Greetings, aspiring caretaker. We are the orchids, a vast and ancient family. While our needs are specific, they are not inscrutable. To see us thrive in your home, you must simply learn to listen and understand our unique language. Forget the notion of a typical houseplant; think of us as guests from a different world, and you our gracious host.
Light is our sustenance. We do not merely like it; we require it to manufacture the energy that fuels our growth and spectacular blooms. However, not all light is created equal. Our leaves will tell you everything. Ideally, they should be a bright, healthy green. If they become dark, lush green, we are pleading for more light. If they take on a reddish tinge or appear bleached and scorched, the sun is assaulting us. A bright east or west-facing window is often perfect, offering the gentle morning or late afternoon rays we adore without the harsh midday intensity.
This is where most well-intentioned humans falter. More of us are killed by kindness (overwatering) than by neglect. We are often epiphytes, meaning in our natural home we grow on trees with our roots exposed to air and rain. We abhor sitting in soggy, dense soil. You must allow our potting medium to approach dryness before offering water again. The best method is to feel the weight of the pot—light means thirsty. Or, gently poke a finger into the medium. When you do water, do so thoroughly until water flows freely from the drainage holes, then let us drain completely. Never let our pot stand in water.
Our roots crave moisture from the air as much as from the pot. The arid environment of a modern home, especially in winter, is a challenge. We thrive in humidity levels of 40-60%. You can provide this by placing our pot on a tray of pebbles filled with water (ensure the pot is on the pebbles, not in the water) or by grouping us with other plants. Crucially, stagnant air is a harbinger of disease. A gentle breeze from an oscillating fan or a slightly open window mimics our natural, airy habitats and keeps our leaves and roots healthy.
We are not heavy feeders. A balanced, diluted fertilizer formulated for orchids, applied every other week during our active growth period (typically spring and summer), is ample sustenance. Please, flush our pot with plain water monthly to wash away any harmful salt buildup. As for our home, we prefer to be slightly pot-bound. Repot us only when our roots are spilling over the edge or the potting medium has broken down into mush (usually every 1-2 years), and always use a special orchid mix of bark, perlite, and moss, never standard soil.
