Orchid Care: How to Care for Orchids Indoors

Orchid Care: Watering, Lighting, Repotting, and More

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Hi I have a orchid and i noticed i have little black flying bugs what do i do to get rid of them Thank you

It sounds like you may be dealing with fungus gnats. They are mainly just an annoyance, as long as they aren’t present in large numbers. Read our Fungus Gnats Pest Guide for tips for dealing with them.

I have one orchid that the leaves look wrinkled, they are not smooth. What would cause this wrinkling? They are in a south/west window which gets plenty of indirect light. The other orchids are doing good. I water once a week by soaking the pots then draining off the excess. Could it be that it is not getting enough light? Thanks

Wrinkled leaves or bulbs usually indicate that the plant is thirsty. This orchid may just need more water than its neighbors!

I have grown orchids successfully for several years. They bloom often on double stems immediately after one stem is done.They love ice cubes, or crushed ice but never more than two ice cubes per week. They love blended banana skins..the potassium. I have my plant in a west window, behind my sink where there is higher humidity, but very cool in winter..we have minus 40 weather here, but the light is bright and not direct. In summer I move the plant along the sill so it does not get the sizzling hot sun. My plant is just about to bloom with its fourth stem. It is 2 years old, and the flowers last for a couple of months.
Your author said..don’t give them ice..they love ice, just not too much.

Having come from the tropics where orchids grow on trees I would never use ice. They are tropical plants and trees don’t grow ice.

Do you have any links as to where you can buy some of the fragrant orchids you have listed in your article.

The bottom leaf of my orchid is turning yellow. What should I do? Let it dry up or remove it from the plant.

Hi, Wendy, We took this question to a cooperative extension service:

While it is normal for the oldest leaves of moth orchids (Phalaenopsis) to turn yellow and dry up as they age, when there is uniform yellowing and shriveling of newer leaves, it is a sign of distress. The shriveling suggests there is a lack of water reaching the leaves. Check the root system of your plant. If the roots are in poor condition, they cannot take up water. Overwatering can cause roots to rot. If you haven’t repotted your orchid in a couple years, the potting medium may have broken down and become too dense to allow for good drainage. Bacterial rot also can occur if water is allowed to sit around the center shoot or in the leaf sheaths for a long period of time. Water only in the morning so that your plants can dry out by nightfall. Never let them stand in water and keep the plants in a location where they can get good air circulation, indirect light, and a warm daytime temperature above 75F.

Hope this helps!