Repotting Orchids
I love Orchids and have been mostly successful at growing them over the last few years. That said, I have lost one or two along the way, despite my best efforts. When we moved from the house to the apartment this summer, my orchids were the only plants I bought with me. The Orchids (eight in total) reside in my and Andy’s bedroom and sit on a table at the foot of the bed.
I was a little worried when we first moved that they wouldn’t get enough light but was pleasantly wrong and they soon flourished in the West facing window. One is currently in bloom while the rest are sporting new leaves, and all look healthier than I’ve ever seen them. The longer we are away from the house, the more I’m realizing just how little light I had for my plants. I noticed this in the plants my mom has been caring for (she is acting as a foster plant parent for the majority of my plants). She has a ton of light at her house and in her garden and my plants have really thrived there as well! This realization gets me excited for our future boutique farm and all the possibilities for growing plants, flowers and veggies!
One thing I did need to adjust at our new place is the amount of water I was giving the Orchids. Although I’ve read many articles that say not to water using ice cubes, this method has proven successful for me. When I did try a different watering method, I ended up losing an Orchid due to over watering so quickly returned to my tried and true ice cube! In our old house we had an ice machine in the fridge and here we have an ice tray. This may sound trivial, but I discovered very quickly that the amount of water in an ice cube from an ice tray (or at least the trays we have) was significantly more than what came out of the cubes from the ice machine. Luckily, I picked up on this variation sooner rather than later and thus avoided more Orchid casualties. To be on the safe side, I’ve also taken to checking the bottom of the pots after the ice cubes have melted for extra water and if I find any, I dump it. Orchid roots typically do not like to sit in water, this will lead to root rot and the loss of your plant.
It was during this weekly water check that I noticed one of my Orchids, the largest one, had its roots growing out of the bottom of the pot. Although Orchids like to have their roots in a snug compacted container this told me it was time for a repot as this container was clearly being outgrown. Luckily, I had a variety of sizes of clear plastic Orchid pots at the storage unit.
I also discovered I had a larger ceramic pot to dress up the plastic one! I had also picked up some Orchid potting mix the week before. Orchids don’t grow in soil but instead prefer a mulch like mix that provides both good drainage and air flow. Prior to repotting I googled some You Tube Videos (I’ve provided the links below) so I could continue expanding my knowledge and understanding of how to successfully grow Orchids. I’ve also included a link to an article that came up on my Twitter account from Gardeners World on growing Orchids. So, with knowledge, pot, and potting mix in hand, I set to work repotting my beloved Orchid. I washed the new pot, and gentle removed the Orchid from the old outgrown pot. Next I carefully tucked the roots into the pot and put the potting mix around the roots, gently tapping the sides of the container so the mix would make its way in between the mass of roots, then I finished filling in around the base of the plant so it was secure in the pot and set the plastic pot in the decorative ceramic pot, making sure I could easily pull it out when I needed to check the water table at the bottom. Prior to setting it in the ceramic pot I made sure to wash it as well. My Orchid is now successfully repotted and continues to thrive! These beautiful plants bring me great joy every day as I watch them grow new leaves, flower, and bloom.
Additional information on how to grow and care for Orchids:
https://www.gardenersworld.com/plants/how-to-care-for-orchids/
