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Phalaenopsis Culture Sheet



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Phalaenopsis culture sheet



Like most orchids, there are many different varieties of Phalaenopsis. Of course they come in all different colors, but what we are referring to here are varieties like violacea type, amabilis type, leafless, mounted, …. and the list goes on.

If you don’t know what ‘type’ of Phalaenopsis orchid you have, don’t worry. Chances are, if your Phal. is like the ones sold at most box stores, grocery stores, etc., then follow this orchid care sheet.


Light

Phalaenopsis orchids can grow in a wide range of light conditions. Give your plant as much light as you can without damaging it. It will benefit from a few hours of direct sunlight every morning or evening with bright, indirect light the rest of the day. Just be sure the direct sunlight doesn't burn the leaves. The more light you can give your plant without hurting it, the better it will grow and bloom for you. If you are replacing the mix every year and it is growing a healthy root system and leaves, but is not blooming, increase the amount of light your plant is receiving.


Water

Phalaenopsis are best grown by keeping their roots slightly moist using a bark mix or long-fibered sphagnum moss. You will need to water according to the media you are using as a bark mix will need watering much more often than moss.


Mix and repotting

It is important to use the same type of media that your Phalaenopsis is used to growing in. If your plant has been growing in moss, replace the moss with moss. If it was been grown in a bark mix, replace the bark mix with bark mix.

We recommend repotting or replacing your potting medium when you first get your orchid and then every year. By keeping the mix fresh and clean, you will maintain a happy, healthy plant. Never pot your orchid in a larger pot unless the roots will not fit back into the same size pot and you can still get your mix around the roots.



If you haven’t read our article on general orchid care, we strongly suggest doing so, as it will help you understand a lot more about caring for this orchid.


More on growing your Phalaenopsis below



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Light





One of the reasons the Phalaenopsis orchid is easy to grow, is because it can grow in a wide range of light conditions. It is considered a ‘low’ to ‘intermediate’ light orchid, but we have found that if you want it to really bloom well, you need to give it as much bright, indirect light as you can, for as long as you can. In the summer months, many people grow them outside in a protected area where they are protected from the afternoon sun. If it gets some morning or late evening sun before the leaf temperatures get too hot, so much the better. Feel the leaf if it's in the direct sun. If it's warm to the touch, it MAY be getting too much direct sun. Give it some shade - just to be safe.

If your orchid doesn't bloom and it has a good root system, it probably isn't getting enough sun.



Potting



A Phalaenopsis will grow in a wide variety of substrates. The plant will produce roots that are suited to the growing media they are placed in. If you change the type of growing media (like a bark mix to Sphagnum moss), they may have to grow new roots to accommodate the new substrate. Sometimes a dramatic change can really set back your orchid or even kill your plant. If you’re going to change the type of growing media you use, do so when the plant is producing new roots so the new roots will accommodate the new type of media.


We recommend long fiber sphagnum moss for you Phalaenopsis for several reasons:

1) The moss tells you when to water….. When the top of the moss is ‘crispy dry’ it’s time to water. If in doubt…. DON’T. Your orchid has water in its leaves for times of drought. Watering too often with Sphagnum moss can smoother the roots. They need the water to evaporate to pull air down and around the roots.

2) Sphagnum moss has natural anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties that help protect the plant from infection. 3) The wet moss around the plant provides much needed humidity in our dry home environments.


If your pot is larger than 4-5 inches, the moss may be too heavy when wet and smoother the roots. You can then use a bark mix or add sponge rock or Styrofoam peanuts to the moss to keep it open and light.


There’s nothing wrong with using a bark mix or any other media as long as you water according to the plant’s needs. If, what you are doing works for you, we don’t recommend changing anything. What we DO recommend is replacing your potting media every year. Regardless of what it is. This removes any salt buildup and replaces any organic matter BEFORE it breaks down and rots your roots.

Re-potting every year also allows you to check the roots for the plants health.



Water





As we said earlier with the sphagnum moss, you want to water when the top of the moss gets ‘crispy dry’. In a bark mix, you will probably water more often because it will not hold the moisture around the roots like the sphagnum moss does.
These orchids will do best when the roots are kept moist and humid but not wet. Knowing when to water in a bark mix is difficult because it’s hard to judge how much moisture is in the pot and around the root.
As the bark ages and breaks down it will hold more and more water - even if you are re-potting every year.



Fertilizer



Like many orchids, the Phalaenopsis does not require a lot of fertilizer.

We recommend a well balanced fertilizer like 10-10-10 or 20-20-20 mixed at ½ the recommended strength once a month.

We water well with plain water, then go back 15-30 minutes later and sprinkle the diluted fertilizer water over the top of the pot until water comes out the bottom.


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