Weekly trips to the grocery store are a regular part of life for most of us. The routine rarely changes, which is why I always begin my shopping in the floral department. It never fails to put a smile on my face, especially when I see rows of gorgeous orchids with their colorful, eye-catching blooms.

Most of the time, I simply admired them from afar. I had always heard orchids were difficult to grow, and with a price tag of more than $30, I wasn’t eager to risk bringing one home. Then, one day in 2005, I spotted a lonely Dendrobium orchid tucked away on the clearance rack. It still had a few beautiful white blooms, and at only $4.00, I figured I didn’t have much to lose if it didn’t survive. So, I took a chance and brought home my very first orchid.

At the time, life was full of exciting changes. My husband and I were newly engaged and combining our households in Sugar Land, complete with three boys, three cats, one dog, and plenty of chaos. It was my first time living in a house, and I thought the orchid would make a beautiful addition to the front porch alongside my other plants. Since our home didn’t have many windows with bright light, growing it outdoors seemed like the best option.

How to Pot and Care for a Dendrobium Orchid

I immediately began researching Dendrobium orchids online and found several helpful articles from the Houston Orchid Society. I also reached out to friends who had years of experience growing orchids. Here is the simple setup that worked for me:

• Pot Selection: Use a clay orchid pot built with extra drainage holes to ensure air circulation to the roots.
• Base Drainage: Place rocks at the very bottom of the pot for added stability and water runoff.
• Potting Medium: Fill the rest of the pot with a well-draining orchid bark mix (commonly available at hardware and garden stores).
• Location: Place outdoors on a porch or patio if your indoor space lacks bright, natural window light.

The Secret Fertilizer Trick for Double the Blooms

That simple setup worked beautifully for more than a decade, and my orchid grew far beyond anything I had imagined. However, the only disappointment was that it didn’t bloom as often as I had hoped.

Then everything changed after a vacation to Kauai. While visiting several orchid nurseries, a grower shared a game-changing tip:

• Switch Your Fertilizer: The grower recommended using Nutricote slow-release fertilizer instead of standard slow-release options like Osmocote.
• The Results: After just one growing season with Nutricote, the number of blooms nearly doubled.

Before long, my once tiny $4.00 clearance orchid had grown to more than four feet tall and outgrown two different pots.

Final Thoughts on Grocery Store Orchids

Looking back, that impulse purchase in the grocery store floral department turned out to be one of the best gardening bargains I’ve ever found. Sometimes all it takes is taking a chance on a lonely little plant to discover a lifelong love of growing orchids.

For further information on caring for orchids in warm climates, click HERE.