Caring for your houseplants can be a rewarding and calming experience. This allows you to connect with nature right inside your home. You still need to know the right processes that work with your plants and that can extend their lifespan, even when they are in bad shape. And if you have an orchid that has withered, know that it is quite possible to make it bloom again and give it a second life. To learn more, keep reading.
How to revitalize a faded orchid or one that loses its flowers?
Are your orchids looking gloomy? And you wonder if it’s time to throw them away? Our advice: do not abandon them too quickly. Before thinking about replacing them, take the time to give them the necessary care. You can then keep them for a very long time. But how to proceed? And with what ingredients? Here is an effective recipe based on garlic powder.
Garlic powder is an excellent natural fertilizer for caring for orchids. Source: spm
Garlic a natural fertilizer for a beautiful flowering of the orchid plant
Several factors can cause your houseplants to wilt. Among the most common are watering, but also parasites. If you’re looking for a natural and effective way to make your wilted orchids bloom again, the solution is probably in your kitchen: garlic. This very popular condiment in gastronomy contains many beneficial nutrients for your plants. Did you know ? Garlic is rich in essential vitamins and minerals such as vitamin C, vitamin B6, calcium, potassium, sodium and magnesium. Everything you need to stimulate the plant flowering and strengthen their overall growth. In addition, its oxidizing and antibacterial properties make it an excellent way to repel insects and promote microorganisms.
How to use garlic powder to revive a deflowered orchid?
This non-chemical method will allow your plants to grow healthy and strong, even during periods of heavy rain and low temperatures. To prepare this fertilizer, all you need to do is:
- Boil a cup of water;
- Leave to cool, then add a teaspoon of garlic powder;
- After a few minutes, filter the mixture, then add about a liter of water;
- Water your orchid plant with this solution, twice a week.
You also have the choice between two other methods : the first is to sprinkle a teaspoon of garlic powder directly on the surface of the soil inside the pots, every fortnight. The second option is to gently rub the leaves of your plants with a cotton swab soaked in garlic. Either way, it’s best to take a preventative approach to treatment to control pests and promote healthy growth in your orchids.
With the right tips, you will have beautiful orchids at home for a long time. Source: spm
How to maintain and cause the flowering of an orchid?
Although their appearance may seem fragile, caring for orchids indoors is easy if you follow the good advice from their culture.
Useful tips to help you grow and care for your orchids
- The right mix: To grow your orchids successfully, it is important to use the right growing mix. Generally, a mixture containing coarse perlite, fir bark and sphagnum moss will do the trick.
- Light: Make sure your orchids get enough light, but avoid direct sunlight. Orchids prefer bright, indirect light, and insufficient light can lead to poor flowering. Too much light can scorch the leaves.
- Temperature: Keep your orchids about 15 degrees (8°C) cooler at night than during the day to encourage flowering.
- Watering: Water your orchids sparingly, letting them dry between watering. To check if they need water, poke your finger about an inch into the growing medium. If it’s dry, water your plants. Otherwise, postpone.
- Humidity: Increase the humidity (between 50 and 60%) around your orchids by placing a saucer filled with water or a tray of pebbles under the plants. You can also use a humidifier to mist them daily.
- Fertilizing: Fertilize your orchids weekly or bi-weekly during active growth, then taper to monthly or bi-weekly intervals once they reach maturity. When your orchids go dormant, it’s time to stop fertilizing altogether.
- Signs of pests or diseases: Orchids are sometimes affected by scale insects and aphids. Thanks to the tip we gave you above, you can get rid of it.
- Repotting: If despite all the care given to your orchid, it stops flowering, repotting is therefore in order. This consists of transferring the plant to a slightly larger pot to allow its roots to develop better. This should be done every two years.
Orchids must receive the necessary amount of water to flower well. Source: spm
How to prune an orchid after flowering?
If you are a nature lover and more specifically a plant lover, you probably know that pruning your orchids after flowering is crucial to care for them properly. The stem of an orchid naturally tends to dry out after flowering. It is therefore essential to know how to prune it correctly in order to stimulate new growth and future flowering. Here are a few things to remember to help you prune your orchids successfully:
- For a healthy orchid stem: They are green and firm, and show no visible signs of disease. To cut them, use secateurs or clean, disinfected blades and make a clean cut. This is to prevent viruses and other batteries from entering the plant through this cut.
- For dead stems: Dead stems look wilted, yellow or brown. They are unproductive. Cut them all the way to the base of the plant to stimulate root production in the plant.
To help your plants flower again, cut off the dead parts. Source: spm
Here is a video that explains how to make your orchids bloom again
By following these tips, you can easily take care of your orchids and enjoy them for many years. In addition, using natural fertilizers is also an economical and ecological choice compared to chemical products.
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