Unlike urea, these are the compounds that recent research show to be better for orchids. 7. Fertilizer with supplementary calcium and magnesium is a plus

As a general rule, orchids can be fertilized once a month. However, expert growers tend to feed weekly, weakly. What does this mean? This means they fertilize orchids on a weekly basis but use only a weak concentration of nutrients. Feeding more often at a more dilute rate is better for orchid growth and health compared to fertilizing less but at a higher concentration. Feed during growing season Temperature plays a key role in the triggering of blooming for orchid plants. If you want to maximise flowers, you need to put your plant somewhere that provides the ideal temperature range.Calcium and magnesium are micronutrients that your orchid needs. Orchids use calcium to build cell walls and other structures while magnesium is used to produce chlorophyll for metabolic processes. Most rooms in the house aren’t naturally humid, but when caring for orchids indoors you can recreate the perfect conditions for your orchid plant by using a * mister spray– more on that in the watering section below. Is it OK to keep an orchid in the bathroom? After an orchid plant finishes flowering, it enters a ‘resting’ or ‘dormant’ phase. During this phase, the plant is conserving energy and preparing for the next flowering phase, and o you should still water it as normal. Feeding indoor orchid plants If your orchid starts to drop flowers that are still fresh, there may be a problem such as draughty conditions, dehydration or overwatering. What do orchids look like when they go dormant? Some of the best orchid mixes include special media to promote good airflow and healthy drainage. Often multiple media that involve the use of Nitrogen are mixed to bring out the most desirable characteristic. A good rule of thumb is to make use of a mixture that does not go beyond 20 percent nitrogen.

If your orchid plant is dehydrated, you might see yellow or wilting leaves, and buds falling off. Dehydration can also cause aerial roots (which are orchid roots that grow from the stalk or out of the pot) to look wrinkled. What do overwatered orchids look like? Not sure what do you do with an orchid after the blooms fall off? We’ve got you covered. How to look after orchids long-term I do this to clean up on any pollutants or build-up from fertilizer salts in my plants and potting media. 10. Water first before fertilizing If your orchid plant is in the kitchen, make sure it’s nowhere near the fruit bowl. The ethylene gas produced by ripening fruit can cause orchids to lose their flowers and buds prematurely. Can orchids tolerate draughts?

Use a good fertiliser that does not contain urea and has many macro and micronutrients needed for orchids,” Malcolm Moodie from the Solihull & District Orchid Society shares. Look for trace elements such as copper, boron, iron, sodium, zinc, manganese, and molybdenum. So long as they're in the product label, you're good to go. 9. Water once a month without fertilizer Perhaps it is somewhat counter-intuitive that a plant that prefers poorish soil benefits greatly from some serious feeding. Unlike some flowering plants, most orchids won’t produce more flowers because you have removed some old ones. So if you’re only thinking about deadheading as a way to get more flowers, don’t bother. To prepare your orchid plant for winter, you can trim flower stems, maintain humidity and adjust watering levels if necessary. Should I water my orchid after flowering?

One of the best ways to clear away any pollutants or fertilizer salt build-up is by giving your orchids water only once a month. Orchids really don’t like their roots to sit in a puddle. You should aim to keep the plant hydrated without flooding it to avoid root rot, and always grow orchids indoors in orchid pots with plenty of drainage holes. How do I know if my orchid needs water?For the large majority of plants, this horticultural inexactitude does not matter much and a multi-purpose compost usually works out fine. You should continue to water your orchid plant when it finishes flowering and enters the resting phase. Do orchids rebloom on old stems? Next, these unusual plants by far prefer to be rooted in poor, low-nutrient media, though at the same time, they respond wonderfully well to regular feeding! In the past, it was thought that urea was beneficial to orchids. However, we now know that it is actually not true. Nitrogen compounds take up to a year before they break down and become available to your orchid as plant food. When your fertilizer is sans urea, all of the nitrogen in your mix becomes available as food at once. This method only works if you’re using concentrated liquid orchid food. If you’ve opted for drip feeders, follow the instructions on the product. Do tea bags help orchids?