How to Plant Orchids in a Pot

Source: wikiHow

Orchids are beautiful plants with bright, colorful flowers. Planting and caring for orchids can be tricky though because they are very different from most other houseplants. However, with a bit of knowledge about your specific orchid and some patience, you will be able to see the flowers bloom!

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Choose a small, snug pot for the orchid and then pick the right growing medium for your particular type. Keep the orchid happy by providing it with plenty of sunlight, high humidity, and water once per week.

1 Pick a cattleya, moth orchid, or venus slipper orchid if you’re a beginner. Orchids can be finicky plants and are difficult to keep alive. The cattleya, moth orchid, and venus slipper varieties are all relatively common and are great for learning how to grow these special plants. Ask at the gardening center or nursery what type of beginner orchid is suitable for the climate in your location.^[1]
- Try to pick a plant that is blooming so that you know what the flowers look like.
2 Choose a small plastic or clay pot for the orchid. Check that there are slats or holes in the pot so that the growing medium will be well-drained. The roots should fit snugly into the pot without needing to bend or twist, and they shouldn’t have too much excess space.^[2]
- Tolumnias and dendrobiums prefer clay pots, while cattleyas, moth orchids, and venus slipper orchids all prefer either clay or plastic pots.
3 Choose the right growing medium for your type of orchid. There are over 30,000 types of orchids and a huge variety of growing mediums. Common types include fir bark, tree fern, peat moss, and perlite. Ask your local gardening center or orchid growing society about the best medium for your type of orchid. You can also look it up online.^[3]
4 Fill the bottom of the pot with 1 in (2.5 cm) of foam peanuts. One of the most important aspects of planting the orchid in a pot is ensuring it has good drainage. Use foam packaging peanuts to help drain excess water away from the roots and the growing medium. This prevents the roots from rotting.^[7]
5 Remove the orchid from the original container. Hold the orchid stalk firmly and gently wiggle the container to loosen it. When the container is loose, carefully pull the orchid out without breaking any of the roots. If the container feels stubborn, don’t force it off as this could harm the orchid. Instead, use scissors to carefully cut the container off the plant.^[8]
- Some orchids are sold bare-rooted, which means that the roots are free. There is no container to remove in this instance.
- Orchids are most commonly sold in plastic pots.
6 Hold the orchid in the pot. Grasp the orchid gently around the stalk and suspend it inside the container. Make sure that none of the roots need to bend or break to…