How to care for Phalaenopsis orchid at home?

Phalaenopsis orchid flowers are simply mesmerized by its intricate, rare and unnaturally beautiful structure. Therefore, it is not at all surprising that, after several minutes of carefully examining them in a flower shop, you are already heading home, joyfully clutching a pot with your first phalaenopsis to your chest. But the realization that you do not know at all how to care for this miracle of nature will come to you much later.

First impression

Usually when buying people look more at the Phalaenopsis orchid flower itself. In general, they begin to observe the plant only when they come home. And they are unpleasantly surprised by the fact that it does not look like an ordinary average houseplant either in its structure or even in the soil substrate, which is more like some kind of cone husk stuffed in a transparent plastic bucket.

The plant itself is a rosette of several even leaves of a very elongated teardrop shape. The flower stalk does not come out of the center of the outlet, as it usually happens, but is a kind of lateral branch that bends upward, giving rise to a kind of inflorescence of several exotic flowers.

But the roots, which are visible through the transparent plastic of the container, are thrown into the greatest amazement. They are green, dense and more like shoots of the aboveground vegetative part of the plant than fragments of the root system. In light of this, it becomes clear that after the purchase, the Phalaenopsis orchid, the care of which is not particularly difficult at home, will require the observance of rules that are somewhat different from the contents of ordinary plants. To have an idea of ​​why care should be carried out in this way, and not otherwise, it is worth familiarizing yourself with the conditions in which the plant grows in the wild.

Wild growth

Phalaenopsis orchids come from the tropics of southeast Asia. Being epiphytic plants, they do not grow in the ground, but on the trunks of various trees or shrubs, the bark of which contributes to the accumulation of moisture. The green roots of orchids envelop these trunks, taking all the nutrients they need for existence from the water that accumulates in the outer woody tissues.

That is why it is not the earth that is in the pot, but the substrate, which most of all resembles shredded fragments of wood bark. And the pot should be transparent, firstly, because in the tissues of the roots, as well as in the tissues of the vegetative part, photosynthesis takes place that would not be feasible without sunlight, and secondly, because it is easier to control the level of moisture in the root system phalaenopsis.

Phalaenopsis Orchid Care Rules

Do not worry in advance. Despite the fact that taking care of the phalaenopsis orchid as an ordinary indoor flower does not work, this plant, in general, is considered one of the most unpretentious. It rarely gets sick, is not critical to baits, and with proper watering and timely substitution of the substrate (transplant), it will bloom for many years on the windowsill. But a number of special rules will still have to be followed. So, what does home phalaenopsis orchid mean after purchase?

Lighting

The tropical homeland of the plant implies the presence of at least 12-14 hours of daylight. Therefore, in the northern regions of the temperate zone, it is necessary to carry out mandatory illumination of the plant with special fluorescent lamps. Otherwise, it will develop very slowly and often get sick. With constant weak and insufficient lighting, the plant may die at all.

It is best to place the flower on the windowsill from the southeast or southwest part of the building. In these cases, direct sunlight will fall on them at a time when the sun has not yet entered the phase of its greatest activity, or when it has already reached a minimum, that is, in the morning and evening. If for some reason the owner decides to grow phalaenopsis in a room with windows facing the south side, you should take care to drape the windows with tulle, which would scatter direct sunlight. Otherwise, the plant may get burns.

The fact is that in the wild, phalaenopsis orchids rarely grow in open spaces. Most often, plants hide under the canopy of tree crowns, where moisture can remain longer, and although sunlight penetrates in abundance, it is light and diffused. And if the owner wants his orchids to be comfortable on the windowsills of the premises, he will have to create similar conditions for them.

A sharp change of scenery can harm the plant. It is especially worthwhile to refrain from moving the plant from one window sill to another during the flowering and bud season. Flowers may begin to fade ahead of schedule, and buds may even fall off without opening.

Temperature

With the temperature, everything is more or less smooth, since our room conditions are perfectly suited to the natural wild environment of the growth of phalaenopsis. 22–27 ° C is the best temperature for a flower of any variety.

In winter, it is worth protecting the plants from drafts and temperature extremes. Orchids are very sensitive to cold, and if some may limit themselves to dropping flowers, then many may even get sick and begin to fade.

Watering

Water phalaenopsis can only be warm, settled for 2-3 days, water. Often, water utility specialists show excessive zeal in the disinfection of water with bleach. And if people, having got used to it, may not feel its smack in their mouths, then plants with their roots necessarily feel it. Often the answer to the eternal question - why does the phalaenopsis orchid turn yellow, lies precisely in the excess of the chemical. During sedimentation, all bleach from the liquid evaporates, as a result of which water becomes suitable for irrigation.

Watering the plant itself is subject to the following rules:

• In no case should the liquid be watered in the upper part of the leafy outlet. Stagnant water in it can provoke decay processes. If moisture gets into the sheet “funnel”, remove it with a cotton swab.
• Watering phalaenopsis is best done only through the pan. A pot with a substrate in which phalaenopsis roots are placed is usually placed in a small container with an edge height of 2-3 cm. Water is simply poured into the lower stand through the pot with the substrate, and then the orchid roots themselves will figure out how much moisture they need to collect through the holes at the bottom.
• If the roots do not reach the bottom of the pot, then the container with the plant is simply immersed in a large stand with water and removed as soon as the root system of the plant with the substrate is wet.
• Watering should be done at least 2-3 times a week.

Avoid waterlogging the root! The next watering should not be carried out if through the edges of the plastic pot it is clear that there is still enough moisture on the roots and substrate or there is still liquid in the pan! Otherwise, the roots of the orchid will begin to rot.

Spraying plants is not recommended. It is better to practice wet wiping the leaves with a napkin. In the wild, phalaenopsis is sheltered from the rain by the crowns of trees; therefore, in indoor conditions, plentiful "rain" is also not recommended.

Top dressing

The most important condition for orchid care is its timely and proper bait. Anyone who asks how to make a phalaenopsis orchid to bloom at home should know that it is much more possible to bloom precisely at the flower that the host flavors with substances that are useful and lacking in the room growing conditions.

The plant is fed according to the root and extra-root method. Root implies the application of fertilizers using root irrigation, when the necessary amount of mineral and other substances necessary for the plant is diluted in water. Foliar is produced by the method of spraying the vegetative part with a solution of the nutrients necessary for the plant.

Before bait, you should familiarize yourself with the following rules:

• you can not fertilize the orchid while it is in a state of hibernation (as a rule, it occurs at the end of abundant flowering);
• do not fertilize phalaenopsis and for a month after transplantation;
• also do not feed diseased plants;
• during the flowering phase of the orchid, phalaenopsis should not be fed according to the root method, because of this it can lose color;
• only spraying with stimulants of flowering time is allowed.

In order not to wonder why the leaves of the Phalaenopsis orchid turn yellow, you should avoid getting root baits on the vegetative part of the plant! The same applies to foliar baits, which on the roots of the plant can also cause burns.

Scheme of root bait:

• Before the procedure, the phalaenopsis orchid must be watered.
• For each period in the life of the plant, it is recommended to use their fertilizers. For example, to activate growth after propagation by division or planting cuttings, it is recommended to use some complexes, to encourage plants to bloom - others, to increase the duration of flowering - third. Workers in specialized stores know about all this, who, if anything, will always come to the rescue. Instructions for proportions are attached to each complex.
• After preparing the nutrient solution, the pot with pre-watered phalaenopsis is immersed in it for 20 minutes. Then they take it out, allow the nutrient fluid to drain and then put it in the saucer in its usual place.

Foliar bait is practiced in cases of damage to the root system of the orchid, in case of illness and weakening of the plant due to acute nutritional deficiency.

Scheme of foliar bait:

• For such procedures, it is necessary to use exclusively finely divided spray guns.
• Conducting foliar bait should not coincide with the conduct of root. It is best to complete it after 1–2 weeks.
• You can not bait in sunny weather. The best time for her is morning or evening.
• Spray the leaves both from above and from below.
• The ingress of the nutrient solution into the funnel of the outlet (growth point) is avoided. This can disrupt the correct rhythm of the plant.
• Also, as in the case of root complexes, extra-root ones also have their own purpose (stimulation of the growth of the vegetative part, the urge to set buds, bite buds, etc.).

It is strictly forbidden to overestimate the concentration of nutrients in the prepared nutrient solutions. This will not lead to rapid development of the plant, but it can cause its illness and death!

Transplantation and reproduction

The lucky owners of these tropical plants should show interest not only in how to transplant the Phalaenopsis orchid, but also in when, and in which cases it will be justified. And it will be justified if:

1. The root plant developed to such an extent that it began to bulge out of the pot.
2. The root orchid shows signs of pain.
3. The owner decided to propagate phalaenopsis by the method of dividing the outlet.

Regular transplant

In the case of a simple transplant, you should purchase a pot of larger capacity and a special substrate, remove the plant from a small pot and, having immersed the root plant in a larger one, evenly distribute particles of fresh substrate throughout the entire capacity of the new pot. Then the plant is watered and the transplant ends up planting the plant in its place.

Outlet division

If the plant is already over 3 years old, it has more than 6-7 leaves, and additional roots go out from the sides of the outlet, you can propagate it by dividing the outlet. To do this, take a sharp disinfected knife and cut off the upper part from the main outlet with most of the leaves with several roots. Then the slices are allowed to dry, treated with an antiseptic and planted in their pots with a new substrate.

Reproduction by children (cuttings)

In order to propagate the orchid by cuttings, buds of the peduncle should be provoked to produce roots and leaves. To do this, use a special paste - a stimulant. The kidney is carefully freed from the outer shell, lubricated with paste and, subsequently, constantly spray this place with water. Soon, roots and leaflets hatch from the kidney. When the roots reach 5–6 cm, the stalk is carefully broken off from the peduncle (if it does not break off, cut off from above and below) and planted in a separate pot.

Seed propagation

This is too time-consuming process, tied to pollination and collection of seeds. Most seeds are unsuitable, so this method of propagation under normal conditions is almost never used. In addition, in the case of breeding by seeds, phalaenopsis, as a rule, loses all the decorative features of the mother plant.

How to induce phalaenopsis to bloom?

Now a few words about how to make the Phalaenopsis orchid bloom after it has lost its previous color. To provoke her into a “feat”, several methods are used:

• Technique of temperature difference. Some time after the orchid has bloomed, place it for a couple of months in a room with a lower (+ 10-15 ° C) temperature. When you again take the plant out to a room with a temperature of + 25–27 ° C, it will certainly receive a stimulus for growth and release a new peduncle.
• The method of trimming the top of a faded peduncle. With a disinfected knife, cut off the faded part of the peduncle at a distance of 2 cm from the next bud. After some time, one of the upper buds will hatch and release a side branch, on which the buds will be tied.
• The method of changing the light. The method works the same way as with temperature, only in this case the level of illumination changes. If, after long standing in a darkened room, sharply put the plant on the windowsill, this will also provoke it to bloom.

About Diseases and Pests of Phalaenopsis Orchids

For example, the phalaenopsis orchid turns yellow, what should I do? To answer this question, the root cause of yellowing should be identified. In particular, diseases of phalaenopsis orchid leaves, accompanied by yellowing, can be caused by:

• hit on them by root baits;
• thrips;
• mealybugs;
• aphids.

In the case of fertilizer, rinse the burnt sheet with a wet cloth. If yellowing has spread further, you will have to remove the damaged sheet.

In the case of pests, it will be sufficient to treat the vegetative part of the plant with special means and transplant it into a substrate that is clean from pests.

Conclusion

How to care for Phalaenopsis orchid? In short, the answer will be this: if the flower is provided with sufficient illumination, it will not be constantly rearranged from place to place, it will be protected from drafts, cold weather and sudden temperature jumps, the plant will, and more than once, give its caring owner a colorful and unique flowering!

Video will help with this.