orchid of the month

Posted on Sunday, January 27th, 2008 at 7:31 am

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How to take care of phalaenopsis orchid when the blossoms are gone?

I bought an orchid a month ago, after 3 weeks blooms faded and now the spike is really dry (it’s like it’s dead), some roots are out and its leaves are green and healthy i suppose, what should i do with the spike? and when it’s gonna have blooms again?
i water it twice a week sometime with fertilizer, is it enough?
what else should i do ?

Phaleanopsis orchid flower spikes frequently sprout new buds or side shoots lower down from the flowers that have finished. Once it is brown and dried it’s really the end of the road for that spike though, so I would now cut it off, just above the point where it leaves the plant. With future flower spikes, wait for them to die back, as you’re likely to miss a longer flowering period.

The main issue for this orchid is over-watering, causing root rot, so I immerse my plants into some room temperature water for a few minutes, and then let it fully drain out. In their natural environment their roots help them to cling onto tree trunks, and they don’t grow in soil, as most plants do. Allow any adventitious roots to grow outside of the pot, as Phalaenopsis roots can photosynthesise in the same way that leaves do, thus strengthening your plant, building up its energy reserves. Water when the potting medium has started to dry out, say an inch or so below the surface.

It is much better to water with clean rain water, as tap water has additives that your orchid doesn’t like and can stress it.

I recommend feeding with a specialist orchid feed, and they generally prefer a weak feed, which I give every 2 to 3 weeks during summer. They generally don’t want lots of fertilizer, and they need micro-nutrients in specific balanced mixes that general fertilizers won’t contain appropriately, if at all. Don’t worry if you’ve used any other type, but this is a general suggestion to change over, when you’re able to.

Your orchid needs high levels of light, in order to be able to generate new flower buds. Bright indirect light is best, and harsh direct sunlight can be damaging, causing leaf discoloration and other problems. They’re one of the orchids that need warmer temperatures, so keep it in a bright spot, without drafts and with temperatures around 75-85F in the day, dropping to around 60-65F at night. This temperature differential is also often helpful in getting them to re-flower.

Another way to keep them in great condition is to increase the surrounding humidity levels, as they come from humid natural environments. I find the easiest way to do this is to have a dish with stones in it, containing water, and then to stand your Phalaenopsis on top of this. Don’t let the pot base touch the water, the water level needs to be below the stones. Never let your plant sit in water for any length of time, as this will also induce root rot.

Increasing the ambient humidity around your plant this way is more effective, and longer lasting, than any temporary increases gained via misting.

You’ll find that your plant will flower in fits and starts, they tend to do well after summer periods, with increased light levels, and they also like to rest from time to time. I gave one to one of my old school teachers for her 60th birthday, and it rarely didn’t flower for the 7 years that she had it. She was fairly lucky, but this is not uncommon. Your plant will settle in, as it will have come from a perfect greenhouse growing environment, via a retailer and into your home. It will respond to how well you seem to want to care for it, and should last a long time. They’re not that demanding once we find the right spot, and get into our routine for looking after them, matching their natural environmental needs.

Hope this helps. Good luck! Rob

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