My First Orchid - Beginners Diary

You got your very first orchid and you have no idea how to care for it. Here are some tips for your brand new orchid plant. 

Since you are new to the Orchid World there is no need for you to be afraid because you can now get a lot of help from your online orchid community like us here at Earthly Orchids! Orchids are not like other potted plants. Orchid care is not difficult as you think, it is just different. When you have the right tool and knowledge caring for orchids will be easy as ABC! 

So let's get started with your very first orchid!

Basic Orchid Care Guide

1. Check for proper water drainage. When you buy potted orchids most are sold in pots without drainage hole so when you decide to transfer it to your favorite pot make sure it has enough holes for drainage, without proper drainage it's roots will rot and will cause your orchids to die.

2. Water them right. It is very important for you to know when and how to water your orchid. It's an essential part for the success of your orchid. Water orchids about once a week with lukewarm or room temperature water. When watering the orchid, try to pour it under the plants leaves. If you get the crown wet (the center part of the plant from which everything is growing) then wipe it dry with a paper towel. If the crown stays wet for too long, then it can lead to crown rot, which will kill the plant.  You might need to water the orchid more often in the summer and less often in the winter. If you can’t tell what the plant needs, it’s best to give it another day.

3. Getting the right amount of light. Orchids need a lot of bright and indirect light. If they are placed in direct sunlight, like the kind you would find around noon or early afternoon, then you’ll risk burning their leaves and causing the flowers to wilt. We suggest placing your orchids in an east-facing window that gets morning light. You can also use south- or west-facing windows, but you’ll have to move or protect the orchid from the intense mid-day sunlight. How can you tell if your orchid is getting enough light? Dark leaves indicate that the plant isn’t getting enough sunlight, while leaves with a red hue are getting too much sunlight.

4. Cut the blooms that have died. 

If a bloom on your flower looks like it’s giving out, then you can do one of two things:

1. You can cut the entire spike down to the leaves, which will produce a new, stronger stem of flowers in about a year.
2. You can cut below the lowest dead bloom, at the first “node.” That stem will produce more flowers in about 8 to 12 weeks.

5. Fertilize! Feed your orchids. Give your orchids a teaspoon of 20-20-20 fertilizer. We suggest using the fertilizer once every two weeks or at least once a month at half strength. This means you’ll have to mix it with an equal amount of water before pouring it under the leaves of your plant.

6. Never pot your orchids in soil. Orchids grow attached to other plants in the wild, so never try to pot them in soil. Pot them in a loose bark. And then re pot them whenever the bark chips decay, which is usually between every one to three years. We tackle Re-potting in our next article. We will attach the link here soon.

Now you are ready to care for your new orchid!

To order your first orchid visit our website www.earthlyorchids.com

We ship anywhere in the US!

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