Baking soda is a surprisingly beneficial addition to orchid care, and if you’re as passionate about these beautiful plants as I am, you’ll appreciate these insights. Here are four compelling reasons to incorporate baking soda into your orchid care routine:
Stimulates Flowering: Orchids are renowned for their stunning flowers. However, once they shed their blooms, they can lose some of their aesthetic appeal. Encouraging reflowering can be challenging, but baking soda is a secret weapon. A solution of one tablespoon of baking soda in one liter of room-temperature water, applied at the base of the plant (preferably by spraying), can stimulate flowering. This should be done about a month after the flowers have fallen.
Acts as a Natural Fertilizer: Beyond their blooms, orchids need nourishment to maintain their overall health. A similar baking soda mixture can serve as a gentle, natural fertilizer. Applying this solution three or four times consecutively, about a month post-deflowering, and repeating annually, can promote healthy growth. Remember, this should be an occasional treatment and not used when the plant is budding or in bloom.
Prolongs Life: Baking soda can extend the life of your orchids by providing essential nutrients such as sodium and carbon. This treatment is beneficial once or twice a year, ideally outside the flowering period.
Corrects Substrate pH: Orchids thrive in slightly acidic environments, with a pH around 5 or 6. Tap water’s pH may not always be ideal, so testing its quality is crucial. If the pH is too low, adding a bit of baking soda to your watering water can help rebalance it. It’s best to prepare this water a day in advance to allow the baking soda to fully dissolve.
Incorporating baking soda into your orchid care can make a significant difference. Not only does it support healthy growth and reflowering, but it also helps maintain an optimal environment for your plants. Just remember to use it judiciously and avoid during budding or flowering stages.