When I asked for blog posts awhile back several of you asked for a post on how I pot my orchids. Now I will be honest I am great at potting them but not great about keeping them alive. Mine usually last about 3 months and die. Any tips are appreciated. However I don’t feel that bad replacing them because at $12 an orchid times 2 that is $24 split into 3 months is $8 a month for fresh flowers, not bad. I always buy my orchids at Trader Joe’s because they are such a good price. You can easily do this arrangement for under $50 and would probably cost $150-200 from a store.
What you will need:
2-3 orchids depending on the size of your bowl
dried moss (this can be found at Michaels) You can also order from Amazon here if you want to avoid Michael’s which I do:) I also love this moss with different colors.
paper towels
a large pot or bowl (Homegoods is the best spot to find these). I like the idea of this oblong one and it’s only $11.99. I also like this pot as well if you don’t want white. This one is also super cute.
First unwrap your orchids and take them out of ceramic potters but keep in plastic containers. I usually save the ceramic pots for the kids markers or for them to play with.
Next in your bowl layer moss around the bottom. Then create two holes for the orchid’s places. I use paper towels to help the orchids stay in place and not wobble. You can even set the orchids in to place the paper towels around them to make perfect holes. I like mine to be centered. You could also do this arrangement with more orchids if you wanted.
Once you have made the holes and done a thick layer of moss add in the orchids.
You then want to layer more paper towels around the orchids.
Once you have paper towels in and orchids placed and sturdy you will cover everything with another layer of moss til everything is covered and pretty.
Super easy, right? The finished product.
On a non related orchid note these are a few planters I am loving.
Box Planter– Perfect for the front porch.
Geometric Planter– looks like West elm a fraction the cost.
Marble Planter– this is just gorgeous.
Mid Century Planter– Love this one and under $40.
Gold Leg Set– I am obsessed with the gold legs.
Woven Baskets– these would be cute with a fiddle fig in them. Only $12!
I am not a green thumb but I just wanted to share a tip. When you say your orchids die, are you are talking about the flowers or the whole plant? If it’s just the flowers, or the stem they grow on, the plant is not dead. It will eventually grow another stem and you’ll get a new batch of flowers. Just keep taking care of it. That is the extent of my knowledge about orchids.
Avoid using paper towels around the base of ur orchids cuz this will suffocate them n since these toweks absorb a lot of water this could cause the roots to rot. Orchids are air plants n they prefer their roots exposed to air as much as possible n instead of towels use barks n drill more holes around ur pots. The more air they get the better condition for ur plants. Big containers n grouping of orchids are nice for display but not for healthy maintenance of these air plants. Also check the roots once in a while n trim down the dead ones. Avoid over watering n over fertilizing. always use barks that are treated n safe at all times. Also leave the spikes (stems) of ur orchids if they’re still green. They will give u another set of flowers or baby plant,(kiki). Hope this helps.
Do you repot orchids with bark or moss?
Hi. I have had good luck with pulling the plastic containers out of the ceramic pot and soaking them in cool water for 5 min each week. Then when the flowers die, I put the plant in my bathroom by a window (they love the steam). I have two orchids that I rotate. One is always in bloom, while the other is in the bathroom 🙂
I keep my orchids in morning sun and water only 1 time a week. There are several people that do the ice cube thing but I think that really depends on the size of your orchid. A bright sunny morning spot first think in the morning keeps mine blooming until winter. They will go dormant, but around April they always bloom again. Good lunch
Cooled down green tea…..Once every two weeks….My orchids love it….
Good tip. I had to wait 18 months for 2 of my store bought orchids to rebloom. ..patience…PLUS fertilizer ( who knew*L*)
Additionally…when you water them they HAVE to drain..after the bloom period you might want to put the plastic containers BACK into the ceramic ones..in a sunny a.m. place. The roots should always look a healthy vibrant green. Good Luck!
I too keep the the plants after blooms fall off and keep watering. I generally get two sets of blooms a year. Another thing we do in South Florida is attach the base to a palm tree with planting wire and they become a part of the tree and continue to re-bloom. Not sure about your climate but worth a try!
Your orchid isn’t dead! They just drop the blooms. They will shoot up another flowering branch again, but it takes a while. I have one from Trader Joe’s from the fall that I sat in a sunny window and it is getting ready to bloom again. Mostly it isn’t worth the patience and time it takes to get them to flower again, so getting them every few months from TJs is the way to go sometimes.
Join an orchid club. They will teach you how to pot and maintain your orchids. Some of the previous info is good but 90% is really bad. Don’t trim roots. They’re the life line of any orchid and some grow by metres. Char coal and untreated bark is all you need to grow orchids in pots that allow the roots to grow. Watering depends on your climate. Feeding or fertilizing will keep your orchid healthy and promote flowers. Talk to people in orchid clubs. They will know what’s good for your climate but char coal and untreated tree bark is the go.