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August 7, 2025 54 mins

We are joined by Chris today for another installment of our Plant Science Series featuring The Sill! Orchid 101 is near and dear to my heart because I STRUGGLE with orchids, and Chris has been my go-to resource for personal orchid care. So I knew he would be the perfect guest to have come on the show and answer your orchid questions!

If you don’t know already, The Sill is a plant brand with two brick-and-mortar shops in NYC and an online shop that delivers nationwide. Their quality of plants and the way they ship plants is unparalleled. Their pots are some of my most treasured pots that I own and are locally sourced. They have a huge focus on education with awesome online classes and in-person classes in their stores, and they just started the Plant Parent Club! The PPC is their monthly plant subscription service. When you join their club, you get a monthly surprise plant delivery, and included in the membership is also access to all of their online workshops and free shipping on any other plants. So if you are interested in anything I’ve just mentioned, visit www.thesill.com.


In this episode, we learn:

  • Why Orchids have a reputation for being difficult, and why they can be intimidating
  • What an orchid is and where we find them in nature
  • The anatomy of an orchid
  • Myth Busting on ice cubes, level of difficulty, fertilizer
  • Orchid care: light and watering
  • Orchid bark—how necessary is it? What is it?
  • Is it ok to buy orchids at your local grocery store or Trader Joe’s/Whole Foods
  • What does a year as a new orchid parent look like (from buying an orchid in full bloom to then having the blooms die and getting the plant to rebloom)
  • Fertilizer: to use or not to use
  • Myth busting: Are ice cubes a good idea for watering?
  • Listener questions
  • Why everyone should try growing an orchid


Mentioned in our conversation:


Have you ever tried to rebloom an orchid?

Check out the full show notes and blog to learn what to expect in your first year as an orchid parent!


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