Orchid Enterprise Inc. Phalaenopsis Culture

We've compiled information from our own experiences and offer them here as

'guide'. You may find

that

your particular orchid has not read this culture

sheet and

will want to march to the beat of a different

drummer. If you have

questions about

your specific plant, feel free to ask us. Our email is

sales@orchidenterprise.com

Light:

Phalaenopsis (Phals.) are considered low light orchids, requiring only bright

indirect

light or dabbled

sunlight to grow and bloom. Even these lower light

orchids will benefit

from some direct sunlight in the

early

morning or late

evening when the sun is low in

the sky. This is especially true of the venosa-

type

hybrids

with heavy, waxy, flowers.

Feel the leaves of your plants when

they are in direct sunlight and

make sure

they are

not overheating. They

should be cool to the touch.

Water:

Most

Phals like to keep their roots moist but not wet. How often you water is

dependent on

how quickly the

potting mix dries out. Clay pots will dry out much

faster than plastic or

glazed ceramic pots. When you

water, completely drench

the roots and allow the pot

to drain. NEVER LET YOUR PLANT SIT IN

WATER!!!

Letting the plant set in water will

rot the roots.

Fertilizers and Supplements:

Water with clear water first, then water with a "well balanced", "all-purpose"

fertilizer at

1/2 strength once a

month. A fertilizer is considered "All-Purpose"

or "Well Balanced"

when the three major components:

Nitrogen, Phosphorous,

and Potassium are close

to being equal. The three letters and numbers on the

container of fertilizer indicate

this. For example: N-P-K / 20-20-20. Or 5-7-6

etc. We have found no

difference

from one fertilizer to the next. We use fish

emulsion, Protect, CalMag etc. just to make

ourselves

feel good about our

orchids. We're not sure it does anything for the plants,

but we have

customers

that

swear by these products.

Potting Mix:

Small plants in 2 to 4-inch pots will do well for us in New Zealand Sphagnum

Moss.

Larger plants are

potted

using a bark/coconut husk mix which might

contain other

items like sponge rock, charcoal, etc. As

your

plant increases in

size, so will the pot

and so should the size of your potting mix. Plants in 5-inch

pots or

larger should be

potted in a mix of medium size components. Mix in

some sphagnum moss fibers if

was

previously grown in Moss. This helps

wean the plant off its old media and into the

bark mix.

Repotting:

Most novice growers (and many experienced growers) hate to repot while t

heir

orchid

is growing well, for

fear of losing the plant.

Not to repot

his is the

first

and biggest

mistake you

can make. You must repot your orchid

BEFORE

the

potting mix

begins to break

down. When the potting mix rots, so do your

orchid

roots.

You

will

not know this until

it's too late. Therefore we recommend

you

repot

your P

al. every 12 months.

NEVER

OVERPOT. Use a pot that fits

the

size of

the root mass - not the size of the plant. If

the plant

appears too

big

for

the

pot, you can use a more open mix or simply drop the

pot into a larger,

decorative

container. Repot your newly purchased orchids

after they

have

bloomed. This assures the

plant is in a

fresh mix that you are familiar

with.

Most plants come to market

Past the point of needing to be repotted.

Many

vendors

"pot

up" these over-grown plant's by placing them in larger pots

with the old

mix

still

around the

roots. This stabilizes the plants without

disturbing the roots

and causing

the flowers/buds

to drop.

You need to get rid

of that old mix before it breaks down and rots your roots.

Temperature:

Most Phals grow best in temperatures that you are most comfortable with.

Therefore

they make excellent

houseplants. Most will do well between 65F and

80F. Lower or

higher temperatures may slow down the

plant's growth. If you

have trouble blooming

your plants try increasing the amount of light they

receive or

drop the night

temperatures 20 degrees lower than day

temperatures. This is easily done in the

spring

and

fall when outdoor

temperatures naturally fluctuate.

A few words of wisdom:

1) Information provided here is a generalization and not specific to any species or hybrid.

2) Conditions suited to one orchid may not be the best for another even though they are in

the same

family.

3) What works for one person may not work for another, so try different ideas.

4) All orchids benefit from good air movement.

5) If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

6) You're not a real orchid grower unless you've killed your fair share of orchids.

Site Links

Orchid Orchid Enterprise Inc.
www.orchidenterprise.com