Orchids can live up to 20 years and flower for 'months at a time' with hack (original) (raw)

Orchids are a popular houseplant and tend to bloom once a year but with the right care they can bloom for months - a gardening expert has shared a simple hack to speed up the flowering process

Make your orchids flower for longer

Orchids are known to bloom once a year and can flower for months at a time with the right care.

It's crucial to maintain an orchid's lighting, watering and temperature to keep it flowering, but you can also speed up the process naturally using only items in your home. One gardener has emphasised that fertilisation is key when it comes to getting orchids to flower and that you can provide this houseplant with the nutrients it needs using kitchen ingredients.

Tiffany, a gardening expert and founder of Coconut Mama, has shared her "simple" and homemade fertiliser that will "strengthen an orchid's roots and allow it to bloom more often". She stated: "A regular fertiliser routine, along with being kept at a warmer temperature in bright, indirect light, will keep this gorgeous exotic plant happy for years to come. Seriously – orchids can live up to 20 years!"

Make homemade orchid fertiliser

Many kitchen scraps that you would have otherwise discarded can be used to make an orchid fertiliser as they are rich in nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, which are nutrients plants need to stay healthy. Tiffany explained: "Milk, eggshells, tea bags, rice water, and molasses can be diluted in water to dispense critical nutrients.

"For this homemade orchid fertilizer recipe, we used molasses. Molasses is high in potassium and micronutrients that help strengthen the orchid's root system." Black treacle, also known as molasses, is a thick, dark liquid commonly used in baking, but it's also rich in potassium and micronutrients like calcium, iron, and magnesium.

These nutrients are essential for flower development, as they promote plant growth, improve water uptake, and support hormone production, resulting in longer-lasting blooms. However, not all leftover foods are suitable for houseplants. Coffee grounds, for example, can't break down naturally in indoor soil and can clog it up, reports the Express.

Tiffany advises: "Coffee grounds need other organic material (and worms! ) to break down and release their nutrients into soil. Because orchid pots are mostly mulch that do not encourage decomposition, the grounds will be ineffective."

How to make a simple homemade orchid fertiliser

You will need:

• Half a teaspoon of molasses (black treacle)
• Empty spray bottle

Method:

Place the black treacle in a spray bottle and fill it with water, then shake it thoroughly to combine. Give your orchid a deep watering and then spray the fertiliser around its roots and leaves to mist the plant.

Use this fertiliser once a week three times a month, but make sure to give the plant a break once a month so you do not over-fertilise it. Tiffany said: "Only fertilize three out of four weeks of each month. The last session should be used to flush the orchid’s roots with fresh water only to remove any potential build up."

Store the fertiliser spray at room temperature and it will last up to six months.