Keeping Your Orchid Alive

Valentine's Day has come and gone, and I'll bet at a lot of you women out there received an orchid from your significant other. How is it doing? Is it still alive? If it is, I guarantee it won't be for much longer if you continue following the directions that are on its little tag. I learned this the hard way. If you think about it, commercial florists don't have much incentive to help you keep your orchid alive. If it survives, you might decide you don't need to buy another one. Unlike cut roses which will most definitely die, orchids are alive and have the potential to keep on living. Many people become addicted and attach emotional significance to their first orchid. If it dies, I guarantee you'll be wanting another to replace it. I'm convinced that commercial florists know this; why else would they give you such unhelpful information?

You most likely received a Phalaenopsis orchid because it's the most common gift orchid. Other species are a little more rare and are often only available from nurseries. The label should specify what type of orchid you have. If you do have a Phalaenopsis, first things first: stop watering it! I don't mean stop forever of course, but if it came from a commercial florist, then the instructions most likely advise you to water every 3-4 days. That's way too much for Phalaenopsis orchids, which prefer to be damp but never wet, and only need to be watered once a week at most.

Secondly, look inside the pot. Is the potting medium some sort of mossy green material? This is called sphagnum moss. Generally it's a bad medium for beginners to start out with because it retains too much water, and beginners tend to overwater. If your orchid is planted in moss, I highly recommend repotting it. You can get more detailed instructions on how to repot an orchid here.

The best medium I've found for beginners with Phalaenopsis orchids is fir bark. This is available at hardware stores such as Home Depot or Lowe's. If you choose to repot your orchid in bark, make sure to get an idea of the size of the pieces of bark you are buying. Most Phalaenopsis orchids will do well in either medium-sized bark (pieces around 1 inch or smaller) or small bark shreds. Choose small bark shreds if your orchid is young and small, and medium-sized bark if your orchid is more established. If your local hardware store doesn't carry different bark sizes, then you can order online. I don't recommend using large bark pieces because they will dry out the plant's roots too much. Remember to soak your bark overnight before repotting, or else even the smaller bark pieces will not be able to hold onto water properly.

When watering your Phalaenopsis, try to keep in mind the natural environment that wild orchids thrive in. They originate from rainforests where they grow on the bark of trees and water runs down their roots. Therefore, when watering your orchid, you should never allow it to stand in water like other plants. Check the bark first to see if it is almost dry. One good way to do this is to use the skewer method. Place a skewer in the bark and take it out periodically to see if it is still dark, which means it is wet. Do not water your plant until the skewer comes out very nearly dry. When it's time to water, plug your sink and fill it about halfway with tap water (or filtered water, if possible). Take your orchid and place it, pot and all, into the water. Make sure the water only comes up to the top layer of bark; any higher and the pieces will float away. Leave it there for about 20 minutes and then drain the sink. Let all the water drain out of the pot so that the bark is remains wet, but there is absolutely no standing water left in the pot. Place it next to a bright window. Try to water in the mornings so that the leaves are dry by nighttime.

Visit the OrchidGeeks forum if you are in need of further information. They have some very helpful people hanging out in the newbie forum. Happy cultivating!