Q&A for How to Grow Orchids Outside

While not all orchid varieties can rebloom, there are a few that can. For the varieties that are capable of reblooming, you should add a 20-20-20 mix fertilizer every other week and move the plant to a cooler location.

Yes, you can keep orchids outside as long as temperatures aren't routinely below 30 degrees Fahrenheit or above 100 degrees Fahrenheit.

Sunlight is an important part of growing orchids, however too much or too little sunlight can seriously harm your plant. If indoors, placing the orchid behind curtains on a windowsill is ideal.

Yes, it is! Both outdoor and indoor orchids will thrive when watered with rainwater.

No you shouldn't. These are aerial roots which are supposed to be out and above the medium/dirt. The orchid itself produced that root to be in the air so it can breathe.

That depends on which orchids you are talking about and where in California you live. Cymbidiums do quite well even in the ground as long as they have plenty of sunlight (so don't plant them under a tree). In pots, you can grow almost all orchids outside. I bring mine inside when they bloom and put them on the patio when they do not. Read up on the particular orchid you fancy before buying one. Grocery store orchids are usually hardy and quite reasonable in price. Start with cymbidiums and/or phalaenopsis (moth orchids): they are the easiest.

After flowers wilt on Phalaenopsis, cut the top of the flower spike off to foster new a flower sprout on the flower stem. When the flower spikes dry out, cut them completely off.

Depends of what type of orchid you get. If it's an epiphytic orchid which naturally grows on trees, it should be potted in coarse and rough medium, such as fir bark, wood chunks and moss. If it's a terrestrial orchid, it could be placed directly to the ground or potted in coarse mix.

If you plant moth orchids, you can't directly put them into the ground, as they are epiphytic, and soil retains too much moisture, which would rot their roots, It's best to place them in a shady but bright area with indirect light in a pot filled with coarse medium, such as bark chips especially for orchids, and moss.

Put it in a place that is sunny for a good part of the day, but not too sunny. The bulbs dry out, so it has to have some shade during the day. If you have to go completely sunny, don't water it in the sun and add plenty of water without drowning the actual plant in non- sunny hours.

Water just the roots. Soak them once every 15 days and let them dry before the next watering. Water on the bulbs, crowns, leaves, etc. can easily lead to those parts rotting..

Sterilize the cutting tool. Cut dry stems off completely. Cut green stems below the part that flowered and wilted.

If there is rot, extract the roots from the pot by cutting away a plastic pot or breaking the ceramic and exposing the roots to air. If it's just an issue of too many roots or too much planting medium,water as usual and, after a few hours, see if some planting medium can be removed and whether the roots are flexible so they can be coaxed above the medium. If so, just expose some roots to the air. You can compensate for less planting medium by watering the next time with a weak fertilizer solution. If it's too compact, dry out the plant, remove the roots from the pot (break or cut the pot if needed), then water. Work out the tight spots with a chopstick and repot.

It could be the shock of the move. Give them time to recover. When you re-pot, I recommend a very weak feed of worm castings liquid concentrate every 10 days to help them avoid the bad effects of shock: leaf drop and delayed flowering. If they have flowered in the same position before, likely they will again.

Place a hefty wad of coconut fibers (from coconut husk) against the trunk and secure it with nylon string or something similar which will not rot. Then place your orchid against the coconut fiber and secure it with string, but not so tight that you restrict the sap flow. The string will need to be replaced from time to time. Allow roots which protrude from the coconut fiber to remain as they are; do not tuck them in. Not only does this make the plant more natural to look at, the roots will likely take in moisture and nutrients from the air. Give a light spray with Plant Snack to help the orchid settle into its new home.

Perhaps they still get too much shade. You may trim one or two palm stems off to expose Orchid to some morning or very late afternoon sun. If the roots of the orchid have not attached to the tree trunk you could simply move the orchid into a little more sun in the morning. Sun from 10-3pm could really scorch the leaves so be mindful of harsh sun.