Orchids are among our favorite plants. They are delicate, colorful and striking, but also very picky. We will advise you how and when to fertilize orchids using home methods. And also how to take care of these flowers when they do not bloom and go into a period of rest.

Despite the best intentions and careful care, it is not always possible to keep orchids in good condition. We usually don’t know what to do when they lose their flowers, their leaves turn yellow and they stop blooming. Here are some tips on how not to waste an orchid and what this plant does not like.

What do orchids like?

Orchids represent an extensive group of species. For most of them, the natural environment is the jungle, so they prefer very specific conditions: humid air or a large temperature amplitude between day and night.

  • Their substrate should allow aeration of plant roots and drainage of water.

It combines well with pine bark, coconut shells, expanded clay, coal or peat. You can also buy ready-made mixtures for orchids in the store.

  • Orchids do not like intense sunlight, so it is better not to keep them on a windowsill located on the south side.

How do you know if your orchids are getting too much light?

  • Gradually they turn yellow more and more.
  • If they darken or black spots appear on their leaves, it is a sign that they do not have enough light.

They also don’t like a lot of heat, so if you grow them near a radiator, it’s a good idea to turn it down a few degrees at night.

  • Spray the orchids with distilled water once in a while.

These flowers like this refreshment.

How to water and fertilize orchids?

  • Watering orchids is also not the easiest.

You can water orchids in the traditional way, by pouring water into a containerbut then you have to make sure that the water does not settle on the bottom of the plate. Water again after 7 to 10 days as the roots and substrate need to dry out.

  • Another method of watering is bathing the orchid – place the container with the specimen in a bowl of water for approximately 15-30 minutes.

The younger the plant, the longer it should be “soaked”. The interesting thing is that if the conditions in our house allow it, orchids are best watered with rainwater.

  • We can use filtered water or tap water with the addition of a few drops of lemon juice.

Frequent fertilization is also not a good idea if we want fresh flowers.

  • If we want to feed them with each watering, we have to dilute the nutrients for these plants three times.

Home methods of fertilizing orchids

If we don’t want to spend money on buying special nutrients for fertilizing orchids, we can use natural fertilizers. Here they are the best ways to fertilize orchids using products available in every home.

  • Banana fertilizer for orchids – banana peels are a rich source of phosphorus, calcium and potassium, so they perfectly nourish the plant. There are many ways to make fertilizer from bananas. For example, we can cut the peels into small pieces and mix them into the substrate for orchids or prepare a liquid fertilizer. For this purpose, we put a few skins in a large container, fill them halfway with water, wait a few days, and then pour the finished fertilizer over the orchids.
  • Beer fertilizer for orchids – once in a while we can add light beer to the water we use to water the orchids. We prepare such a decoction by mixing beer and water in a ratio of 1:25. Thanks to this treatment, the orchid leaves will be healthy, firm and shiny. Instead of beer, we can also use yeast, which is a source of group B vitamins and thus strengthens the plant’s root system.
  • Garlic fertilizer for orchids – garlic decoction can be used alternately with a solution of water and beer. To prepare it, boil about 3 cloves of garlic in a liter of water. When the water cools down, we water the orchids as usual – directly in the pot or using the bath method.
  • Orchids and cinnamon – sometimes it can happen that some roots break when transplanting an orchid into another pot. If we want to save them, we simply cover the broken root with cinnamon. This will prevent rotting of the roots and subsequent deterioration of the entire plant. Cinnamon will also help if the roots are covered with too much water.

It is good to remember that in winter we stop fertilizing orchids completely. In the period from December to March, due to the reduced intensity of photosynthesis, the plant will not be able to use the supplied nutrients.

Resting state of orchids

  • When the orchid blooms and its stem dries, it is a good idea to cut it above the third or fourth bud.
  • Stop watering and fertilizing for about 6 weeks.
  • Move the plants to a cooler room where the temperature does not exceed approximately 15-18 degrees Celsius.

It should be remembered that the orchid usually does not bloom all year round, only in a selected period, and you have to put up with that. The most popular species need a rest period to recover.

Water your orchids and watch them grow beautifully. The secret ingredient is in your fridge