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#1
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Phalaenopsis
Hi
Could anyone give me some basic instructions on how to care for a Phalaenopsis orchid. Thanks Leonie |
#2
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Su
It likes the same temperatures that you do, so somewhere between 55-60F at night to 80-85F day. Keep it out of drafts from heaters or airconditioners. It likes the same humidity as you too. So 40-60% maybe a bit higher, but not much lower. It likes indirect light, like for an african violet, or a bit more than a philodendron, but no light directly on the leaves for more than an hour or two (preferable none) because they'll burn. If you wonder if your leaves are going to burn in your chosen window, feel them with your cheek to see if they are warm to the touch (like over 100 - running a fever). Water it well once a week, allowing the water to run freely out the bottom of the pot. Do not water it again until the potting medium is dry 1/2 - 1 inch down into the pot. Depending on your locale/conditions this could be the next day or 2-3 weeks later, so some monitoring is required until you learn. Do not allow water to stand in the crown of the plant or the axils of the leaves because it will rot. Feed it with any plant food, just make sure its used at 1/2 strength. Roots will escape from the pot out into the air and are considered beautiful when they do. Repot into new medium every 1-2 years, unless you are worried that the present medium is soft, mushy and smells bad. In which case go ahead and remove the plant from the pot, cut away any soft black mushy roots, put the plant back into a pot that will just hold whatever roots remain (they like to be pot bound) and fill the pot with orchid bark (usually found at nurseries). Phaleanopsis are epiphytic plants and so their roots are unlike roots of normal plants, they do not mind if you touch them, indeed you are supposed to touch them in order to ascertain if they are rotted. Once the flower stalk has finished blooming cut it back to the base where it exits the plant. These flower once a year. Sometimes twice, depending on the parentage of the plant. The trick really lies in not overwatering. Think of it like a succulent. K Barrett "Leonie" wrote in message m... Hi Could anyone give me some basic instructions on how to care for a Phalaenopsis orchid. Thanks Leonie |
#3
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Bright indirect light; water when potting medium is just barely moist in the
center of the pot; feed lightly with a balanced fertilizer every 3-4 waterings; requires a day/night temperature differential to re-bloom. Protect from temperatures above 95F and below 50F. Good growing, -- Kenni Judd Juno Beach Orchids http://www.jborchids.com "Leonie" wrote in message m... Hi Could anyone give me some basic instructions on how to care for a Phalaenopsis orchid. Thanks Leonie |
#4
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On Mon, 28 Feb 2005 17:28:46 -0500, "Kenni Judd"
wrote: Bright indirect light; water when potting medium is just barely moist in the center of the pot; feed lightly with a balanced fertilizer every 3-4 waterings; requires a day/night temperature differential to re-bloom. Protect from temperatures above 95F and below 50F. Good growing, If you have trouble telling if the mix is moist or dry... Get some of the bamboo Bar-B-Q skewers and stick one into the pot before you water. Leave it there while you go after the water. Pull it out and look closely - is it damp on the tip or dry. If it is in the pot for more that 30 seconds it should absorb enough water (if available) to tell you the mix is wet (if it is). IF dry you can safely water. If moist wait another day and check again. Never leave the bottom of the pot in contact with water or stones that are in water. Either will wick water into the pot and into the root zone. The roots want air as well as water. These plants only grow in mix because we can not live with them suspended in the air... we can not live with the humidity necessary for them to grow with out mix. We like to see them sitting up right in a pot. So we force them into that life style. Ortho has an inexpensive Orchid book. There is also a book in the "Dummies" series I have heard is a good basic. I have not yet read that one. Look at your library and at you local bookstore or nursery for books. SuE http://orchids.legolas.org/gallery/albums.php |
#5
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Hi Leonie:
I can only tell you what my experience was. About 2 years ago my son, in New Jersey was ready to toss out a phal because he thought it was dead. I rook it back to Florida with me. Did nothing special. Place it outside in a west exposure and gave it water on occasion it now has 7 seven stalks in bloom an 2 kikies. It has been outside in sun at 90 deg and at night when we had cold weather, down to the low 50's. Still going like gangbusters Bob |
#6
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bob wrote:
Hi Leonie: I can only tell you what my experience was. About 2 years ago my son, in New Jersey was ready to toss out a phal because he thought it was dead. I rook it back to Florida with me. Did nothing special. Place it outside in a west exposure and gave it water on occasion it now has 7 seven stalks in bloom an 2 kikies. It has been outside in sun at 90 deg and at night when we had cold weather, down to the low 50's. Still going like gangbusters Bob Take heart, all you faithless ones! Good job, bob! -- Reka This is LIFE! It's not a rehearsal. Don't miss it! http://www.rolbox.it/hukari/index.html |
#7
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bob wrote:
Hi Leonie: I can only tell you what my experience was. About 2 years ago my son, in New Jersey was ready to toss out a phal because he thought it was dead. I rook it back to Florida with me. Did nothing special. Place it outside in a west exposure and gave it water on occasion it now has 7 seven stalks in bloom an 2 kikies. It has been outside in sun at 90 deg and at night when we had cold weather, down to the low 50's. Still going like gangbusters Bob Well that does it.... My orchids and I just HAVE to live in Florida for at least a few years before I die. Steve |
#8
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Thanks All for your advice, unfortunatly I live in the UK where
temperatures are cooler, so the orchid is on my kitchen windowsill. I has some buds coming, but it has lost 2 leaves & another 1 is wilting. I read it could have rotting roots. Should I water from the top or bottom ? I have only been giving it a cup a week, pouring the water away at the end of the day & the medium has looked dry each week before watering. Should I repot it now or when it has finished flowering ? Please help Thanks Leonie |
#9
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Thanks All for your advice, unfortunatly I live in the UK where
temperatures are cooler, so the orchid is on my kitchen windowsill. I has some buds coming, but it has lost 2 leaves & another 1 is wilting. I read it could have rotting roots. Should I water from the top or bottom ? I have only been giving it a cup a week, pouring the water away at the end of the day & the medium has looked dry each week before watering. Should I repot it now or when it has finished flowering ? Please help Thanks Leonie |
#10
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Leonie wrote: Thanks All for your advice, unfortunatly I live in the UK where temperatures are cooler, so the orchid is on my kitchen windowsill. I has some buds coming, but it has lost 2 leaves & another 1 is wilting. I read it could have rotting roots. Should I water from the top or bottom ? I have only been giving it a cup a week, pouring the water away at the end of the day & the medium has looked dry each week before watering. Should I repot it now or when it has finished flowering ? Please help Thanks Leonie Hi Leonie I just read about your leaf loss. I had that happen and was told the Phals lose their lower leaves and not to worry.Mine lost two lower ones and the plant is doing fine. Send me your e-mail address as I lost yours from an earlier e-mail you had sent. I have some photos of thr Phal blooms I would like to send you. Bob ( in cool Florida) |
#12
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Could anyone give me some basic instructions on how to care for a
Phalaenopsis orchid. Hi Leonie, I'm also in the UK and have some phals, I usually water them by immersing the pot in tepid water about once a fortnight at this time of year (Once a week or more in summer). A little feed (very weak) also helps. Be sure to do this in the morning and let them drain well. Lower leaves do turn yellow, shrivel and fall occasionally, so long as new ones are coming all's well. Mine live close to an east window but not on the cill. jc -- http://mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/jc_atm/ |
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