Gardeners' World: Orchid expert talks caring for Phalaenopsis
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Orchids are beautiful plants that come in a range of colours and varieties. The plants usually only bloom once a year but a happy orchid will flower more frequently. Orchids can be difficult to care for as they don’t like too much water and need good drainage.
Express.co.uk spoke exclusively to Dobbies’ Senior Houseplant Buyer, Claire Bishop about how to look after orchids so they stay “healthy”.
Orchids need a good amount of light to thrive, however, too much light can cause the leaves to appear sunburnt. The edges of the leaves will look like they’re tinged red or purple.
One way to check whether your plant is getting too much sun is to feel its foliage. If it’s hot to the touch, your plant is getting too much sun.
Claire said: “Placing your orchids in bright, indirect light will help them to thrive, and keeping the roots in good condition (not too wet or too dry) is the key to success with these houseplants.”
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Orchids also don’t like too much water as it can cause their roots to rot.
Too much water can also cause yellow, brown or hollow and flat roots.
Claire suggested being careful not to “over-water” the plant but to instead only water them when the potting mix dries out.
She said: “Orchids don’t like to be too wet so be careful not to over-water or leave them standing in water, as this will cause their roots to rot.
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“Instead, aim to water them just before their potting mix dries out.”
The potting mix is the key to a happy and healthy orchid. In the wild, orchids grow on tree bark which means they receive water from rainfall and moisture from the tree.
Their roots also have a large surface area for rapid absorption of nutrients and water which is why they don’t like to be sat in water for long periods of time.
Orchids need free-draining potting mix like bark. Ideally, they need a long-lasting and porous potting mix that doesn’t cause compaction.
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Claire added: “A good potting mix is the best way to ensure your orchid is happy and healthy – keep an eye out for orchid compost specifically.
“Fertilise the compost mix weekly between March and September and keep the temperature above 16°C.”
When the plants are dormant, they need to be fertilised just once a month. Too much fertiliser can burn the orchid’s leaves and roots.
Dilute the fertiliser to half-strength to be on the safe side. Some experts suggest watering the orchids first and then using fertiliser.
This ensures the potting mix is wet before the fertiliser is applied.
Claire also shared what to do once your orchid has finished flowering.
She said: “When your orchid has finished flowering, prune the stems by cutting off the stalk as low as possible.
“This will keep your plant in tip-top condition by allowing a new flowering side-shoot to take its place, sprouting from the base at the next flowering cycle.”
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