Homemade orchid care: Natural solutions for vibrant blooms

Orchids beautifully decorate the apartments and homes of Canadians. They are most often placed on windowsills or tables to receive sunlight. However, many people water them without much attention. Not everyone realizes that orchids—although not too demanding—occasionally need a homemade nutrient solution. Here is one that works well.

Thankfully, orchids do not require specialized nutrients that would cost extra money. We can easily make one at home that works just as well as those from gardening stores. We only need two ingredients to prepare this solution: garlic and water. What should we do with them, and how should we water the plant?

Mince a garlic clove into small pieces and pour 1 litre of water over it. Cover the mixture and set it aside in a dark place for 24 hours. Then strain the garlic through a sieve, and water the orchids with the remaining water. It is best to do this once a month to see the effects. Thanks to this nutrient solution, the orchid will start growing faster and produce new flowers.

Another way to keep your orchid in good condition—or sometimes to save it—is by using a homemade fertilizer where the main ingredient is low-alcohol, light beer. This trick comes with a few rules to follow.

First, the beer should not be flavoured, as such beers contain harmful dyes and sweeteners. Second, the beer needs to be set aside for at least a few hours to go completely flat. After that time, mix 50 millilitres of beer with a glass of water and water the plant with it. This homemade fertilizer is best used once a month.