Orchids are one of our favourite flowers and arguably the most beautiful in flower arrangements. Orchids can come in many different colours, shapes and sizes. There are over 22,000 speicies of orchids and care requirements can sometimes vary depending on the species. No matter what type of orchid you buy, you can follow these easy steps to make sure your orchid stays beautiful and healthy for as long as possible.
Environment
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Make sure your pots have drainage holes. Orchids roots can rot without proper drainage holes for water to run out.
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Orchids need a lot of indirect, but strong light to thrive. It’s best to put your orchids in a room with south or east facing windows. If you can’t place them near a south or east facing window then you can use a sheer window curtain on a west facing window. North views will probably not provide enough light for your orchid.
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The best temperature for your orchid to thrive is between 16 and 24C. Orchids prefer modest temperatures and they will likely die if it gets too cold.
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Keep the air circulating in your home or office to keep the orchids roots healthy. During the spring and fall months, you can open the windows to encourage a breeze.
Watering, Feeding and Pruning
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The best way to water your orchids is to have a plastic clear pot with holes in the bottom, inside your orchid pot. Remove the plastic inner pot and place it in a bucket of water to allow the orchid to soak for around 5 minutes. Remove the plastic pot from the water and allow the plant to drain. Once the draining has stopped, you can put the plastic pot back in the original pot.
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While the orchid is flowering, make sure you fertilize once per month. The best type of fertilizer is a liquid, mixed in at half the concentration. Make sure that you don’t water the orchid for the next few days with the fertilizer is feeding the plant.
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Once the flowers have died, you can cut off the stems. Phalaenopsis can flower more than once on the same stem, but most orchids do not.
Gardenia Flower Boutique has many orchids to choose from, including phalaenopsis. We offer custom made flower arrangements and flower delivery to all of Calgary.