How to Plant Orchids in a Pot

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Orchids are beautiful plants with bright, colorful flowers. Planting and caring for orchids can be tricky though because they are very different from most other houseplants. However, with a bit of knowledge about your specific orchid and some patience, you will be able to see the flowers bloom! Choose a small, snug pot for the orchid and then pick the right growing medium for your particular type. Keep the orchid happy by providing it with plenty of sunlight, high humidity, and water once per week.

Part 1
Part 1 of 2:

Potting Orchids

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  1. Orchids can be finicky plants and are difficult to keep alive. The cattleya, moth orchid, and venus slipper varieties are all relatively common and are great for learning how to grow these special plants. Ask at the gardening center or nursery what type of beginner orchid is suitable for the climate in your location. [1]
    • Try to pick a plant that is blooming so that you know what the flowers look like.
  2. Check that there are slats or holes in the pot so that the growing medium will be well-drained. The roots should fit snugly into the pot without needing to bend or twist, and they shouldn’t have too much excess space. [2]
    • Orchids get most of their structure from their roots, so they grow best in smaller pots that keep the root system more compact. [3]
    • Tolumnias and dendrobiums prefer clay pots, while cattleyas, moth orchids, and venus slipper orchids all prefer either clay or plastic pots.
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  3. There are over 30,000 types of orchids and a huge variety of growing mediums. Common types include fir bark, tree fern, sphagnum moss, and perlite. [4] Ask your local gardening center or orchid growing society about the best medium for your type of orchid. You can also look it up online. [5]
    • Cattleya orchids prefer coarse fir bark. [6]
    • Medium fir bark is best for moth orchids. [7]
    • Bark or a fluffy moss is ideal for venus slipper orchids. [8]
  4. One of the most important aspects of planting the orchid in a pot is ensuring it has good drainage. Use foam packaging peanuts to help drain excess water away from the roots and the growing medium. This prevents the roots from rotting. [9]
  5. Hold the orchid stalk firmly and gently wiggle the container to loosen it. When the container is loose, carefully pull the orchid out without breaking any of the roots. If the container feels stubborn, don't force it off as this could harm the orchid. Instead, use scissors to carefully cut the container off the plant. [10]
    • Some orchids are sold bare-rooted, which means that the roots are free. There is no container to remove in this instance.
    • Orchids are most commonly sold in plastic pots.
  6. Grasp the orchid gently around the stalk and suspend it inside the container. Make sure that none of the roots need to bend or break to fit inside the pot. [11]
    • Always support the orchid as you are planting it to prevent root damage.
  7. Gently pack the pot with the growing medium, being careful not to crush or damage the roots. Stop filling the pot when the crown of the orchid is just below the growing medium. [12]
    • The crown is where the roots meet the stalk.
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Part 2
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Caring for Potted Orchids

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  1. Wild, tropical orchids often grow high up in trees, which means that they thrive with bright, indirect sunlight. [13] Pick a sunny spot for your orchid such as a south or east-facing windowsill. North-facing windows tend to be too dark for orchids and west-facing windows tend to be too warm. Check the specific sunlight requirements for your type of orchid to find the ideal number of sunlight hours. [14]
    • If your home doesn’t have suitable natural light, use artificial lights instead. Place the orchid 5–8 in (13–20 cm) away from a fluorescent bulb and keep the light on for the specified number of hours. [15]
    • Orchids with leathery or few leaves like cattleyas and the dancing lady type tend to do best in high-light environments such as a south-facing windowsill.
    • Orchids with limp or soft leaves like the moth and lady slipper types tend to grow best under more sensitive light conditions. Try an east-facing windowsill.
  2. Less water is definitely more where orchids are concerned. Orchid roots can easily rot if there is too much water in the growing medium, as the roots need good air flow to function properly. Simply hold the pot under running water for a few seconds and let the water drench the growing medium. Make sure that the growing medium has dried out fully before you water it again. [16]
    • Orchids cope much better with drought than overwatering.
  3. Most homes have humidity levels that are too low to sustain orchids, especially in winter. Keep the orchid in a place away from cold drafts and heating vents, as the plant needs warm, moist air to survive. Orchids tend to grow well in bathrooms where the humidity is high or near humidifier devices. [17]
    • If you don’t want to place the orchid in the bathroom or use a humidifier, you can use a dry well instead. To make a dry well, get a plastic tray and either fill it with pebbles or place a plastic lattice on top. Fill the tray with water to the top of the pebbles or the lattice, and keep the orchid pot on top. This helps to boost the humidity. [18]
  4. Orchids bloom especially well using a liquid fertilizer every 2-3 weeks during the growing season. Visit your local gardening center and purchase a liquid fertilizer that is suitable for orchids. Follow the manufacturer's directions carefully and dilute the specified amount of liquid fertilizer in the water. Then pour the water over the orchid as you normally would. [19]
    • Try to get a liquid fertilizer that is specifically for orchids. If you get a general fertilizer, use only half the amount that is recommended.
    • Water the orchid regularly each week whenever you don't use the liquid fertilizer.
  5. Prune the orchid when the flowers fall off to encourage healthy growth. Trim the flowering stem 1 in (2.5 cm) away from main stalk. You may even get a second bloom! If you notice any yellowing or browning on the stems or leaves, remove these with a sterile knife to allow the orchid to grow back healthy shoots. [20]
    • Only moth orchids can rebloom without being trimmed.
  6. Most orchids need to be repotted about once a year to replace their growing medium. Also, if you spot the roots creeping out of the pot or if the growing medium has broken down too much and is preventing aeration, then it’s time to repot the orchid. [21]
    • Make sure you know what your specific type of orchid prefers—while many orchids need to be repotted each year, others can stay in the same pot for several years.
    • Don’t repot the plant until it has stopped blooming for the year.
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Expert Q&A

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  • Question
    How do I take care of an orchid?
    Harmony Corelitz
    Plant Specialist
    Harmony Corelitz is a Plant Specialist and the Ecommerce Manager at Crimson Horticultural Rarities, Inc, a boutiue offering rare plants, flower arragements, and handmade goods. Harmony grew up helping her parents run their family business in plant maintenance and interior plantscaping. Harmony specializes in indoor plant care and interior plant design. Prior to her workwith Crimson Horticultural Rarities, she started her pop-up plant and vintage home goods shop called Younger Child and helped her former employer, Plants and Friends, grow and expand to two locations. She holds a BA from the University of San Francisco.
    Harmony Corelitz
    Plant Specialist
    Expert Answer
    Different types of orchids all need different care. A general rule is to keep the humidity levels up for your orchids—that's always going to contribute to a happier plant. Bright, filtered sunlight is best, rather than direct sun, so keep your orchid 3-5 feet away from your window. Also, make sure you're letting the substrate dry out all the way in between watering.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.oakhillgardens.com/blog/how-to-care-for-orchids
      2. ↑ http://www.aos.org/orchids/additional-resources/potting-media-reviewed.aspx
      3. ↑ Harmony Corelitz. Plant Specialist. Expert Interview. 4 December 2020.
      4. ↑ Harmony Corelitz. Plant Specialist. Expert Interview. 4 December 2020.
      5. ↑ http://www.aos.org/orchids/additional-resources/potting-media-reviewed.aspx
      6. ↑ https://canadianorchidcongress.ca/culture/cattleya/
      7. ↑ http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/gardens-gardening/your-garden/help-for-the-home-gardener/advice-tips-resources/visual-guides/repotting-phalaenopsis-and-other-monopodial-orchid.aspx
      8. ↑ http://everything-orchids.com/types-of-orchids/lady-slipper-orchids
      9. ↑ https://myfirstorchid.com/2017/02/22/orchid-disaster/
      1. ↑ http://www.orchidplantcare.info/how-to-repot-your-orchid-plant/
      2. ↑ https://www.oakhillgardens.com/blog/how-to-care-for-orchids
      3. ↑ https://www.oakhillgardens.com/blog/how-to-care-for-orchids
      4. ↑ Harmony Corelitz. Plant Specialist. Expert Interview. 4 December 2020.
      5. ↑ https://portlandnursery.com/docs/houseplants/OrchidCare.pdf
      6. ↑ https://www.oakhillgardens.com/blog/how-to-care-for-orchids
      7. ↑ Harmony Corelitz. Plant Specialist. Expert Interview. 4 December 2020.
      8. ↑ https://www.oakhillgardens.com/blog/how-to-care-for-orchids
      9. ↑ https://www.bhg.com/gardening/houseplants/care/how-to-grow-orchids-indoors/
      10. ↑ https://www.bhg.com/gardening/houseplants/care/how-to-grow-orchids-indoors/
      11. ↑ https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/gardening-blog/2009/nov/03/orchid-care-beginners
      12. ↑ Harmony Corelitz. Plant Specialist. Expert Interview. 4 December 2020.
      13. ↑ Harmony Corelitz. Plant Specialist. Expert Interview. 4 December 2020.

      About This Article

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      Orchids are beautiful plants with bright flowers, and you can grow them in a pot right at home. All you’ll need is a plastic or clay pot with drainage holes, foam peanuts, and a potting mix like fir bark, tree fern, peat moss, or perlite. Cover the bottom inch of your pot with foam peanuts and fill the rest with your potting mix. Then, hold your orchid in the container with one hand and fill the pot with your potting mix with your other hand. Make sure you don't bend any of the roots while you're doing it. Keep the pot on a sunny windowsill and water it once a week to keep its potting mix damp. For more tips, including how to prune your orchids, read on!

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