LifestyleHomemade orchid nutrients: Secrets to lush blooms using garlic and beer

Homemade orchid nutrients: Secrets to lush blooms using garlic and beer

Orchids are one of the most popular houseplants.
Orchids are one of the most popular houseplants.
Images source: © Adobe Stock
Aleksandra Lewandowska

13 August 2024 14:03

Orchids are among the most popular houseplants. Although many people decorate their homes with them, not everyone knows how to care for them properly. A homemade nutrient solution can help ensure your orchids are overflowing with flowers.

Orchids beautifully decorate the apartments and homes of Britons. 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—though not too demanding—occasionally need a homemade nutrient solution. Here is one that works well.

Homemade orchid nutrient solution

Thankfully, orchids do not require specialized nutrients that would cost extra money. We can easily make one at home, and it works just as well as the ones from gardening stores. We only need two ingredients to prepare one of these solutions: 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 about 1 litre of water. Cover the mixture and sit it 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. The orchid will grow faster and produce new flowers thanks to this nutrient solution.

Homemade fertiliser from beer

Another way to keep your orchid in good condition—or sometimes to save it—is by using a homemade fertilizer with low-alcohol and light beer as the main ingredient. 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 must be set aside for at least a few hours to go completely flat. After that time, mix about 50 millilitres of beer with a glass of water and water the plant with it. This homemade fertiliser is best used once a month.

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