Orchids are often referred to as the royalty of houseplants due to their stunning form and delightful fragrance. Moth orchids are the most common type to own and also the easiest indoor plants to grow . However, despite their low-maintenance nature, if these indoor plants don't receive what they need, their blooms won't last long.
With this in mind, an orchid enthusiast has taken to TikTok to share her secret to keeping her houseplant “blooming constantly”. TikTok user @kivakriti posted a video recommending that orchid owners water their plants with a surprising kitchen scrap item - banana peels. To try this hack, begin by chopping a banana peel into pieces.
Let the chopped banana peel soak in warm water for a few hours - the longer, the better. Then, use the banana peel-infused water to nourish your orchid, making sure all the water drains out. Kiva suggests repeating this process every 10 days for owners to get optimal results.
According to Mark Curran, an orchid expert and creator of the Heavenly Orchids blog, banana peel water is a “good organic fertiliser” because it's rich in potassium, phosphorus, and calcium. For his method of creating banana water, he advises soaking fresh banana skins in water for 48 hours, then diluting the mixture with four parts water to one part banana water. Alternatively, he suggests slicing the banana peel into thin strips, letting them dry in the sun for a couple of days, and then grinding them into a powder that can be sprinkled onto the plant's growing medium.
Mark also claims that rice water is an “excellent organic fertiliser” as it contains small amounts of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, along with starches that are beneficial for the roots. He pointed out that rice water is “especially beneficial” for an orchid when it is in bloom. To prepare rice water, simply soak some rice in water for about half an hour or more, strain the water into a bottle or jar, let it ferment for a week and keep it away from direct sunlight.
The concoction needs to breathe, so loosely fasten the cap on the bottle or cover it with a breathable cloth to allow air circulation. After a week, dilute the solution with an equal quantity of water and spray it on the roots, leaving it to act as an insecticide..
