lonepalm
Full Member
Posts: 46
Joined: Sun Dec 17, 2006 8:05 pm
Location: New York

My brand new Phalaenopsis

Hi everyone....
I'm looking for some information on my brand new Phalaenopsis. I just bought this beautiful little miniature orchid at a local flower show at Hicks Nursery in Westbury, NY. This is my first venture with an orchid and I'm not sure how often to water it or what method. I am currently raising indoor tropical bonsais and I water them using a humidity tray. Does this method work for the orchid? I water my bonsais from the top once a week and keep water in the humidity trays daily. Should I use this same method for my little orchid? Is a humidity tray a good method to use for the little orchid? How often do I water it? I appreciate all the help you can give me. Thank you so much!

-helpsos- :flower:

User avatar
hendi_alex
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 3604
Joined: Sun Jul 06, 2008 7:58 am
Location: Central Sand Hills South Carolina

Hi, I've got about 300 orchids in my home constructed greenhouse and have been growing phalaenopsis for several years. IMO the humidity tray is not necessary unless the plant blooms during a very dry period of the winter. Phalaenopsis can be grown in very loose bark types of media or in a more dense specialty mix that looks like potting soil, perhaps is peat moss with lots of perlite. The plants should rarely be watered more than once per week and can stand going as long as a couple of weeks without water. If the leaves start to wrinkle then water a little more frequently. Keep a close eye on the roots. If they look healthy, then the plant is likely going to be healthy. I prefer to use a mix of fir, rock wool, cork, charcoal, and styrofoam. I put large pieces of cork and/or styrofoam in the center and bottom portions of the container and then fill the outsides and upper portion with medium pieces of the other components. This mixture seems to retain enough moisture without remaining wet too long, and allows for air movement around the roots. Use a very dilute orchid fertilizer or balanced fertilizer, perhpas 1/4 tsp per gallon of water and just include that as part of the regular watering program. Either flush the container with fresh water or dip the container in a bucket of fresh water to leach out salt built up from the planting medium. That should be done about every month or two IMO.

I rate the phalaenopsis as very easy. They will bloom in medium light. If the light is sufficient to bloom African violets than a phalaenopsis should bloom there. If the plant is health but doesn't bloom, then insufficient light is usually the cause. The plants should be somewhat of a brighter green rather than dark green, if they are getting adequate light.

Phalaenopsis don't have many pests. The worst critter IMO is scale which is hard to get rid of. Just be sure and monitor the under sides of the leaves from time to time such that you catch the critters early. Then they can be washed off with mild soapy water. Then replant in fresh medium. The only other serious problem is root rot from too much water or from too dense a planting medium.

During the spring, summer, and early fall, place your orchids outdoors in a location where they get filtered light. Perhaps hang them by a wire from a tree limb under its canapy or put them in a shady spot on the deck. But certainly do not let later afternoon light directly hit the plant.

Good luck with your orchid.

lonepalm
Full Member
Posts: 46
Joined: Sun Dec 17, 2006 8:05 pm
Location: New York

Thank you so much for all the wonderful information you have shared with me regarding my little orchid. It's flowering right now and has several buds so I'm hopeful that I will be enjoying the beauty of the flowers for some time. I think that I should be watering it once a week from the top, is that right? I have it on a piece of furniture in my living room not directly by the window. It should be fed once a month with a light orchid fertilizer. Do I have all my facts straight? LOL..I feel a little overwhelmed with all the new information! I just don't want to kill this pretty little plant. Thanks again!

User avatar
hendi_alex
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 3604
Joined: Sun Jul 06, 2008 7:58 am
Location: Central Sand Hills South Carolina

Phalaenopsis require less care and are more rugged than most plants. They are pretty hard to kill. [Loving the plants to death] is perhaps the leading cause of death for a phalaenopsis.

The flowers are extremely long lasting, sometimes open for a month or longer before finally fading. Yes, indirect light is good. For watering and fertilizing, it is probably easier and just as effective to water with very dilute fertilizer solution once per week, but adjust if necessary. Either water from the top or dip the entire container in a water bucket to saturate the roots and medium. In the house, I generally hold my plant under the faucet spray, but mine are only fertilized when in the greenhouse. My plants only rotate into the house when the plants are blooming. How to know if the watering level in good. Leaves should be full, not wrinkled. Roots should be plump and green or light greyish green. Much greener right after watering. Brown rotting roots are a definite sign of overwatering. Be sure to repot with fresh planting medium each year. As most medium ages, it begins to hold too much water for too long a period. That condition will always lead to root problems and perhaps loss of the plant.

When the flowers are finished, cut the spike off just above the bottom node, perhaps an inch or two up the stem. Sometimes a second flower spike will start to form and the plant will reflower long before it generates a totally new flower spike.

lonepalm
Full Member
Posts: 46
Joined: Sun Dec 17, 2006 8:05 pm
Location: New York

Thank you Alex for such wonderful information. I feel more confident now that I will NOT kill my beautiful orchid! It has such very pretty little flowers and I'm happy that I will get to enjoy them for some time. As soon as I get some photos I will post them...
Thank you again, Alex....the information is PERFECT!
Liz

:clap: :-()



Return to “Flower Gardening & Garden Design”