ORCHID CARE

Many people believe that orchids are difficult, high-maintenance plants and we say that's not true!  They do require a few specific conditions to be happy, but once these conditions are met, orchids are hearty, tolerant, low-maintenance plants whose blooms will provide beauty for weeks and, in some cases, months.  Treating orchids like other houseplants - providing lots of water and lots of sun - is a big mistake.  In fact, overwatering is the number one reason an orchid loses its blooms and/or dies!  Constant wetness around the roots will cause them to rot, leaving the plant without a means for absorbing nourishment which will eventually kill the plant.  Orchids prefer a dry or almost dry root area.

Instructions for watering your Karrington Designs orchid:

Small plant - Place 2 ice cubes on the moss at the base of the plant (not directly on top of the leaves, but to the side) approximately every 7-10 days and allow the plants root area to become dry between waterings.

Large plant - Same as above, but use 4 ice cubes.

Placement of your orchid:

Orchids love light but NOT direct sun.  Your orchid arrangement's favorite spot would be sitting near a window that offers sunlight but not direct sun exposure, or on a counter, table or desk in a well-lit room.  Avoid placement under an A/C vent as too much air (cold or hot) blowing directly on the plant can cause blooms to dry out and fall off prematurely.

Phases of Orchids:

Generally speaking, orchids have two phases - the "bloom" phase and the "growth" phase.  The bloom phase is, as I'm sure you can guess, while the plant is blooming and can last anywhere from 20-90 days depending on the type of orchid and the conditions in it's environment.  The growth phase is the cycle that the plant will go into after the blooms have eventually (and inevitably) fallen off.  Orchid blooms falling off is natural and to be expected.  The care instructions given above are to be carried out while your orchid is blooming and sitting in it's decorative container from Karrington Designs.  After the blooms fall off and the orchid plant enters it's growth phase, it is best for you to remove the orchid plant(s) from their decorative container and give them a very thorough watering allowing them to drain very well.  You may clip the bare bloom stalk off about an inch above it's base.  Then, either place the orchid plant back in the decorative container that it came in or you can place it in another container.  During the growth phase you will want to continue to water the plant approximately every two weeks and keep it in a location with the same conditions as mentioned above (well-lit but no direct sun, no AC or heat vent).  Eventually, a new bloom stalk will form and sprout from the base of the plant.  This could take several months, so you have to be patient!  Phalaenopsis orchids which are the type of orchids mainly used in Karrington Designs arrangements bloom 1-2 times each year.