Top 10 DON'Ts when Growing Orchids - tips for orchid beginners

Hi everyone, it's Dani. Welcome to my channel. Today we'll talk about the 10 major don'ts when it comes to orchid growing. So if you're a beginner orchid grower, stick around, this is for you. Okay, let's start. First major don't. Don't water orchids from above. Water left standing in the crown and between the leaves can cause rotting. This destroys an orchid's tissue and, if not treated, it can kill the orchid. If you're not very experienced with orchids, you'll most probably have a hard time treating your orchid. No wonder crown rot is the major killer of orchids. If you manage to wet the orchid, take a paper napkin and remove the water as best as you can. Second don't. Don't leave water in the orchid dish or decorative container. Orchids don't like to have wet feet, as they say. Roots that constantly sit in water can get suffocated and rot. The infection can also spread upwards on healthy roots and, with a bit of bad luck, reach the orchid's pseudobulbs and stem. Too many dead roots means no more hydration for the orchid, which will cause serious problems or even death of the orchid. Make sure you remove all the excessive water, so drain the orchid pot as best as you can. Third don't. Don't water orchids with ice. Since we're on the subject of watering, the worst type of water you can use is ice-cold water. Orchids are exotic plants, at least the vast majority of them. Ice-cold water can seriously damage orchid roots, so use lukewarm water, even if you use tap water. Use those ice cubes for more enjoyable purposes. Fourth don't. Don't be tempted to separate pseudobulbs individually. I'm still not sure where this idea sprouted from, but it seems that separating individual orchid pseudobulbs is a practice in some cases. Don't do that, especially if your orchid is not in the best condition. Pseudobulbs store energy and nutrients. They are an orchid's batteries. The more connected pseudobulbs an orchid has, the more energy it will have to grow faster and stronger. So never separate individual pseudobulbs. Don't even separate the orchid at all if you are not sure what you're doing just yet. Just leave them be and the orchid will be happier. Fifth don't. Don't use regular potting soil with orchids. The majority of orchids you can buy are epiphytic plants. This means they do not grow in soil, but in the air, clinging to trees and branches. If you pot an orchid in soil, the roots will get suffocated in no time. Use only special orchid mixes that do not contain soil or peat moss. If you are not sure what type of mix you should use just yet, stick to plain bark chips until you learn more about orchids. This is the safest media I can recommend. Sixth don't. Don't place orchids in direct sunlight. Orchids in general have pretty fragile leaves when it comes to direct sun and overheating. Some can handle it better than others, but in many cases direct sun exposure will burn leaves in a few hours. Whatever orchid you might have, place it in bright shade until you figure out how much direct sun your orchid needs, if it needs it at all, and when is the best time of day to provide sunshine. Seventh don't. Don't mist orchid flowers. You might have heard that misting is good for orchids. This is slightly relative, it depends how well ventilated your growing area is. If in some cases misting leaves can benefit orchids, misting flowers is never a good idea. Blooms are more fragile than leaves, and in the vast majority of cases, water droplets will cause mold spots or patches on the flowers. Needless to say, it does not look good and can make blooms fade faster. So try to avoid any water on orchid blooms. Eighth don't. Don't cut aerial roots. Some orchids just seem to grow roots in the air, especially Phalaenopsis orchids. This is normal and natural. Remember, they don't grow in soil, but in the air. Aerial roots are also a plan B. If you manage to kill the roots in the pot through suffocation, the aerial roots will be there to help the orchid absorb water. So leave them be, because they are important for the orchid. Ninth don't. Don't cut healthy canes or pseudobulbs. Again, I am not sure where this idea came from, but I have encountered it quite a lot. Don't cut the canes or pseudobulbs of orchids after they are done blooming. As I said, they are the batteries of orchids. The less canes an orchid has, the slower it will grow, if it will have energy at all. Leave the green canes and pseudobulbs alone, and I promise you that the orchid will thank you. And the tenth and final don't. Don't neglect orchids. Don't think that just because they are plants, they don't need attention. The more attention you give to your orchids, the faster you will spot problems and even have greater chances of curing them. Spotting pests, beginnings of crown rot, or loss of roots in early stages can help you save your orchid. If you leave your orchid unattended for days or weeks, these issues will aggravate and the chances of saving your orchid will get slimmer and slimmer. Give your orchid a look daily, or every few days at least. Even if she's not in bloom, your orchid still needs your love. Ok, I hope you enjoyed this video. If you did, then please give it a like and share it with your orchid friends. Subscribe to my channel for daily orchid videos and consider supporting us by leaving a one-time or a monthly tip on orchinature.com. While you are there, you can browse the identification section, care sheets, and forums. Also, feel free to leave me your questions and suggestions in the comment section below as well. If you're wondering what to watch next, why not click on the right side of your screen and watch a tutorial on how to care for Phalaenopsis orchids. Thank you for joining, I'll see you next time. Bye!