Orchid is considered one of the finest ornamental plants. According to many gardeners, the most luxurious representative of the Orchidaceae family is the famous phalaenopsis.
This elegant plant can be distinguished from others by flowers, reminiscent in shape of butterfly wings. They are located on curved long peduncles and open gradually, one after another. The color of the phalaenopsis can be very diverse - white, yellow, pink, purple, red and even green. The leaves of this flower are fleshy, arranged in two rows, forming a basal rosette. The roots of the plant are intended in order to gain a foothold on any surface and supply the orchid with moisture and nutrients. In this article, we would like to consider how to properly grow phalaenopsis at home. With the constant maintenance of favorable climatic conditions, the orchid will produce flower stalks twice a year and delight you with its amazing flowers in autumn and spring.
How to choose a healthy flower in the store?
Now there is a large species and hybrid variety of this plant. As a rule, at home such species as Phalaenopsis Stuart, Phalaenopsis pleasant, Phalaenopisis Schiller, Phalaenopsis mini pink and Phalaenopsis giant are most often grown at home. In order to buy a healthy plant, you need to carefully consider its roots: there must be a sufficient number of them. If the orchid is unstable in the pot, it means that the roots are few or they rot and die. Also, when choosing a plant, you should pay attention to the deciduous mass. In appearance, it should be healthy, without dark spots. After the purchase, it is advisable to transplant phalaenopsis into a new pot with a good substrate for orchids. To carry out the transplant, the roots of the plant are carefully separated from the walls of the tank and washed with warm water, removing the old substrate and, if necessary, cutting off the rotten parts. After that, the orchid is placed in a new container and covered with a substrate so as to leave about 3 cm of space to the edge of the pot.
For orchids, you should only buy specialized soil, but you can also make it yourself using ingredients such as
charcoal, pine bark,
sphagnum moss. A drainage layer (pebbles, pieces of bark, polystyrene) must be placed at the bottom of the pot. The most practical and convenient container for growing epiphyte is considered to be a transparent plastic pot with holes in the bottom.
Phalaenopsis at home: lighting and temperature
In principle, either side is suitable for growing orchids , the main thing is that the sun itself should not fall on the plant itself, especially in summer and spring. On the southern and western windows, phalaenopsis should be shaded with the help of blinds or curtains. In winter - with a lack of natural light - the plant must be additionally illuminated with lamps, thereby prolonging daylight hours. Important: the orchid will gradually lean toward the light source, and therefore it is advisable to periodically turn the pot 180 ° every two weeks, the only condition is that the plant should not be disturbed during budding. The Phalaenopsis orchid at home prefers a room temperature of at least 18 ° C, it feels most comfortable at 22 ° C - 24 ° C. In the autumn period, it is possible to maintain a cooler temperature - about 16 ° C. This is necessary for bookmarking the kidneys. It should also be borne in mind that phalaenopsis requires a difference between night and day values in the range of 6 ° C.
Caring for the Phalaenopsis flower at home. Watering and feeding
As a rule, it is recommended to water the plant twice a week, moistening the substrate well. Between watering, the soil mixture should have enough time to dry. How to water phalaenopsis in winter? In the cold season, drying of the substrate is allowed, so watering is carried out less often. It is necessary to avoid soil moisture at sufficiently low night temperatures (10 ° C). Important: you can’t
water the orchid at night! To moisten the flower using exclusively soft, well-maintained water, close in temperature to room temperature. Your phalaenopsis will not do without regular spraying from a spray bottle. When carrying out this procedure, it is necessary to ensure that water droplets do not fall on the peduncle and growth point, otherwise this can lead to a deterioration in the well-being of the plant. Remember that spraying is advisable in the morning or afternoon, and not in the evening. As for top dressing, the orchid needs complex fertilizers during the growing season. They are diluted in a proportion of about 1 g per 1 liter and the solution is applied once every 14 days after watering.