Seven Taboos Every Beginner Orchid Grower Must Know

1. Never buy on impulse without understanding its habits

Beginners are easily tempted by beauty. As soon as they see an orchid they like, they rush to buy it. Before long the flowers fade, and the plant withers away too. This is because they didn't understand its growing habits before buying, and didn't look into them afterward either. Buying it means they have to grow it, and it seems to come down to luck, with far too uncertain a success rate.

2. Don't plant a small plant in a large pot

Orchids' growing habits differ somewhat from those of ordinary herbaceous flowers. Most orchids are highly drought-tolerant and dislike dense, poorly draining potting media. If the pot is too large, it holds more medium, which absorbs too much water after watering and dries out slowly, causing the medium to rot quickly and damaging the roots.

Of course, you might think a larger pot holds more medium and thus more nutrients, but orchids don't need many nutrients. Aeration and drainage matter more than nutrients, and a smaller pot is actually better for the plant's growth.

3. Don't water too often

People who love flowers all have a kind, compassionate heart, and they treat plants no differently. As soon as they see the medium is slightly dry, they can't resist watering it, and they may even water it several times a day on a fixed schedule regardless of whether it's dry. Over time it stays too wet, the roots rot, and loving it ends up harming it.

Watering often does more harm than watering little. When an orchid lacks water, it only loses vitality and can be nursed back; when it gets too much water, the roots rot and it dies, and that is hard to remedy. Anyone with a habitual urge to water should work on improving this.

4. Never apply fertilizer just because you have some

Beginners often share this common failing: they fertilize whenever they have fertilizer. Sometimes when someone gives them a bag of fertilizer, they apply it heavily no matter what its composition is, so that what should grow doesn't grow and what should bloom doesn't bloom, outsmarting themselves.

The three key fertilizer components - nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium - must be applied in different ratios according to the plant's growth needs and the application method for the fertilizer to work. So before fertilizing, you must first understand the fertilizer's composition ratio, then fertilize appropriately.

5. Never apply too much fertilizer

This is another common failing among beginners. The fertilizer instructions clearly state a dosage of a few grams, but when applying it, they always feel that so little can't be enough and add a bit more. And so they overdose, and fertilizer burn occurs.

Plants absorb fertilizer within a certain time frame and to a certain limit, so never apply too much. Remember! The principle of fertilizing is "small amounts, many times." If the instructions say to dilute 1000 times, we would rather dilute it 1500 times - that will never go wrong.

6. Don't plant too deep

People who normally grow ordinary flowers and shrubs tend to plant orchids too deep when they first take up orchid growing, causing a lack of oxygen, stunted growth, and even rot of new shoots and roots.

Orchids' growing habits differ from those of ordinary flowers and shrubs, and you must understand this. Even if the plant stands unsteadily after potting, use wire or a stake to support it; never use deep planting to steady the plant.

7. Never go overboard

Growing orchids is in principle about enjoying yourself and lifting your spirits. You must act within your means and never go overboard, neglecting the work you should do or spending far beyond your budget. If you hope to become a professional orchid grower, it's best to first talk with people in the orchid world and discuss future business approaches; never invest blindly. I post orchid knowledge and photos every day, taking you deeper into the world of orchids and teaching you how to grow them easily. If there's anything about orchids you don't understand, you can ask me anytime or leave a comment below. If my knowledge has helped you, I hope you can give me a like or share it to help more people!