I bought an orchid at the grocery store, now what??
Orchids grow on every continent except Antarctica and first appeared about 112 million years ago – meaning they were around with the mighty T. Rex! While there are about 28,000 species of orchids and over 300,000 varieties, the most common sold in area stores as a houseplant is the Phalaenopsis.
To best understand how to care for a Phalaenopsis, it really helps to see how this orchid grows in the wild. They grow hanging from trees or rocks! They are called Epiphytes – a plant that grows on another but is not parasitic. They enjoy plentiful indirect sunlight, as they would get on the trunk of a tree and if exposed to bright direct sun their leaves can sunburn. They also enjoy a bit of humidity, often doing well in kitchens and bathrooms, or consider having a pebble tray or humidifier nearby. They prefer a temperature range of 60-77 degrees, but in order to get your orchid to rebloom, they may require a drop in temperature for a few weeks. When watering your orchid, it is important that you don’t get water in the leaves as it can cause the plant to rot. As they naturally grow hanging, we actually plant them upside down and their leaves can’t drain that way. Put the waterspout very close to the growing medium at the base of the plant, after watering let drain completely. Use a paper towel to wick off any water on the leaves. Although it is popular advice – please no ice cubes! Ice can damage the plant. Let the growing medium dry out between watering.
As you might have guessed, orchids do not grow in soil. Potting orchids in soil will kill the orchid as the roots will not get enough oxygen. Many orchids sold in stores are potted in sphagnum moss, which stays moist for a longer period and doesn’t have to be watered as much as bark. After the flowers fall off and the flower stem has turned completely brown, it is a good idea to repot your orchid. You can use the same pot you bought it in, or a similar sized pot with a good drainage hole. You’ll need to purchase a block of sphagnum moss and a bag of orchid bark mix. First, cut off the dead flower stem at the base close to the leaves. Next, place a small handful of moss in a dish of water. Use gloves when handling sphagnum moss as it can be irritating to your skin! While the moss is soaking, grasp the orchid at the base to gently pull out of the pot. You’ll want to wash the roots off, removing any rotten roots and the old growing medium. Next, pour a little of the bark mix in the bottom of the pot. Then grab some of your moss and form a small ball, put it under the center of your orchid and loosely form the roots around the moss ball. Set the roots and moss down in the pot. Now alternate moss pieces and bark in and around the roots until the pot is full again at the base of the leaves. Orchids only need to be repotted every few years or when they are unstable in their pot. More on orchid care.