Orchids houseplants are renowned for their delicate blooms, exquisitely-shaped petals and colours that brighten up a room.
However, their blooms don’t typically last indefinitely. They usually bloom for six to 10 weeks.
Despite this, one woman took to the Orchids Tips and Tricks Facebook page to share the amazing blooms she has received “non-stop” from her orchid for the past nine years.
Posting pictures of her two orchids, they were both in full bloom with healthy leaves and roots.
Sherida Son A Hing wrote: “Good morning, my beautiful orchids have been blooming nonstop for nine years now.
“During this time I replanted them once during flowering. Now it’s time to repot again.”
Orchids should be repotted when new, every year or two or when crowded roots push up and out of the pot.
The first comment Sherida received on her post was: “How do you get them to bloom for so long?”
She replied: “No idea, don’t do anything special. They stand on the windowsill in full sun all afternoon.”
These plants thrive in strong light. Without adequate light, expect lush growth but no flowers. Insufficient light is the most common reason for failure to bloom.
Sherida continued: “I have them in a glass jar (without the plastic) with special soil for orchids.
“Every time I think it’s done, I see a new stem growing. This year we are moving and I fear that they will no longer bloom so profusely.
“I have a small one and it has also been blooming for three years.”
Despite experts recommending that pots for orchids must have drainage holes, Sherida’s orchid appeared to be sitting in a pot without them.
When pulled up on this by orchid enthusiasts, Sherida replied: “I use some kind of bark. When watering, moss naturally formed on the bottom.”
The bark pieces in the potting mixture provide quick water drainage in case of overwatering.
