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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. We’re only going to give you growing tips on the most common (amabilis) type that is sold in grocery stores and box stores . Also known as ‘Moth Orchids’, these are the easiest and most resilient of orchids to care for.


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.



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.


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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