Orchids are some of the most beautiful flowers on earth. However they also require your commitment and attention to get the most out of them. Below are some tips to help you do just that.

Best grown indoors Orchids are slow growers and will only need to be re-potted every other year. Using a pot that is one size up from the current one your Orchid is in will be ideal.

To re-pot your Orchid you will want to fill the pot two thirds of the way up and then place your Orchid with the roots spread out and tips pointing skywards. Fill the rest of the pot up using your soil that is formulated for Orchids and remember to give your Orchid lots of water.

Orchids require a special kind of soil that has been combined to give your Orchid all the nutrients it will need. Mixing osumda fibre, fir bark and peat will form a great base in which to grow your Orchid in. It is also important to note that your soil should provide good drainage for your Orchid while at the same time retaining a small amount of moisture.

When caring for Orchids lighting is an important factor, being tropical flowers Orchids are light hungry. Placing your Orchid on a window sill that is sunny, gets the first light in the morning and the last at night will give your Orchid its best chance of providing you with wonderful flowers.

Make sure that the window does not have a draft as this will not help your Orchid in the slightest. When winter sets in if you feel that your Orchid is not getting enough light you can always use artificial lighting. In fact artificial lighting can produce equally beautiful Orchids as with natural light.

Watering is one of the most vital things to get right when caring for Orchids. Overwater and you can give your Orchid root rot underwater and your Orchid will not survive. A critical factor when caring for your Orchid is to use a pot with sufficient drainage.

Drainage can either be achieved by placing small stones in the bottom of your pot or having a pot with holes in it and a saucer for the water.

You should always water your Orchid thoroughly but if you leave standing water on the surface of the soil you have gone too far and the root of your Orchid will begin to rot. Most Orchids like to be watered once a week and if you use bark mixed with your soil then every five days is better recommended.

To increase the humidity for your Orchid you can spray it with distilled water. Be aware not to use tap or mineral water as these will leave deposits on the leaves of your Orchid, which will not help it to flourish.

Sometime you may feel your Orchid needs more humidity than just simply spraying. Wrapping your Orchid in clear paper and spraying inside of it will make a big difference in the humidity around your Orchid.

Temperature is another factor you will want to bear in mind when caring for Orchids. Even though they are tropical flowers Orchids do enjoy cool temperatures at night in order to keep moisture in their soil.

When grown professionally Orchids are generally put in a greenhouse when night falls as house temperatures at night are still a little too hot.

When you grow your Orchids in bark it is recommended that you use a liquid fertilizer. All you have to do, using a non-urea fertilizer for the best results, is dissolve the fertilizer in the water that you use in your regular watering schedule. Make sure you also double check the amount and usage on the fertilizer packaging.

When blooms have died it’s time to prune your Orchid, when the stalk becomes dried up and discoloured you can cut it back to about an inch above the soil. Pruning your Orchid will mean its produces more and more gorgeous blooms in the future.

Pruning can take place once a year in the winter or autumn although it’s not uncommon to prune your Orchid throughout the year either.

In some cases you can just prune the blooming stalk, this can result in a small baby plant growing where you have pruned. In this case I suggest that you remove this baby plant and re-plant it, giving you a brand new Orchid.

All in all caring for Orchids is extremely enjoyable and while you do have to put in some work the beautiful flowers are reward enough. There are lot of interesting things to learn about growing and caring for Orchids. Find out more tips on growing and caring for Orchids here.