Orchids: Step One

Plant Care Orchid: A definitive guide.

If this is your first Orchid adventure, I'd start with...

Orchid Variety: Genus - PHALAENOPSIS

* An ideal houseplant for warm rooms.
* Long lasting flowers in a wide range of colors and patterns, large, rounded flowers giving it its common name "Moth Orchid".
* Year long blooming season and will re-flower from the same stem several times.

PHALAENOPSIS CARE
This is one of the most popular orchids kept as houseplants sometimes described as 'Moth Orchids' or 'Phalaenopsis'. They are well suited as indoor plants because of their ability to tolerate the specific conditions created by modern central heating, in addition, they are almost continually flowering.
Unlike other orchids, they don't have bulbs, instead they grow with fleshy leaves, with new ones formed from the central crown. They produce aerial roots that drape over the sides of their pots as well as taking root directly in the bark compost.

Phalaenopsis will continue to flower for many months at a time if they are kept in a warm room away from direct sunlight light.
They should be watered sparingly, allowing their pots to drain well. Water every 1 to 2 weeks depending on the heat of the room.
Care should be taken not to over water and ideally, don't let water pool in the center.

Phalaenopsis Orchids will continue to produce buds from the end of the stem and the flowers will gradually open in succession, producing a steady and attractive display of growth.
The main stem will continue to produce eyes or nodes.
Before all the flowers die and whilst the sap is still rising, carefully trim off the stem above the highest node or eye but before the lowest flowering bud.
If you delay this until all of the flowers have died off, the actual stem itself will begin to die off as well.

The remaining node on the cut stem will then soon start to produce a side branch with more flowering buds. When these have all flowered, repeat by cutting above the next node down the main stem and so on.
When the base of the stem is reached or if the orchid fails to re-bloom, then cut the main stem off at the base. Occasionally a new plant (keiki) may grow from the stem, allow this to grow to a strong size with a few leaves and roots and then gently remove and pot up in fine bark.

TEMPERATURE CONDITIONS:
Phalaenopsis or Moth Orchids grow happily in the warmth of most modern homes, but try to keep a minimum temperature of 18°C (65°F) on winter nights and a daytime maximum of 30°C(85°F).

LIGHTING:
Shelter from bright, direct summer sun which can scorch the leaves. Make every effort to expose them to as much daylight as possible over the long winter months.

WATERING:
Never over water. Try to ensure that the bark compost remains moist all the year round. When watering, remove it from it's pot or saucer, let the water drain through before placing it back in it's planter. Never let the pot stand in water.
Allow the bark compost to dry out slightly before watering again. Try to avoid water collecting in the crown of the plant as this may result in the plant rotting.
Try to add a little orchid fertilizer to the water once every 2 or 3 (approx. every 10-14 days) waterings all year round.

Click here for more information: Orchid Care


As ever,
Good Luck!

Julia