By James Thomas 
Orchids, with their delicate and exquisite blooms, have ever captivated the hearts of plant enthusiasts. However, their individual needs for oxygen, water, and nutrients make them more difficult to care for than other plants.
Unlike typical nursery soil, which may not supply the ideal conditions for orchids to thrive, these elegant flowers prefer a well-draining potting mix that enables proper airflow around their base. In this article, we will delve into the importance of selecting the best soil for orchids and examine the options available.
Creating a flat homemade orchid potting mix involves key components for optimal plant health. The orchid potting mix includes fir or pine bark, perlite or rough sand, charcoal, and sphagnum moss.
Whether you are a seasoned orchid lover or a beginner looking to start your orchid collection, this article will help you make informed judgments about the soil for your beautiful orchids.
Healthy Orchid Roots
Healthy roots are firm to the communication and white to green in color. Orchid roots do not need to be glowing green all of the time. In fact, they should only be bright green right after they are flooded. If the roots are always bright green that is an expression that they are drowning. Such orchids will eventually break from overwatering.
Unhealthy Orchid Roots
If you end up with a slow orchid, before throwing it out, take time to check out the roots. This will give clues about its reason of death and help you to avoid future problems. Rotted roots are easily recognized because they are brown, mushy, and hollow. These roots are likely the result of overwatering. Brittle roots showed under-watering.
If the plant is still alive but the seeds have all died and turned to mush, it may still be saved. Remove all the dead roots and utilize chenille stems, aka pipe cleaners, to anchor the plant in the pot while it creates new roots. It’s worth a shot.
Orchid Care
Orchids are easy to develop and maintain when their light, soil, water, and fertilizer needs are met. When caring for an orchid, keep the next requirements in mind:
Water
Overwatering is a typical reason orchids don’t survive. You should aim to water the plant just before the ground dries out. One way to measure this is by how heavy the pot feels. The heavier it is, the more water the mud contains.
Soil
Orchids require fast-draining but water-retentive soil. Typically, they grow in a combination of bark, beat, perlite, or similar materials, says Melinda Myers, gardening professional and host of the Great Courses How to Grow Anything DVD sequence.
Light
Give your orchid at most nominal six hours of bright, indirect light from a south or east-facing window. While many orchids can take more or less light, access to ample light enhances flowering possibility.
Fertilizer
Meyers recommends providing orchids regularly during the growing season. Apply a balanced fertilizer, such as 20-20-20, approximately once a week. You can stop fertilizing during winter when the plants are not vigorously growing.
Temperature
The perfect temperature orchids need varies depending on the species. Depending on their temperature conditions, they are usually classified as either cool-, intermediate, or warm-growing. The usual meanings of these ranges in degrees Fahrenheit are
- Cool: 60 to 70 degrees during the daytime and 50 to 55 degrees during the evening
- Intermediate: 70 to 80 degrees during the daytime and 55 to 65 degrees during the evening
- Warm: 80 to 90 degrees during the daytime and 65 to 70 degrees during the evening
Types of Orchids
There are many types of orchids to select from, but these are some of the most common varieties.
- Moth Orchid (Phalaenopsis): One of the numerous famous types of orchid, this low-maintenance types features long-lasting, moth-shaped flowers in a wide range of colors.
- Vanda Orchid (Vanda spp.): Easily grown in friendly climates, vanda orchids need adequate sunlight to flourish. They can be summered out and grown indoors during winter.
- Dancing Lady Orchid (Oncidium): Known for its striking yellow flowers, this type of orchid has blooms that look such as a dancer with a waving skirt, hence the name.
- Boat Orchid (Cymbidium): Another popular type, boat orchids can take some frost when held outside. They contain multi-lobed buds with a bright central tongue and lips.
Pruning Orchids
You should prune your orchid when it’s vigorously growing, which will vary from species to species. Keep an eye on the plant—new leaves and roots are generally signs it’s growing. How you prune your orchid relies on the variety you’re growing. Popular types, such as Phalaenopsis, oncidium, and Dendrobium orchids, can have their flower spike cut off once the blooms die, which will encourage future growth.
When to Repot Orchids
Orchids should be repotted shortly after you purchase them, then every year or two behind that. To avoid losing the beautiful blooms on your orchid, wait to repot it until after its blooming cycle finishes. Most orchids bloom during the first few months of the year, so late spring or before summer are generally safe times to repot your orchid.
Signs an Orchid Needs Repotting
Like many houseplants, orchids will finally outgrow their container or even grow so big that the plant becomes top-heavy for its bank. Don’t worry—all that growth is a fine thing! It means your orchids are blossoming under your care. While you’ve kept your orchids comfortable and healthy up to this point, there are a few key signs that indicate your plants are prepared to be repotted.
- If you notice white roots rising out of the drainage holes in your orchid’s pot, the plant has become too large for its container. Similarly, if your orchid’s roots are compressed and causing the plant to push out of its pot, this is another sign that you should repot your orchid into a larger container.
- Additionally, if you notice your orchid’s roots are tightly tangled, this is a signal that the flowering plant has evolved root-bound. While orchids have a inherently tangled growing pattern with the plant’s roots loosely coinciding and twisting around themselves, an orchid’s root ball should not seem knotted or rigid.
- A final factor to take into consideration is the state of your orchid’s potting mix. Unlike regular houseplant soil, the potting medium for orchids has a lot of chunkier materials like bark chips and sphagnum moss, which provide ideal drainage and large air pockets necessary for orchid roots. Once these big bits break down into shorter pieces, your orchid will need to be repotted in fresh potting mix to keep proper drainage.
How to Repot Orchids
Once you’ve set your orchid needs a bigger container, you can prep for the repotting process. A day or so before repotting your orchid, wet it well. This will help your plant cope with pressure from the move. Immediately before repotting, wash your hands and fix your pruners or scissors to avoid spreading diseases between your plants. Then, follow these steps describing how to repot orchids.
| Aspect | Description |
|---|---|
| Orchid Soil Requirements | Orchids need well-draining, aerated soil with fabrics like bark, perlite, and moss to maintain moisture without waterlogging. |
| Healthy vs. Unhealthy Roots | Healthy roots: firm, white or green. Harmful roots: brown, mushy from overwatering, or brittle from underwatering. |
| Watering Needs | Orchids should be flooded just before the soil dries, as overwatering is a common cause of plant death. |
| Lighting Requirements | Requires bright, indirect light (6+ hours daily), preferably from a south or east-facing window to promote flowering. |
| Fertilizer Needs | Use a balanced 20-20-20 fertilizer weekly during the growing season; lower fertilization in winter. |
Conclusion
Soil plays a crucial role in the development and development of orchids. Unlike other plants, orchids have detailed soil requirements that need to be met in order for them to blossom. The ideal orchid soil should be loose, well-draining, and provide good air circulation to the roots.
Also, it should have the ability to maintain moisture without becoming waterlogged. By understanding the unique needs of orchids and selecting the right soil mix, orchid enthusiasts can create the optimal growing needs for their plants.
FAQs
1. When was the last re-potting?
Orchids need both the nutrients from the lumpy, loose bark mix they’re planted in and the air space in between the parts. As the mix breaks down to particle size, it compresses the air spaces inside the pot—virtually gagging your orchid’s roots. Check the bark mixture every spring and repot when you notice decomposition.
2. Is it crowded in there?
While orchids prefer a small pot—incorporating their roots through the compost as they grow—they eventually run out of room. That’s when their roots make the plant up above the rim of the pot or reach out into the air, looking for breathing space—a sure indication that it’s time to re-pot.
3. Spring: time for a close-up.
Other than watering and sometimes fertilizing them, you probably don’t look closely at your orchids all that often when they’re not in bloom. Spring is the time to review each plant with a critical eye to assess the need for repotting. It’s also when you’ll see the new development that signals emergence from the dormant cycle—the best moment for repotting.
4. Is it new?
Holiday gift orchids or newly purchased plants are often produced with sphagnum moss, which absorbs and holds water—creating prime requirements for orchid root rot. Repot all new orchids as shortly as they’re completed flowering.