The most commonly purchased orchid is Phalaenopsis. Unfortunately, it is often thrown away once it loses all its flowers. With the right care, however, your orchid can bloom several times a year!
Steps
Step 1. Confirm you have Phalaenopsis
Each variety of orchid has different treatments.
- Phalaenopsis usually have 3 to 6 very large and somewhat floppy leaves, arranged alternately. Flowers grow among the leaves.
- Phalaenopsis flowers can be any color including white, pink, yellow, striped or dotted. They are usually 5-7cm in diameter and bloom on an ear that can be 37-40cm in height.
- A large plant can have more than one ear and have 3 to 20 flowers. If you are unsure whether you have a Phalaenopsis, check the internet for pictures.
Step 2. Don't water it
Water is the number one cause of death and you wouldn't notice it except the day the orchid is "gone"!
- Phalaenopsis are epiphytic plants, which means that in nature they attach their roots to trees and stones, taking nutrients from debris to accumulate them around the roots themselves.
- This means that the roots do not stay in moist soil in nature. Often, shop orchids are watered too much or too little. Those watered too much rot and eventually die because they can no longer absorb the water. You notice when the plant is thirsty from the color of the roots inside the pot (use transparent pots); when they are gray you can water, if they are green there is no need.
- Those lightly watered have hard brown roots that flake off. Healthy roots should be a silvery green color with bright green tips.
- Check the roots of your new orchid when you bring it home. If they are brown and soft, cut them and repot the plant.
- Keep it dry until new roots form.
- When watering (usually once a week in most homes, but it is best to insert a finger into the substrate to feel it before watering), let the water out of the holes in the pot.
- Do not give water between the leaves as it will cause rot which could kill the plant.
- Usually, of the two, it is better to water a little than too much.
Step 3. Repot your orchid properly
This way you will avoid giving too much water!
- During this time, you will need to keep the orchid in a more humid area such as a bathroom (as long as it gets some light).
- Phalaenopsis can be repotted to many substrates, but the most important thing is that they allow the roots to air out and dry relatively quickly.
- This implies never, never using common soil. Orchid roots choke in common potting soil, best to use an orchid bark mix.
- To repot your plant, take a plastic pot, the orchids live attached to the barks of the trees, the roots love the light like the rest of the plant, use transparent plastic pots that allow the roots to receive some light, you can also keep under control the state of the plant by checking the pot from the outside and looking at the color of the roots.
- Choose a size that fits the roots, don't rely on the leaves. It is always best to keep it small so it will help the roots dry quickly.
- Place your flower in the center of the vase and fill it with the bark mix. As you fill it you should tap the pot to help level the substrate.
- Soaking the bark with water before transplanting can be helpful. The pots should always have holes in the bottom to allow for good drainage.
- You can put a plastic pot with holes inside a second decorative container if you want and then take it out when you give the water.
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Orchids don't like being "wet feet"! Not all roots may remain in the pot and this is normal.
(Phalaenopsis have aerial roots, you can mist them when watering the plant)
Step 4. Do not place it in direct sunlight
Phalaenopsis are soft light orchids. They do not like being in the sun which could easily burn the leaves.
- the soft or early morning light coming from an east-facing window is perfect.
- The artificial lights in the house are not strong enough, so it is better to keep the orchid near a window to let it receive the natural one.
- Little light can prevent the plant from blooming again. If it's been 6 months since you've seen signs of a flower spike, try exposing your orchid to more light.
Step 5. Keep the plant warm
Phalaenopsis don't like cold. At night temperatures shouldn't go below 16 ° C. During the day, it is best to keep it between 18 and 20 ° C.
Step 6. Don't forget to feed them
Phalaenopsis need fertilizer.
- Once a month and diluted in water is the best tactic.
- Use the amount recommended on the product label and avoid urea fertilizers because of the nitrogen that can burn root tips.
- A 10/10/10 or 20/20/20 formulation is fine. There are several for orchids, but they are almost all similar.
Step 7. If you can't get it to bloom the first time, try again
Starting with a healthy plant is easier than trying to cure a poorly maintained one. Look for a plant with large, thick roots, and shiny, good-looking leaves that don't look wilted. To bloom, light and a constant temperature change for a few days are required; in early winter they usually bloom spontaneously even indoors.
Step 8. Remember that orchids are habitual, do not like moving, place them near a window that receives direct sunlight and leave them in the same place
Advice
- The now bare flower spikes can be cut at the base of the plant. If you cut them about 2 knots from the base they will sometimes bloom again. If your plant is not in good condition, however, you should let it rest and not force it to bloom again this way.
- A good way to test if your orchid is getting the right amount of light is to figure out how much shade your hand creates in the area where you hold the plant. If the edges of your hand are well defined, that's too much. If the edges are inaccurate, the light is probably right. If there is no shade at all, then you have placed it in bright light and it will not bloom.
- Phalaenopsis usually bloom at the same time every year, so if you bought it while it was in bloom, expect it to have new flowers next year.
- Some people prefer to repot in moss. If you know what you are doing, it can work for your Phalaenopsis too (make it almost dry before you moisten it again) - otherwise you could easily give it too much water, so if you don't feel safe choose bark.
- Once the flower spike begins to grow it may take a while before you see the flowers, so be patient!
