Cockscomb Flowers

Cockscomb Flowers

The first time I saw these beautiful flowers was in Thailand. I had to touch it just to see if it was real and was pleasantly surprised that they were! Although I was initially attracted to its vibrant red coloring, I was mesmerized by the its unique flower shape and texture. The blooms were soft, but firm to the touch. These plants like warm climates so I am hoping that they will grow in my garden.   

How to Re-bloom Orchids

Re-Blooming Orchid

I love orchids, but avoided buying them in the past because I never had much luck with them. The beautiful flowers would last a few months but would never re-bloom again. I have finally figured out the trick to re-blooming my orchids, and I wanted to share these quick, 4 easy tips with you.

Growing Medium – The orchids I bought were already in the right type of growing medium (e.g., fir bark and sphagnum moss). Unlike ordinary garden soil, this type of growing medium allows for good, quick drainage which is important for orchids. 

Watering – Don't over water your orchids. I was guilty of this. Now I just water the orchids once a week, but I make sure that the roots are never sitting in water. If the roots sit in the water for a long time, the orchid plant will die. I use ordinary tap water that has sat overnight in an open container to allow some of the chlorine to dissipate.

Feeding – I feed my orchids every other week with orchid fertilizer. I use Miracle-Gro Orchid Food, 8-Ounce (Orchid Fertilizer). This box will last a long time. I just dilute a 1/4 tsp of the fertilizer into 1 gallon of water.  

Lighting – I keep my orchids out of direct sunlight but I provide plenty of indirect sunlight. Our master bathroom happens to be the best spot for our orchids. The bathroom provides humidity and plenty of filtered sunlight. If an orchid is having trouble in one area in my house, I will rotate them with a plant that is thriving in the bathroom.