Orchid Care

Moth orchids are the most popular orchids and are very easy to grow in most homes with high humidity being the most difficult growing requirement to meet. Colors range includes white, pink, lavender and yellow in both solid colors and mixes of stripes and spots. Many new bold color pattern are beginning to show up as well. Phalaenopsis Orchids offer both exotic form and superb longevity. Individual blooms can last as long as 3 months. Flowers open sequentially at 2-5 day intervals along an arching spike.

People view an orchid as some sort of exotic, and difficult to grow plant, when they really aren't. Growing a Phalaenopsis Orchid in your home can be both rewarding and fun. It is particularly well suited for the conditions you already find at home.

Phalaenopsis orchids enjoy a spot near a bright window. You'll want to avoid direct mid-day sun but early morning or late afternoon sun is great. An east or west facing window is ideal. In darker or cloudy environments a shaded southern window might be best. You can supplement normal light with fluorescent lights placed approximately 1 foot above your orchid. Time your lights to simulate normal day length. One to two hours of sunshine on a windowsill or under fluorescent lights would be sufficient. Low light levels are appropriate. Leaves should be a medium green, not yellowish or dark green. They should be firm, not long and floppy (more light needed). A dark red blush covering the top of the leaves means too much light. Buds turning yellow, wilting and falling prior to opening is from not having enough energy in the plant to open the flower either because the light is too dim, the plant is too small, or the roots have rotted.

The ideal temperatures for the Phalaenopsis range between 55 and 85 F. Cool night time temperatures in the fall encourage flower spike initiation. Once the flower spike is developed, wide swings in temperature can cause unopened bud to drop off. Phalaenopsis also benefit from moderate humidity levels. Ideal levels range between 50 and 75% relative humidity. In a heated home you will want to set your plants on a shallow tray filled with gravel and water. This should help to keep the humidity near your orchid at acceptable levels.

For ideal growing try to maintain 60 at night and between 75 and 80 during the day. In excess of 90 can slow growth. Phalaenopsis do best with 60-70% humidity, but will grow and bloom, although more slowly and with fewer and smaller flowers, in lower humidity. Use humidifier to raise humidity – humidity pans and misting rarely effective. Enclosing plant growing areas is effective but ensure fresh air and air movement to avoid mold and rot. Grow Phalaenopsis in warm temperatures with 18°C minimum winter nights (except if forcing flowering) and 32°C summer day maximum. Ensure 6-12°C day/night difference to aid flower formation.

Moth orchids do not like to be dry to the point of wilting. Roots should be moist at all times. Hence, they should be watered thoroughly and then not again until the media is nearly, but not completely, dry. How often you water will depend on the type of media your orchid is growing in and its growing environment. Once every week to 10 days is a good starting point. In winter, with the heat on in your home, lower humidity means you'll need to water more frequently. Don't let your plants dry to the point of wilting - it will really set them back. Remember to not get any water on the flowers or leaves as this will shorten their longevity. Avoid leaving water standing in the crown of the plant as this causes fatal rot. Do not use water softened in salt-consuming water softeners. Low mineral water is preferred, such as naturally soft water or rain water. Use room temperature or warmer water.

For convenience, a slow release fertilizer with equal proportions of N-P-K (14-14-14) used as directed, can work very well. If you prefer to use a liquid plant food, again with equal parts of N-P-K, apply one-eighth to one-quarter strength recommended by manufacturer for house plants every week in spring and summer and every two weeks in autumn and winter. During blooming season you might consider a blooming plant formula with elevated phosphorus levels (i.e. 10-30-20). During winter months you can reduce liquid fertilizer applications to once a month. It is recommend that you staying away from fertilizing altogether while the plant is flowering.

Flowers of Phalaenopsis Orchid have superb longevity. You can often urge a second flowering from each spike with a timely pruning. When the last flower of the spike fades, you should examine the spike, looking for small fleshy bumps or nodes. From the base of the spike count up 3 nodes (count only the green fleshy nodes - ignore any that are dried out). Cut the spike one inch above the third node. If your plant is healthy and the season is not too late, this process will wake up one or two of the nodes and in a few short weeks it may produce a new spray of fresh blooms. By trying this you could enjoy flowers for nearly 6 months of the year on the same plant. Do not try this method if the plant is not healthy. If leaves start to wilt while the plant is blooming (or at any other time), cut off the flower stem at the base, and check for broken down potting medium and rotting roots.

Phalaenopsis can live a very long time. That means you will have to know when and how to repot you plants. There are two reasons that a plant will need to be re-potted. Either it has outgrown its current container or its media has decomposed and no longer is aerated well enough to maintain healthy roots. Beginners should avoid moss and soil based mixes as they may remain too wet. Remove the plant from its container, let the old media fall away and remove any rotting roots. Carefully trim away any old dead roots. Position the plant in its new container and pour into the new potting media, letting it settle around the roots. Use only a media for orchids that contains bark, stone, sphagnum moss, perlite or similar material that will provide the aeration your Phalaenopsis require. Many growers use sphagnum moss as their media of choice. Resume your normal watering and fertilizing schedule after re-potting.