How to Keep Your Orchids Healthy

Orchids are some of the most beautiful houseplants you can find. Orchids are delicate plants that require nurturing and loving care to flourish. However, if one carefully follows orchid care instructions and provides the plant with the appropriate attention, caring for orchids can be very fulfilling as a hobby or just as beautiful accents to one's home.

The first step one must take is, of course, planting the orchid. Fill the pot with soil 2/3 to capacity. (More on soil choices later.) Place the plant in the center of the pot and spread the roots out in the soil. Next, fill in the rest of the soil and water the newly potted orchid.

There are quite a few options when choosing the soil for planting an orchid. Some popular choices are osumda fiber and fir bark. Bark mediums usually require more frequent watering, so if you choose to use bark, be mindful of this. All orchid soils provide support for the roots while also allowing for air spaces between the particles, providing good drainage for the plant.

Orchids like humidity, so to increase humidity around the plant, it is a good idea to gently mist the leaves on the plant. Do not, however, mist the plant directly, but instead mist it in a way that the water rests on the leaves as it settles. Orchid enthusiasts often fill a tray with pebbles, fill it half way with water and have the pot resting on a dry layer of pebbles on top. This allows the water to evaporate and thus, creates a more humid climate for the plant.

Lighting is very important in caring for orchids. In fact, it may be the most important aspect of its care. These plants require about 12 hours of light each day, possibly more in the wintertime when the weather is cooler and the days shorter. For this reason, the best place to keep an orchid is near a south-facing window, where it will receive indirect light from the sun.

Watering, as in any plant's care, is vital to the life of your orchid. One should never over water an orchid to the point where there is a pool of water in the pot. Generally speaking, orchids should be watered once a week, or when the soil feels dried out to the touch.

Make sure to properly prune your orchid to keep it clean and healthy. This not only helps your orchid's health, but also keeps it looking its best. Orchids are one of the most beautiful flowers in the world and their beauty has inspired many people worldwide to take up orchid care as a personal hobby. Of course, they also provide your home with an exquisite touch year round. Whatever your interest in orchid care, you will find success if you follow these instructions and provide your orchid with love and care.

Visit HousePlantsForYou.com to learn more about taking care of houseplants. Houseplants can brighten up your home and provide accents to your decor. HousePlantsForYou.com has a growing collection of detailed articles about houseplants like the Heartleaf Philodendron, Mother-in-law's Tongue, India Rubber Plant, Purple Velvet, Purple Passion and more.

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Young Orchids

For the newbie orchid grower, starting off with younger orchid plants is a great way to learn how to care for them as you watch them grow and blossom. When getting a young orchid plant for the first time, try and find out as much about it as possible. Knowing what species it is is very important, as is the sort of environment it is found in the wild. From here you'll have a better idea what watering, temperature, light and humidity requirements it needs.

Make a list of supplies you may need for your young orchid plant. This should include the correct potting mix and a specialized orchid fertilizer. Keep a plant pesticide and fungicide handy in case your plant suddenly gets attacked by something. Orchids generally need repotting once a year so there is no hurry to get another pot just yet. A water sprayer is handy as it is easier to control the quantity of water you give your plant.

It is essential that you get the potting mix right. Most orchids do not grow in the standard garden soil or garden plant potting mixes. There are species of orchid that prefer a bark potting mix and others that prefer a sand mix. Always leave the young orchid plant in the potting mix that you received it in. Don't repot the plant until it has grown to a size where it has overgrown the existing pot. When you do repot, select a pot size slightly bigger as orchids do not like being transferred to containers that are much larger then the one they are in.

Often young orchid plants are kept in potting media that appears quite dry. This is done on purpose to prevent fungal infections. Orchid roots rot very easily if they are over watered. It is much better to gradually water the plant over time, rather than do a sudden soak if the potting medium is very dry. Because young orchid plants are not yet flowering, they require different light intensities to those needed by mature orchids. If the lighting is too low, the leaves will start to turn a dark green color. Gradually increase the light by changing the plant's position and when the leaves appear a healthy light green color then that should be fine.

A great online Orchid resource site can be found at Orchid Care Learn more about growing orchids at Orchid Growing Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jan_Wilson