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Your complete guide for growing beautiful orchid blooms at home
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Do you love the look of big and bright orchids in your home? If you want to grow these fresh flowers, orchids are really easy to keep as houseplants under the right conditions. Orchids have a few different requirements than other flowers you might grow at home, but we’ve got everything you need to know right here. Keep reading, and we’ll cover all of the basic plant care for your orchids so they continue to grow and bloom for years to come!

Things You Should Know

1

Place orchids in bright, indirect light.

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  1. As a good rule of thumb, your orchids should be in light that’s bright enough to easily read a small-print book. If you have one available, set your pot of orchids on the sill of a north- or east-facing window so it gets some light throughout the day without being directly in the sun. If you only have a west- or south-facing window, cover it with a sheer curtain to keep the orchids from getting burned.[1]
    • If you don’t have any space around your windows, put your orchids underneath grow lights instead. Keep the lights 6–8 inches (15–20 cm) above your orchids and leave them on for 12–16 hours each day.
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2

Water your orchids just before the potting mix dries out.

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  1. Gently stick 1 or 2 fingers into the potting medium to test if it feels moist. If you don’t feel any moisture on your fingers, pour lukewarm water into the potting medium until it runs out from the bottom of the pot. Let the pot drain completely.
    • Avoid using water that’s colder than 50 °F (10 °C) since it can damage the roots.
    • If the inner leaves of your orchid start yellowing or wilting, it may be a sign that you’re overwatering it.[2]
    • Clear pots can help you determine when it’s time to water your orchids—if there’s no condensation on the inside of the pots, then it’s time to water.
7

Prune orchid stems once they finish flowering.

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9

Trim leaves with signs of fungus or disease.

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  1. Check your orchid for signs of infection, like yellow, brown, or black spots of discoloration on the leaves. Use a sterile blade or pair of pruners to cut away all of the diseased leaves, stems, and flowers. Be sure to disinfect your gardening tools before and after removing the affected leaves.[7]
    • Try applying a fungicide to your orchids to help prevent the spread of infections.
    • If you aren’t able to get a handle on a fungal or bacterial infection, it may be best to dispose of the entire plant.
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11

Use a bark- or moss-based potting mix.

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  1. Orchids normally grow on the bark of trees, so fill your pot with bark-based mix or moss-based medium. Avoid using regular potting mix since your orchids might not produce as many blooms. If your orchids are planted in any other medium, transplant them to a pot with the correct mix.[8]
    • Bark-based medium drains well and helps prevent overwatering, but can break down quickly and needs to be replaced as it disappears.
    • Moss-based media retain moisture better and are usually cheaper than bark, so you don’t have to water it as frequently.
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Expert Q&A

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  • Question
    How often should you water an orchid?
    Matt Bowman
    Matt Bowman
    Gardener & Owner, Tradition Market & Garden
    Matt Bowman is a Gardener, Landscaper, the Owner of Georgia Farm to Table, and the Owner of Tradition Property Services in Atlanta, Georgia. With over 20 years experience, he specializes in organic gardening, landscape maintenance, handyman services, homecare services, and supplying Christmas trees. Matt earned a BA in Journalism from the University of Georgia.
    Matt Bowman
    Gardener & Owner, Tradition Market & Garden
    Expert Answer
    Over watering is a very common problem with orchids. They don't require as much water as a lot of people give them. We recommend a small glass of water per week.
  • Question
    After flowering, should I cut off any brown or dead looking stalks?
    Lauren Kurtz
    Lauren Kurtz
    Professional Gardener
    Lauren Kurtz is a Naturalist and Horticultural Specialist. Lauren has worked for Aurora, Colorado managing the Water-Wise Garden at Aurora Municipal Center for the Water Conservation Department. She earned a BA in Environmental and Sustainability Studies from Western Michigan University in 2014.
    Lauren Kurtz
    Professional Gardener
    Expert Answer
    Yes. Leave about 2 inches (5 cm) of the stem until the next flowering season. If it doesn’t regrow from there, you can remove the rest of last season's stem.
  • Question
    New leaves are growing at the end of two separate flower spikes and air roots. Should I just leave them on the parent plant?
    Lauren Kurtz
    Lauren Kurtz
    Professional Gardener
    Lauren Kurtz is a Naturalist and Horticultural Specialist. Lauren has worked for Aurora, Colorado managing the Water-Wise Garden at Aurora Municipal Center for the Water Conservation Department. She earned a BA in Environmental and Sustainability Studies from Western Michigan University in 2014.
    Lauren Kurtz
    Professional Gardener
    Expert Answer
    Leaving it could cause the orchid to outgrow the pot. They might be able to be separated into two different plants if the roots are able to easily be separated. Replant the orchid into a bigger pot about every 2 years.
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About This Article

Matt Bowman
Co-authored by:
Gardener & Owner, Tradition Market & Garden
This article was co-authored by Matt Bowman and by wikiHow staff writer, Hunter Rising. Matt Bowman is a Gardener, Landscaper, the Owner of Georgia Farm to Table, and the Owner of Tradition Property Services in Atlanta, Georgia. With over 20 years experience, he specializes in organic gardening, landscape maintenance, handyman services, homecare services, and supplying Christmas trees. Matt earned a BA in Journalism from the University of Georgia. This article has been viewed 4,812,012 times.
114 votes - 90%
Co-authors: 86
Updated: November 24, 2024
Views: 4,812,012
Categories: Featured Articles | Orchids
Article SummaryX

The best way to take care of your orchid is to place it near a south- or east-facing window that receives strong, indirect light. Water your orchid whenever the soil feels dry, and fertilize it with a 10-10-10 fertilizer once a month while it’s flowering. Make sure the room your orchids are in receives circulation, or set an overhead fan to low if it doesn’t. For help from our Horticulturist reviewer on clearing bugs or removing diseased spots, read on!

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Reader Success Stories

  • O. Will

    O. Will

    Sep 10, 2017

    "The flowers fell off my orchid a few months ago, but the stem kept growing. Just when it seemed to put on a growth..." more
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