Wild orchids have become rare in the wild. Orchids, forest birds, Stendelwort and other terrestrial orchids are so rare in Germany that they are protected. Reason enough to plant these floral treasures in your own garden. Read here how you can skillfully care for wild orchids and get them to bloom.
How do I care for wild orchids in the garden?
Proper care for wild orchids includes even soil moisture using lime-free water, a potassium-based liquid fertilizer in late autumn and minimal pruning. They prefer a partially shaded location and a special substrate with mycorrhizal fungi.
How to water wild orchids?
An even soil moisture ensures that wild orchids in the garden do not suffer from drought stress. Before each watering, please check with a thumb test whether the surface of the soil has dried thoroughly. Only when this is the case do you allow lime-free water to slowly run onto the root disk. Please stop the watering process in time to prevent waterlogging.
Which fertilizer is right for terrestrial orchids to bloom?
Wild orchids receive a potassium-rich liquid fertilizer in late autumn to support winter hardiness. Comfrey manure, which you can spray over the soil once or twice in August or September, is ideal. Then spread a 3 cm high layer of mulch made of beech or oak leaves. This measure also serves as natural winter protection, as the buds for the next flowering period are already established in the soil.
Is pruning necessary?
Scissors are rarely used in the care program for wild orchids. If you notice wilted flowers, simply pluck them out with your fingers. Only remove a yellowed leaf when it is completely dead. The wild orchid releases the leaf when all remaining nutrients have been transferred to the bulbs. Now the leaves can be easily twisted out without causing cuts to the plant with the scissors.
Only shortly before winter or in spring do you cut wild orchids close to the ground to make room for the fresh shoots. These survived the cold season undamaged under a thick layer of beech or oak leaves.
Tip
Wild orchids want a partially shaded location where no sun beats down at midday in summer. Please loosen the fresh, moist soil well. Then add the special substrate that contains the mycorrhizal fungus, without which the wild species cannot survive. In contrast to classic perennials, wild orchids do not want to be planted deeper than 5 cm in the ground.
