàuse of too much light

13) Use a water-soluble fertilizer mix. Spray it onto your plant about once every one to two months. Organic NPK , Epsom salt, Rice water got from washing rice or as some say even cooked rice are good sources of nutrients. Use diligently. You can add crushed egg shells ( please wash, dry, crush and use) and used tea bags (open the tea bags and add the used tea leaves). Milk residue ( after pouring the milk from the tetra pack or bottle or sachet) swished with water, diluted canbe used. Diluted buttermilk is also a good fertilizer.

14) Orchids bloom for weeks. When a flower starts to fade, simply pinch it off.

15) When a stem starts to fade, cut it back, do not throw the orchid away.

16) Orchids need to be placed with other plants...could be orchids or different plants.

17) Leftover coffee grounds when sprinkled around the pot helps prevent slugs and snails. If diluted and used it's a good source of nitrogen for your plants.

Caring for orchids is easy. Talk with them daily. Whenever you see any disease on the leaf please remove it immediately and water less, spray a good bacterial organic spray to curb the infestation in the beginning itself. With the right light, moisture, heat and fertilizer your orchid will add elegance and beauty to your homes.

Happy Gardening!!!