Gardener Combines Two Kitchen Staples To Make Orchids Rebloom With This Simple DIY

Orchids are elegant plants in the Orchidaceae family, which has over 25,000 known species and over 100,000 hybrids. They're most often grown indoors in pots, and are commonly gifted to the special people in our lives — particularly the types of orchids that make the easiest houseplants, like moth orchids (Phalaenopsis spp.), Lady of the Night (Brassavola nodosa), and bamboo orchids (Arundina graminifolia). However, orchids can also be grown outdoors in your backyard, as long as you choose a species that thrives in your local climate. With the right care, you can encourage an orchid to rebloom again and again, and one YouTube channel, Happiness Garden, recommends using a tonic made from potato sprouts and ginger to help with this.

The question is, does this tonic actually have an effect? Potatoes do contain potassium and other key nutrients, which are said to aid in cellular activity and encourage flowering. Furthermore, ginger contains compounds called gingerols, which have anti-fungal and antibacterial properties. This means these compounds combat the causes of root rot and other diseases that can damage your plant's health and prevent it from flowering. This tonic is a convenient alternative to commercial orchid bloom boosters if you already have a sprouting potato and fresh ginger to hand. To make the solution with these two ingredients, you'll need a handful of potato sprouts, 20 grams of fresh ginger, 1.2 liters of room-temperature water, a sieve, a muslin cloth, and a blender.

Start by picking the sprouts off your potatoes. This can easily be done by gently nudging and plucking them with your fingers. Place them in a blender with 20 grams of fresh ginger and milliliters of room-temperature water, then blend until the mixture is fully liquidized. Grab a sieve and place a muslin cloth over the top of it. Pour your mixture over the muslin cloth to separate any pulp that may still be present. Add another 600 milliliters of water, and now you have your finished mixture, to add to your arsenal of ways to encourage your orchids to bloom. The most straightforward way to use this mixture is to decant it into a spray bottle and generously spray the leaves of the plant, avoiding the flowers. 

For a more concentrated option, the YouTube video also shows a slightly different technique, but it's one you should use with caution. This method involves soaking cotton pads in the potato sprout and ginger concoction, and then wrapping the pads around any dormant buds. The intention is to give the buds a longer exposure time to the nutrients that the mixture has to offer — be warned, though, that orchid stems are prone to rot when exposed to water for prolonged periods. Carefully consider whether you want to try this method, and do so at your own risk.