Orchids (Indoor is gardening right?)

[LockdownGardener]

I've been given a beautiful orchid, please help me not kill it.

Ooh following as I'm great at killing orchids. My current one is 3 months old and still going, a read to water them by adding an ice cube or 2 to the top each week, that seems to be working. And avoid drafts.

Not heard about the ice cube that is about my level, set an alexa reminder and then not over water.

I was wondering about drafts but they say put in window!

I give a splash of water from the tap about once a week (if I remember) and they've survived a few years. Did notice less flowers on the last stems so I've now bought an orchid feed but the infrequent watering alone kept multiple orchids alive for quite a while (easy facing windows)

Mine has just finished flowering - looked lovely. All I do is stand it in a bowl of water for a couple of hours or overnight about once a fortnight. It stands near a north facing window. Have never fed it, maybe I should!

A long time ago I kept one alive for several years by just watering occasionally. I am currently ooking after two for my neighbour while she's on holiday. Huge pressure not to kill them

She said to water weekly by soaking in a bowl of water for 20 mins. They are in quite small pots. And to cut off any dead flowers. They are OK after 2 weeks but some leaves have gone yellow and dropped off on one. Is it something I did? Sorry for hijack!

I'm not an expert but have kept one going for over 7 years now, it flowers several times a year and at the moment looks amazing.
It's kept in a warm sunny window, in a clear glass vase. Was last repotted about 2 years ago using online instructions and replacing the bark. I feed it (either a spray or liquid feed) quite infrequently, as in when I remember or it looks unhealthy.
My big tip is counter to everything I normally read about them and that's to keep it wet. So the bottom half of the vase is kept totally wet. Lots of green roots fill the vase and it thrives. So, a see through glass vase and wet roots works here. Have no idea if this is a fluke though as before trying this I killed them all!
Good luck with yours.

Why on earth do people think putting on ice cube on a tropic plant is a good idea??? Its normal habitat is a humid, 30+ 'C. I've never understood this. I find only watering every few weeks work- pending how dry and hot the weather is. A good soak and ensure the roots dont sit in water.

They are OK after 2 weeks but some leaves have gone yellow and dropped off on one. The plant will recycle the nutrient from the oldest leaves and ditch them in favour of fresh new leaves. Is the production of new leaves keeping pace with the loss of old ones?

Now my Orchid is lovely but Caspar that orchid is gorgeous!

Marmite the ice appealed to me as it sounded easy!

Now to choose a window that isn't too sunny or too dark or too draughty and then evict the plants that already live there.

Turns out there are always more plants than space.

Lopsided that is Brave!

I love orchids. I have five and three are currently in flower, one has just finished flowering and one is about to flower. The flowers last for absolutely ages. I water mine once a week by standing the pot in water for 5-20 minutes then draining off the water. You can also water them by putting the pot on the sink draining board and pouring water in from the top so it drains right through and soaks the soil. Orchids prefer room temperature water in the morning (so they dry out again during the day and the roots don't rot) so I leave a jug of water out overnight to get to room temperature and water them first thing in the morning. If you live in a hard water area then rainwater is better than tap water but it isn't essential. I used to leave a bucket outside to collect rainwater but it was a bit of a hassle. If you have a rain barrel then use that water (but in the winter let it room up to room temperature inside first.)

Orchids like to be quite snug in their pots so you probably won't need to repot for a while. If you do, choose a clear plastic pot the next size up from the current one and repot them in orchid bark - not regular compost. If they have any dead looking roots or aerial roots then you can cut them off when you repot.

Once your plant has finished flowering, cut the stem just above a node and it will be able to reflower from the same stem. If the stem is brown and withered then cut it right at the base by the leaves and it will grow a new stem next time it flowers.

I use MiracleGro Orchid Plant Food Spikes https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B009QAK2IU?ref=ppxpopmobapshare to feed my orchids. I put half a spike in the small pots and a whole spike in the bigger pots which seems to keep them reflowering regularly.

Good luck and enjoy your orchid! Mine really brighten up my bathroom.

I have 2, they love the bathroom.
I water (when I remember) probably every 10-14 days by spritzing leaves and pouring water in. I also give a spritz of feed every so often. The flower a few times a year.

My only issue, when they grow new strands with flowers is they are often at funny angles

Also when they strop flowering I just leave them, does everyone else cut theirs down?

Choose a window with dappled light or with a curtain. They don't like direct sunlight through glass. Mine got 'sun burnt' when we moved house. 1 leaf literally had a hold burnt out the centre and another had scars and went yellow. Might have been a bug of some sort- but never had it happen since I moved it out of direct sunshine.