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Orchid Care Tips
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Orchids are delicate, exotic and graceful flowers that have been bred into a variety of colors and patterns of bloom and foliage. Also called Phalaenopsis or Phals, these ornamental beauties have surprisingly simple maintenance with a few easy considerations of temperature, light, water and fertilizing.
Orchids are delicate, exotic and graceful flowers that have been bred into a variety of colors and patterns of bloom and foliage. Also called Phalaenopsis or Phals, these ornamental beauties have surprisingly simple maintenance with a few easy considerations of temperature, light, water and fertilizing.
Temperature: Not too hot, not too cold! The temperature range of 58–75°F is just right for these blooms.
Light: Aim for indirect natural light that can be shaded or bright. Direct sun can be harmful.
Water: Water enough to keep the roots moist but not soggy. Overwatering can be fatal!
Fertilizing: Give them a little extra nutrients with half-strength 20-10-10 fertilizer once a month.
How to lengthen the blooming season:
To encourage more blooms on additional branches, cut off the tip of the flower spike before the last flower dies. To know where to cut, count three to five flower nodes down from the tip of the flower spike (where the flower attaches to the spike) and cut there. You should see new flower spikes emerging from the old spike after a week or two. Usually after the third cut, it’s important to let the plant rest. Cut the spike off completely at the base.
If the whole flower spike turns brown and looks dead, cut it off as close to the base of the spike as possible.
Leave the green flower spike on the plant even though there are no more flowers, as they can often form new baby plants or keikis at the end of the spike. Leave these keikis on the stem until they have grown at least three roots. Then they can be cut from the stem and potted in their own pot.
Reblooming:
In proper care, the Phalaenopsis will establish a rhythm of blooming. It will produce a new leaf and then a new flower spike appears and blooming begins again—this takes 10–14 months.
A decrease in temperature triggers the plant to go into reblooming mode. Put the orchid in a spot where the night temperatures will go down by 10 degrees and it will send up a new flower spike. That is why in a home environment, orchids tend to rebloom in the fall when night temperatures fall. You can also put your orchid outdoors during the night when temperatures are between 50–60°F. Once the spike elongates, avoid the cooler temperature as it will inhibit budding.
When flowering is desired, apply a different fertilizer high in phosphorus such as 10-30-20 or 0-10-10 again at half strength, but avoid feeding once the orchid is in bloom.
Happy growing!