Orchid Care Tips Blog

Growing great Phalaenopsis Orchid plants can be made easy with these useful tips. Phalaenopsis Orchids are normally found in rainforests, on trees and on rocks. They do not grow at the very top of the rainforest canopy. This means they are not used to direct sun on their leaves. They are used to shady conditions.

At home, a Phalaenopsis Orchid needs to go behind a curtain or on a table not near a bright window. They like to have moisture around the leaves with a humidity tray. Here is an example of a humidity tray. This creates an environment like in a rainforest. Phalaenopsis Orchids should be watered only as the pot gets lighter in weight upon being lifted. They like to be potted in medium bark. Phalaenopsis Orchids should be fertilized with a weak solution of fertilizer every couple weeks. Here is an example of a good fertilizer.

This Phalaenopsis collection is a good one to start with, as not only does it have a variety of standard and novelty Phalaenopsis plants, but they are blooming size and at a good price. If you have any questions, just post comments to this blog entry.

These are top tips and tricks in Phalaenopsis Orchid care.

1. Phalaenopsis Orchids do not like to have any water sitting on their leaves overnight. If they do, they can get an infection on their leaves.
2. Phalaenopsis Orchid plants can drop their flowers if temperatures go lower than 65 F.
3. Phalaenopsis Orchids are the longest blooming Orchid. This happens when ideal care is given.
4. Phalaenopsis Orchids love humidity.
5. Phalaenopsis Orchid plants like to be in a tight pot.
6. Phalaenopsis Orchids like to be potted in medium bark.
7. Phalaenopsis Orchid plants do not like to dry out between waterings like some Orchids.

Cymbidium and Phalaenopsis Orchids tend to be top favorites of Orchid growers. The reason for the Phalaenopsis Orchid being in this group is that the perfect indoor Orchid is a Phalaenopsis. It is easy to grow, has long lasting flowers, and is compact. Meanwhile, the Cymbidium Orchid is larger, very showy, has long lasting flowers, and can be grown outdoors in many warmer climates.

Here is what I recommend for a new Orchid grower who is ready to start growing Cymbidiums or Phalaenopsis Orchids.

1. Get Orchid fever! When I say this I don’t just mean the feeling, I mean the book. The book Orchid Fever by Eric Hansen really helps show the passion of what Orchid collecting and growing is all about. Here is the best price for this book on Amazon.com.
2. Buy Orchid Growing for Wimps by Ellen Zachos. This is a great starter book for Orchid growing.
3. Get a great deal with a Phalaenopsis Orchid Collection. This good one from Amazon.com starts you out with five 4″ plants from Carter and Holmes Orchids, one of my favorite growers.
4. Get a collection of Cymbidium Orchids. This Cymbidium Orchid Plant Collection from Larrys Orchids products includes 6 different blooming size plants, all different colors. If you click on this Amazon link to purchase, you’ll get FREE SHIPPING!
5. You’ll need to repot your Phalaenopsis Orchid within the next 0-2 years. Here is the best repotting medium for Phalaenopsis Orchids.
6. When repotting your Cymbidium, here is the best potting medium to use.
7. When potting your Cymbidium, use a crystal clear Orchid pot. You will probably need this 8″ one.
8. When repotting your Phalaenopsis, you can use a ceramic pot with Bonsai Boy’s Orchid pot with attached saucer, or here is another in a darker color. You can also repot into a crystal clear plastic pot.

The Secrets of the Phalaenopsis Orchids

The Phalaenopsis is a family of orchids that has over sixty species, which are normally located in the Himalayan mountains, Polillo island and Palawan in the Philippines, Northern Australia, and in the Orchid Island off Taiwan. Where wild Orchids in tropical rainforests grow on top of trees, there are also varieties of Phalaenopsis that usually sprout forth in the forest floor where it is damp and humid and at the same time. They are shaded from the harsh rays of the sunlight.

Other places where this variety of Orchid grows are Malaysia, Borneo, New Guinea, Yunnan in China, Vietnam and in other Southeast Asian countries.

Usually, Phalaenopsis Orchids have a few leaves but if they are healthy, they may have ten or more leaves. Also, they do not have pseudobulbs, which means that the flowers bloom on stems that are between the leaves. These plants proudly show off their blossoms for several weeks. If they are cultivated and taken cared of at home, these flowers can last from two months to a maximum of three months, a considerably long time. If the Orchids are exposed to fumes and gases from gas stoves or cigarettes, then, the blossoms can prematurely fall off in a number of days.

Phalaenopsis Orchids have very prominent appearance and beauty. At the same time, they perform a unique photosynthetic process in order to produce food. Their petals and sepals are adapted to new ways of pollination where they become greenish and rotund and they start this process.

In taking care of phalaenopsis Orchids, it is very important to have them repotted on an annual basis or every 2 years. Unfortunately many people do not know this. If this is not done, then, there is a tendency for roots to rot. It is best to use a fertilizer that has no urea content for Phalaenopsis Orchids because this can cause the pseudomonas disease.

Top 15 Facts About Phalaelopsis Orchids

1. Most Phalaenopsis Orchids are from Northern Australia, India, Indonesia, the Phillipines, and othet tropical areas.
2. Medium bark, or sphagnum moss works best for potting Phalaenopsis Orchids.
3. Phalaenopsis prefer not to have temperatures below 62 degrees F or above 83 degrees F.
4. There are over 60 Phalaenopsis Orchid species.
5. Most Phalaenopsis are small to medium plants, but some can be somewhat large if older or a particular variety.
6. Phalaenopsis Orchids like tight pots on their roots. These pots usually end up being small to medium size.
7. Repotting should be done every 2-3 years. The best time to repot is when blooming is done.
8. Phalaenopsis Orchids do not have pseudobulbs, and are monopodial in structure. This means the plant does not have the same kind of storage mechanism for water and nutrients that Oncidiums, Dendrobiums, and many other Orchids have.
9. The thick spongy roots like to be misted in the summer heat.
10. A good way to tell if the plant is getting enough or too much light is to judge by leaf color. The leaves should be similar to the color of grass.
11. Too much light san sunburn Phalaenopsis leaves. Phalaenopsis Orchids do not like direct sunlight.
12. Too little water with slow growth and flowering, and roots can dry. Too much water will drown roots eventually and decompose the potting mix somewhat fast.
13. Phalaenopsis Orchids should be watered ideally once per week. BUT, if it is cooler or warmer, or the plant is in conditions where the pot weight does not lighten within a week, alter watering.
14. Phalaenopsis Orchids should be fertilized weakly, weekly. One in four waterings should have no fertilizer. If too much is used, leaf tips can burn and roots tips can burn as well.
15. Phalaenopsis plants can bloom at any time of the year, and can bloom 1-12 months. When the plant is done flowering, it can either be cut at the base of the flower spike, or below the last flower down the stem, in hopes the plant will rebloom. Only do this if the plant leaves and roots look strong enough to help the plant bloom again.