How To Revive An Orchid: 5 Ways To Bring It Back To Life

Be inspired by the most beautiful, exotic orchids with their intricate flowers and long-lasting blooms. Still, these plants can be very temperamental, and even the most experienced green-thumbed gardener may find themselves grappling with a sick orchid. Thankfully, with a little TLC, your orchid can often be saved and rejuvenated.

5 Ways To Bring An Orchid Back to Life

1. Evaluating the State of Your Orchid

The first thing to do in reviving an orchid is determine as best we can the condition it was in when we bought it. Signs of poor health include yellowed leaves, wilting flowers, or an overall underwhelming appearance. Examine the roots: a healthy root will be firm to touch and are white or green, while bad roots turn out brown, soft, or crumbly. And which best action you need to take in order for your orchid be able to survive.

Common Problems to Identify:

  • Overwatering: This is a big one, because orchid enthusiasts love their plants so much. Yellow Leaves and Soft Ended Roots With a Smell From Moisture Medium
  • Wilting: If orchid’s leaves are wilting and the roots feel dry, stiff, and parched as if they might crumble in your fingers then it is definitely suffering from underwatering.
  • Wrong Light: Orchids require light. Direct sunlight can burn leaves, and insufficient light will deter blooming.
  • Nutrient Deficiency: Orchids require some specific nutrients in order to nourish well. Agricultural Yellow leaves and small growth are indicative of inadequate Nutrients.

2. Repotting the Orchid

Repotting your orchid will be like a fresh slate. Re-pot orchids every 1-2 years to give them fresh growing medium and a chance for you to examine the roots for signs of rot or disease.

Steps for Repotting:

  • Lift out the Orchid: Gently lift your orchid from its pot. Free the bell from its pot most roots have begun to fill out first with your own finger if they feel stuck, carefully peel them.
  • Cut the roots: Cut away any brown mushy or dead-looking root. Clean scissors to prevent the spread of disease.
  • Prepare a New Pot: Select the new pot that is one size up from your current pot. Due to the loose plant medium in an average pot, orchids need tight space so don’t get one that’s too big. Make sure the pot allows for good drainage.
  • Repot with Fresh Medium: Repotting material must be some type of orchid-specific substrate (like bark or sphagnum moss). Do not use regular potting soil.
  • Repositioning the Orchid in a New Pot: Place the orchid plant (in its existing container) into a new bigger pot; so as not to damage them by making sure there is enough nutrient within but also keeping it from getting baked down.

3. Adjust Watering Practices

Watering Orchids Correctly You want to make sure the plant gets enough water but you do not overwater and drown that guy out too. Now let’s get to making the adjustment with our watering practices.

Watering Tips:

  • Watering: Water frequency is around once per 7 to ten days, but it can vary based on the type of orchid you have and how your environment and potting medium impacts evaporation. Touch the growing medium, if it’s dry to at least inch deep then it means that your plant requires watering.
  • Technique: Give the orchid a deep drink and that till water leaves from holes. Make sure the water completely drains away before putting it in its spot.
  • Moisture: Optimal orchid growth occurs in an environment with a 40-60% humidity. Add a humidity tray or room humidifier to your home if the air is dry.

4. Provide Adequate Light

For photosynthesis and the flowering process, light is a must. In general, Orchids like a lot of bright but indirect light. Here is how you can guarantee the lighting needs of your orchid are met:

Lighting Tips:

  • Position: Keep your orchid near a bright south or east-facing window where it will receive high levels of indirect light. Note: Do not place in direct sunlight, it may burn the leaves.
  • Artificial lighting: When there is not enough natural light, supplement with grow lights. Place the lights 6-12 inches above the plant and provide a daily dose of light for between 12 -16 hours.
  • Turn the plant: Adjust their position every couple of days so that all parts receive light properly and your orchid doesn’t develop a lean towards one side.

5. Fertilize Regularly

Orchids need certain types of nutrients in order to grow and bloom. Fertilize regularly, but not so much that it damages the plant.

Fertilizing Tips:

  • Fertilizer Type: Use a balanced orchid fertilizer with 20-20-20 or a similar ratio.
  • Frequency: Feed every 2 weeks in the spring and summer growing season, and once a month in the dormant fall/winter period.
  • Production: Use the fertilizer at a half concentration, or dilute it in water to ensure that you do not apply too vigorously. Avoid burning the roots by watering before applying fertilizer.

Conclusion

Reawakening a sleeping orchid takes time, but when successful, it fills your hand for years to come with amazing beauty! It easily can be saved from death by looking at the current condition of your houseplant, re-potting, changing watering habits, increasing sunlight, and applying a regular fertilizer to it. If you follow the rules properly and are patient, soon enough your Phalaenopsis Orchid will not only survive but its delicate flowers will present themselves to shine in their full glory.

Orchids are fragile and can be high maintenance to keep in good condition, but on the other hand – when subject to adversity they shut down (no more flowers) and turn toward each other for support. When you take care of their requirements and offer the right atmosphere, then you can bring any ailing orchid back to life. Roll up those sleeves, care for the orchid properly, and watch it grow.

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