Repotting An Orchid Plant with Antique Ironstone
Using antique Ironstone in your decor can add charm and elegance your home. It can be used in a variety of ways. One creative way to use this vintage stoneware is with potted plants. In this post, I will show you how I repotted my beautiful Orchid Plant using thrifted ironstone.
My Beloved Orchid Plant
Back in 2022, my wonderful mother became terminally ill and came to live with me. During that time, one of our dear friends brought her a beautiful Orchid to help lift her spirits. After she passed, it became mine and I have been faithfully taking care of it ever since.
Caring for plants has never been something that came naturally to me. Unlike my mother who was a plant genius (seriously she could revive ANYTHING!), I have always had a bit of a brown thumb. Because this plant is both sentimental and beautiful, I am even more determined to keep it thriving.
Luckily since inheriting this plant, I have already repotted it once and have seen it bloom multiple times. In the past couple of weeks, I have noticed that it needed repotting once again. The roots were going haywire and climbing out of the pot!
I looked around my home for something I could use to put the plant in and came across an antique ironstone chamber pot that I picked up at one of our local thrift stores. It is the perfect size and I love the details!
Repotting The Orchid Plant
Repotting An Orchid is not a complicated process. With only a few steps, your Orchid will be happy and thriving in it’s new home!
Wash The Container
First, it is important that you wash your container with warm soapy water. This is important whether your pot is brand new or previously used. This will help provide a clean environment to start your plant with.
Gather your Potting Materials
Orchids naturally grow on the sides of trees or rocks. They love wood, rocks, and dirt. For my potting mix, I gathered up some gravel from outside, some old wooden mulch pieces, and some fresh potting soil. Once you have the materials you need, put them in a large bowl and give it a good mix.
Sanitize the Potting Mixture
It is important to sanitize your dirt to prevent diseases from spreading from plant to plant. This will help ensure your Orchid will remain healthy and strong. To do this, boil a pot of water on the stove and pour over the soil. Allow to sit for about 10 minutes then strain. Add your potting mixture to your new pot and allow to cool before planting your Orchid. You don’t want to burn your plant!
Plant Your Orchid
Now that everything is thoroughly sanitized, it’s time to plant your Orchid. Gently remove your Orchid from the old pot. Mine took a little coaxing as the roots had taken over the pot and it stuck in places. You’ll want to be gentle so you do not damage the roots of your plant.
In the new pot, dig a hole in the center that is large enough to fit the roots of the Orchid plant. Gently place the plant in the hole and cover with the soil mixture. You don’t want to plant too shallow or too deep. Try to plant it the same depth as it was in its original pot. I had moss from my previous planting so I placed it on top. This will help keep the soil moist. To care for the Orchid, follow your plants individual instructions. I keep mine in an east facing window. I water it about once per week and use a mister to mist the leaves every couple of days. Orchids LOVE humidity so this will help them live their best life!
So what do you think? I think she looks beautiful and it is a great way to utilize my antique ironstone pot! Now my Orchid has plenty of room to spread out and continue to deliver gorgeous blooms for me year after year! I can’t wait to find the perfect spot to add this when our Manor is complete! When that time comes, I will add new photos. In the meantime, I hope this post inspired you to utilize unusual and repurposed vintage pieces in your home decor!
For more on this subject, check out this post about incorporating vintage metals into your decor to add character and interest to your space!
