Orchids: Tips on location, care & propagation

Orchids are known for their colorful and gorgeous flowers. We'll tell you everything you need to know to have perfect and healthy orchids adorn your home.

The popular plants with the characteristic flowers can be found in almost every household. In Germany in particular, orchids are a very common decorative exotic item on the window sill and are enjoying increasing popularity. The subject of orchids is a world of its own, especially when you look at the immeasurable variety of species and variations. The professional handling of the extraordinary plant is an art in itself and requires special knowledge. We'll tell you everything you need to know about the orchid and how best to handle it so that you can convince happily and healthily with its flowers.

Orchid family: characteristics and variety

From a taxonomic (systematic) point of view, orchids form a family of their own (Orchidaceae) Contrary to popular belief, they do not only occur in the tropics, but are spread all over the world. However, the majority of the orchids cultivated come from warmer climes and therefore cannot tolerate cold temperatures. The orchid family is the second largest family of flowering plants. It is estimated that there are 15,000 to 30,000 worldwide species. The most striking feature of the multi-faceted flowers is the zygomorphic flower (asymmetrical upper and lower lip) as well as a multitude of species that appear as a so-called epiphyte on other plants grow.

The most famous and popular types of orchids

There are also a large number of them in retail Orchid speciesthat differ greatly in their appearance and care. We present the most popular types here:

Cattleya

• Hybrid breeding
• Large and fragrant flowers
• Many color variations
• Epiphytic orchid with a high need for care

Cymbidium

• Barge orchid
• Popular kind from China
• Large plant, but also smaller cultivars
• Also possible on the terrace in summer
• High need for light and low maintenance

Dendrobium

• Grape orchid
• Kind with a lot of sorts
• Some varieties with many flowers per plant
• Some easy-care varieties (Dendrobium nobile), partly demanding (Dendrobium bigibbum)

Miltonia

• Violet orchid
• High need for care
• Sensitive to temperature fluctuations

Phalaenopsis

• Moth or butterfly orchid
• Belongs to the best-selling types
• Many variations and colors
• Relatively easy to care for; Room temperature ideal

Phragmipedium

• "Frauenschuh"
• Unusual flowers
• Orange-red or yellowish-green flowers

Vanda

• Kind with a wide variety of colors
• Also blue to purple flowers
• High need for light

Buy orchids: what to look out for

When you have decided to buy an orchid from the garden center, there are a few points to look out for. The right selection is crucial for the lifespan of the exotic, so you should take a closer look at the following aspects:

1. Condition of the flowers: Ideally, choose a specimen with few open flowers and mostly closed buds.
2. Especially when buying in winter, be sure to choose plants from inside the garden center and avoid specimens that are on display in front of the door or that are in a draft. Most orchid species are very sensitive to cold, so have the orchid wrapped up well for transport.
3. Always check the root area of ​​the plant. If you notice black roots, you should stay away from the orchid. Optimally, healthy specimens have white roots with greenish tips.
4. If you notice other irregularities on the plant, such as pests, you should definitely avoid these specimens.

Orchids: ideal location

Care should be taken when choosing a location for orchids - the majority of exotic species have high demands and are not suitable for all locations in the house. Orchids usually feel very comfortable on the windowsill. Some types like Cattleya and Dendrobium with a high light requirement are suitable for a west or south window, Phalaenopsis on the other hand, feels more comfortable with a north or east orientation. If you are unsure about the ideal location for your orchid, the following tip will help: You can't go wrong with windows facing west or east.

For many types of orchids, direct sunlight is unfavorable because the leaves burn quickly. It is best to provide indirect light through a curtain in front of the window. The orchids on the market originally come from the tropics, so a room temperature between 18 and 25 ° C is optimal for most species. In winter, the thermometer should not slide below 15 ° C. Some types like Cymbidium are also suitable in summer for a place in the garden or on the terrace. In this case, make sure that the plant is protected and that it is not left outside at night in cold temperatures.

When choosing a location, you should consider the following points:

• Optimal space on the windowsill
• West or East orientation
• Temperature in summer 18-25 ° C, in winter not below 15 ° C
• In summer in a sheltered place in the garden (only certain varieties)

Caring for orchids properly

Although orchids are among the most popular houseplants in Germany, some of the many species require a lot of care and are not easy to handle. We'll show you how to properly care for orchids so that they stay healthy and continue to bloom magnificently.

Watering or diving orchids?

The wrong technique in watering is the most likely reason for orchids should it die at some point. Particular caution is therefore required here. Orchids generally require little water. Ideally, spray the plant with a spray bottle every now and then. Only use water with little lime, such as rainwater, for watering. An optimal way to get an adequate, but not excessive, water supply is to immerse the roots in a short water bath. To do this, remove the orchid from its pot and put the roots in the water for a few minutes. You should then drain the roots and put the plant back in the pot. As a rule, such an immersion once a week is enough. More tips on how to do your Ideally supply orchids with water, You will find here.

Fertilizing orchids: the right orchid fertilizer

The selection of orchid fertilizers in stores is huge. But first of all the question arises whether fertilization is necessary at all. And if so: which fertilizer should be used? Basically, one can say that orchids do not have a very high nutritional requirement overall, but they do regular fertilization with special orchid fertilizers makes sense for the supply of the plant is. It is best practice to add liquid fertilizer to the water for dipping the roots weekly.

You can choose between organic and mineral fertilizers, as well as a mixture of both variants. From an ecological perspective, the use of organic orchid fertilizer is recommended, as the ingredients are generally more resource-efficient than mineral fertilizers. The vast majority of fertilizers on the market are based on mineral components, as these are easier to dose. Basically, the following applies: Follow the manufacturer's instructions for the amount of fertilizer. If in doubt, it is still better to fertilize less than more to avoid overdosing and burning the roots. An exact Fertilizing instructions for orchids can be found here.

Repot orchids and the right orchid soil

For healthy growth, repotting orchids is a suitable method to give the roots enough space again. About a year after purchasing it, it's time to plant the orchid in a new pot. To do this, proceed as follows:

1. Remove the orchid from the old pot and completely loosen the substrate from the roots.
2. Check the roots for diseased or damaged areas and separate the affected roots.
3. Then put the plant in a larger pot in which the roots are still compact, but also not squashed. Orchids have so-called aerial roots, which should never be too tight. A transparent pot is therefore generally a good choice for orchids.
4. Finally, fill the pot with fresh substrate from above so that the coarse pieces can be distributed between the roots. As a substrate you should always use it Orchid soil resort, which is very coarse in most cases and contains many pieces of bark. If in doubt, a coarser product is the better choice, as enough air is guaranteed for the roots.

Detailed information on the Repotting orchids can be read here.

Cutting orchids

For the optimal care of orchids, cutting makes sense under certain circumstances. We'll show you why and how to properly prune orchids.

Orchids after flowering: cut flower stems?

Normally, orchid pruning should be approached carefully and removed rather less than too much. When the orchids have faded, it is advisable to cut the second to third eye from below, where a new shoot with a flower will then grow back. Do not make this cut until the shoot dries up. Especially with the species Phalaenopsis this makes sense because it can bloom very often.

Cut wilted orchid leaves

With wilted leaves, there is often a great temptation to cut them off without further ado. This should be avoided as a matter of principle. Yellow leaves can only be removed by hand, just before they come off anyway. The orchid does not tolerate damaging intact parts of the plant, so you should always be careful when cutting. We also have an expert article on the subject of orchid cutting here ready for you.

Propagate orchids using offshoots

If you would like to have more orchids in your house, you can not only buy a whole plant, but also pull off cuttings from an existing plant. In technical jargon, the small shoots on the side of the main plant, as in the case of the orchid, are so-called Kindel. These are runners that are supplied by the mother plant and are used for vegetative reproduction. If you decide to separate a child from the plant, you should always pay attention to a certain minimum size. Basically, the small plant should have at least two leaves and two to three roots. After separation, the plant should not be placed in conventional orchid soil, but special young plant soil for orchids should be used.

Instructions on how to Propagate orchids by Kindel can be found in our special article.