Keep Your Orchids Bloom-Ready All Winter Long with These Tips, and have a healthy plant with flourishing flowers.
Even though orchids are tropical plants that like warm, humid air, you can still help them grow well in winter, with a bit of care and attention, they can stay happy and healthy. Here are the best tips to help your orchid do well this winter.
Keep Your Orchids Bloom-Ready All Winter Long
1. Keep an Eye on the Temperature
Orchids don’t like cold temperatures, but they also don’t do well in very dry heat. In winter, try to keep your orchid warm during the day and night when the heater is on, but make sure it does not get too hot. Place it in a spot where it isn’t directly above a radiator but still close enough to feel some gentle warmth. Also keep it away from drafty areas, as cold drafts can quickly change the temperature around the plant.
2. Try to Increase the Humidity
Orchids grow best in humid air, and you can raise the humidity around your plant by making a simple “humidity tray.” Take a shallow bowl or saucer and add a layer of pebbles. Set your orchid pot on top of the pebbles. Then add water to the tray, but make sure the water does not touch the bottom of the pot. As the water slowly evaporates, it adds moisture to the air around the plant. This is an easy and low-cost way to copy the orchid’s natural tropical environment.
3. Regularly Check the Roots
It’s a good idea to check your orchid’s roots often to make sure they look healthy. Healthy roots are firm and green. If the roots turn brown or black and feel soft or slimy, your orchid is getting too much water. If the roots look dry and grey, it usually means you need to water more. You can also look at the leaves—wrinkled leaves are a sign that your orchid needs a bit more water.
4. Water Your Orchid Less
Orchids need much less water in winter than they do in summer. Since overwatering is the main cause of root rot in orchids, you should start watering less as soon as the weather gets cooler. Once an orchid develops root rot from too much water, it is tough to save.
5. Provide Enough Light
Winter brings shorter days, so your orchid will get less natural light. Orchids need bright, indirect light, so place them in the sunniest room in your home. Avoid putting your orchid on a windowsill where it might get strong direct sunlight. An east-facing window is a good choice because it gives gentle morning light.
