Orchids 101

First post, so I think it's only fitting to start off by talking about the orchids on my blog and website and how I took up gardening on island. The orchids are dendrobium orchids from my garden, no stock photography here!


I am certainly no orchid expert, and honestly I was just proud to have these bloom a second season. My husband is a great gardener, but couldn't cultivate orchids to save his life! So I figured if I could pull this off I would have MAJOR bragging rights. 

Orchids just seem so mysterious and elegant and add instant drama to any space. Cut flowers and floral arrangements are very expensive to buy on island and potted orchids are a perfect substitute. I was also curious to learn whether or not I had a green thumb, I use to travel so much for work when I lived in Miami that I never had anything alive at home. I couldn't resist the challenge and asked a good friend (and in my opinion an orchid expert you should see her garden, wow) how it was done. Here's what I've learned about cultivating orchids:

Orchid How to Tips for Newbies

1. Start with something easy. Dendrobiums are a good starter orchid. They are gorgeous, inexpensive, very easy to find, and come in a variety of colors. 
2. Orchids like bright indirect light. I kept hearing that but really didn't understand what that meant! Simple, keep them indoors near a sunny window, or outside under a warm, sunny covered deck or patio. I keep a few of mine outdoors on a coffee table which sits under a huge turpentine tree (see picture). They really do quite better outside here, just be sure to keep spiders and other creeper crawlers off of them. 
3. Don't over water. They are extremely resilient and only need to be watered about once a week. The potting mix should always be slightly moist to the touch. When watering give the entire plant a good soak, and let the excess water drain out. You can also lightly mist your plant with water midweek with a spray bottle if you live in a hot climate like St. John. I did this during the extremely hot summer months. I also feed my orchids with an orchid formula I bought at the local hardware store about once a month or whenever I remembered. 
4. Re-pot. I re-potted mine after it lost it's flowers the first season and the pot accidentally broke. Re-pot only when the roots are starting to come out of its current pot and after the plant has lost its flowers. Orchids thrive in tight spaces so don't re-pot in a container which is too large. Make sure there are holes in the container so that excess water can drain out. Use new orchid potting mix which has been soaked in water for at least a day, re-potting using a dry mix will cause your orchid to "choke" due to lack of water. Trust me I learned this the hard way! Make sure to cut off any dead or rotten roots and leaves before re-potting. 
5. Finally, don't obsess! It may take you a few weeks to find your orchids perfect home and watering schedule but once you do leave it alone! Changing your plants location to often and over handling just stresses it out and weakens it. Just relax and enjoy it! 

And voila, I got blooming orchids year 2 and a love for cultivating orchids.

CC