How to cultivate Phalaenopsis orchid to make it bloom
About how to cultivate Phalaenopsis orchid to make it bloom and teaching you some flowering tips for Phalaenopsis orchids in terms of floral knowledge, detailed content will be shared next.
Phalaenopsis orchid is named for its butterfly-like flowers and belongs to the Orchidaceae family, Phalaenopsis genus. The flowers of Phalaenopsis orchid are bright in color, numerous in quantity, and have a long blooming period. It is a common potted ornamental flower in winter and early spring, and it is also one of the common New Year's flowers. Many flower enthusiasts like Phalaenopsis orchids but can't cultivate them well. In fact, Phalaenopsis orchids are not as difficult to cultivate as imagined. Today, Lan Yao will introduce the key points of Phalaenopsis orchid care.
Key points for cultivating Phalaenopsis orchids
The blooming period of Phalaenopsis orchids can last for 2-3 months. Phalaenopsis orchids cultivated at room temperature usually bloom in April and wither in June. With proper care, the blooming period can be extended. If you want to cultivate Phalaenopsis orchids well and make them bloom every year, Lan Yao suggests focusing on the following four points.
1. Cultivation Substrate
After receiving the Phalaenopsis orchid seedlings, if they come with a flower spike, it is recommended not to repot them immediately. Instead, continue to care for them in the original pot and put a nicer pot outside. Repot after the blooming period is over.
For the substrate used when repotting Phalaenopsis orchids, it is recommended to use pure sphagnum moss, which makes it easier to care for and manage. When repotting, gently remove the old sphagnum moss, taking care not to break the roots. Remove rotting roots, then fill the center of the root system with new sphagnum moss and wrap it around the outside, placing it in a transparent pot.
It is recommended to use a transparent pot for planting Phalaenopsis orchids, which makes it easier to observe the root system and the moisture of the sphagnum moss, which is very important for judging the watering timing.
2. Moderate Watering and Fertilizing
Phalaenopsis orchids do not tolerate waterlogging. The drying-wetting cycle of the sphagnum moss should be controlled within a week, meaning that every 5-7 days, the sphagnum moss should dry out once and be watered once. If the sphagnum moss does not dry out within 7 days, consider whether the pot is too large or if the sphagnum moss was packed too tightly during planting, causing the drying-wetting cycle to slow down.
The watering timing for Phalaenopsis orchid potted plants usually needs to be judged by observing the roots of the orchid, which is why the use of a transparent pot was emphasized earlier, for easy observation.
If the roots of the Phalaenopsis orchid are green, it means they are not short of water, and watering should not be done. When the roots turn white and become grayish-white, it indicates that they are dry and can be watered. After watering, the roots of the Phalaenopsis orchid will gradually turn green.
When watering Phalaenopsis orchids, attention should be paid to watering around the edge of the pot, not into the core of the orchid, and not to water in one fixed position, as this can easily cause local over-wet or over-dry conditions. Watering around the pot is the correct method.
3. Light Control
Phalaenopsis orchids tolerate shade but not direct sunlight. They can be placed on the east-facing windowsill or in a bright living room. In late autumn, winter, and early spring, when the light is soft, they can receive appropriate sunlight. However, excessive light can lead to a shortened blooming period, so during the blooming period, they should be placed in a bright environment with scattered light. When the light is strong, avoid direct sunlight as it can easily cause sunburn.
4. Temperature Control
Phalaenopsis orchids are heat-tolerant but not cold-tolerant. In summer, avoid direct sunlight and maintain adequate fertilization and water. When the temperature drops below 15 degrees Celsius in winter, the growth of Phalaenopsis orchids will stop. Therefore, it is best to maintain the indoor temperature at around 10 degrees Celsius in winter, at least above 5 degrees Celsius. Below 0 degrees Celsius may cause frost damage.
The above-sharing on how to cultivate Phalaenopsis orchids to make them bloom and teaching you some flowering tips for Phalaenopsis orchids is hoped to bring some floral knowledge to green plant enthusiasts.