How to Grow Nun's Orchid
The Nun's Orchid is named for its flower that looks like a traditional nun's hood. On the whole it's a no frills, hassle free orchid compared to more demanding orchid's requiring greenhouses and just the right humidity to flourish. They produce large 5-inch vanilla colored flowers tinged with magenta. Others come in yellows, reds and browns. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Nun's Orchid
- Deep planter
- Peat moss
- Pine bark, decomposed
- Perlite
- Sand
- Soil testing kit
- Slow release fertilizer
- Compost tea
- Knife
- Garden hand tools
Instructions
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1
Plant Nun's Orchids in deep planters. Mix organic matter such as peat and decomposed pine bark into the potting soil. 60 to 70% of the potting mixture should be made up of organic matter. Also add perlite and/or sand to ensure the soil stays loose and doesn't clump.
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Keep the soil moist until after the first new growth spurt of the season. Then let the top two inches of the soil dry out.
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3
Maintain soil pH somewhere between 5 1/2 and 6. Use a soil testing kit to check pH. Apply a slow release fertilizer once every three months. When the plant is in a new growth phase, fertilize it every 2 weeks with compost tea--organic matter that has been allowed to steep in water. Only the nutrient rich water is poured on the soil to feed the roots.
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4
Nun's Orchids can be put outside but only if the temperature stay's between 40 degrees Fahrenheit. The plant can stand day time outdoor temperatures as high as 75 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit. While indoors locate the plant in a sunny window. Outdoors, place plant in sunny to semi sunny locations.
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5
Divide the root ball to propagate more plants from the mother plant. Lay the planter on its side and gently pull the plant out of the container. Take a knife to cut through the root ball. Plant the new plants in sterile potting soil minus any organic matter until the new plants are well established then re-plant in the soil mixture in Step 1.
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Tips & Warnings
In the spring the plant will send up 4 spikes from the soil. Flowers will bloom from these spikes and will last 4-6 weeks.
The flowers can be cut and arranged in vases for beautiful flower arrangements.
Don't leave your Nun's Orchid outside if temperatures might dip below freezing. You will lose the plant.
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Comments
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I'm trying to find out if I need to cut back or trim some of the leaves on my nuns-hood. Some of the mature leaves are looking rough.
