If you have trouble getting your orchids to flower then consider watering it with rice water (Image: Getty)
are beautiful , but keeping them healthy and looking their best can be a struggle if you do not know what to feed them.
It is incredibly important to make sure all are given a fertiliser that contains nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus as these are the essential nutrients they need to grow.
However, these are not the only nutrients that orchids need as they also need magnesium, which helps plants store energy and helps improve production.
Mark Curran, a gardener and founder of , has shared that some of the “best natural fertilisers” for plants are already sitting in our kitchen.
He said: “Rice water is a very good organic fertilizer. It contains trace amounts of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium as well as starches that feed beneficial mycorrhizae on the roots.
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Rice water contains nutrients and minerals which can help orchids bloom (Image: Getty)
“Rice water has been found to be particularly beneficial during flowering.”
Rice water can help orchids flower as it contains magnesium, nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus, which improve the plant’s overall health.
The starches and minerals in rice water help promote growth in both the roots and flower spikes, so your orchid has a better chance of producing bigger and more abundant blooms.
How to make a rice water feed for orchids
All you need to do is soak rice in water for 30 minutes or longer or use the water left over from cooking.
Then, strain the water and pour it into a bottle or jar. Next, leave the solution alone and let it ferment for one week.
The solution needs to be able to breathe so cover it with a cloth or make sure the lid is on loosely to allow air flow.
Your orchid will hopefully have stronger and healthier blooms in no time (Image: Getty)
Also, keep the solution out of direct sunlight as the heat will break down beneficial nutrients in the water and also cause it to smell. Store it in the fridge or in a cool, dark spot instead.
After one week, mix one part of the rice water with one part of the freshwater into an empty spray bottle to dilute it.
Spray the base of the orchids and the leaves once every two weeks while the plant is actively growing and once every four weeks while the plant is dormant.
Your orchid should hopefully grow bigger flowers and be much healthier with this simple beneficial ingredient.