New to orchid motherhood but I’m obsessed! I love having such a beautiful, pet safe plant. I just moved almost all of them into clear pots to get a better view of their root systems for watering, and next step is working on getting better fitting outer pots! What are your best orchid tips and honestly biggest fails/lessons learned?
You have some nice ones; that top white one is an overachiever to have three spikes. The biggest game-changer for me with orchids was learning that they're epiphytes. In the wild, they'd cling to a tree and hang upside-down from how people usually keep them. They'd have no soil, get lots of air and dry out relatively fast, and get water directly on their roots often. Hanging down would also make it so water never pools where their leaves meet. When caring for them in pots, the trick is just to avoid letting water pool and stagnate anywhere. Also the roots do a great job of showing what they need; here's a reference for you
I have 2 right now and I can confirm that in our house the cats must be aware they are pet safe cause it’s the only plant they try to eat😂
2 likesI highly recommend checking out Miss Orchid Girl on YouTube. She has thousands of videos, particularly the Orchid Care For Beginners series that would be super helpful to you. I would say the thing that gets most new orchid owners is overwatering. The fact that you’re already aware of keeping an eye on their roots to help guide you in that area is a huge plus
1 likeI always cut the flower stalks when they finish flowering. Keep them in bright windows with no direct sunlight. If the edges of the leaves start to yellow, it might be a sunburn! If you’re unsure on watering, I started out by giving them a shot glass of water once a week. Orchids are how I got into plants. Have fun!
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