It exudes a unique orchid glow on the windowsill without making capricious demands on the gardener. Thanks to its uncomplicated keeping, the wonderful Phalaenopsis is the ideal orchid for beginners. These care instructions take on all the important questions about successful cultivation, peppered with useful tips.

Orchids require a lot of care

How do I water the orchid in the right amount?

The balanced water balance of a Phalaenopsis is one of the central components of well-founded care instructions. To avoid irreversible waterlogging or fatal dryness, we recommend the following procedure:

  • Dip the pot with the aerial roots once a week in summer at temperatures of 19-25 degrees Celsius
  • In winter, increase the intervals according to the reduced light and temperature conditions
  • To do this, soak the root ball so that there is no water in the heart of the plant or in the leaf axils
  • Alternatively, water with lime-free water whenever the substrate has dried

Please make sure that irrigation water can always run off unhindered. Please use a special orchid planter that has a pedestal for the culture pot inside so that the roots do not stand in the water. Wet leaves should dry off by the beginning of the night.

Pouring and spraying go hand in hand

If you ask an orchid expert for the most important tips for perfect water supply, he usually points out continuous spraying. Treat a moth orchid to a gentle mist that draws in the silvery aerial roots.

Is regular fertilizing part of the care plan?

In the period from April to October, a Phalaenopsis gratefully accepts additional nutrients. Please add a liquid orchid fertilizer to the water every third watering or dip. Between November and March, the application of fertilizer at intervals of 6-8 weeks completely covers the need. Please note that conventional flower fertilizer (€1.95) has a much too high salt concentration and is therefore completely unsuitable.

When and how to cut a Phalaenopsis?

This question should be covered in every guide, because no other question causes more headaches for beginners. It's a good thing that one central premise gives you certainty of action: Never cut off green parts of a moth orchid. How to cut your Phalaenopsis professionally:

  • Do not cut off wilted flowers, but pluck or let them fall off
  • Only cut worn flower stalks when they are completely dead
  • Just cut back to the green base of the stem with 2 to 3 buds

Phalaenopsis orchids tend to re-sprout beneath faded flower stalks and continue the flower festival. As long as there is still a green stem base, please cut back to there and give the next flowers a chance.

How do I gently repot the moth orchid?

In order to repot a Phalaenopsis in an exemplary manner, you only need to take a look at these care instructions every 2 to 3 years. If you are at the beginning of an orchid attitude, this measure will only come into focus after 5 years. The best time to switch to fresh substrate and a new culture pot is spring, just before budding begins. The orchid should not have flowers. How to proceed correctly:

  • Water or dip the orchid the day before to create flexible aerial roots
  • Knead the pot, grasp the plant between the leaves and root ball and carefully unpot
  • Shake off or rinse off old substrate
  • Insert the root network into the new pot with a twisting motion

Fill in the orchid substrate (€8.00) in small portions, repeatedly knocking open the pot. Do not water the newly repotted Phalaenopsis, just spray the leaves and aerial roots with soft water.

Is a Phalaenopsis with Yellow Limp Leaves Sick?

The robust orchid species is rarely attacked by classic plant diseases. If the leaves take on an unhealthy colour, hang limp and wrinkled, the Phalaenopsis signals discomfort. This dilemma is mostly due to negligence in care. We have compiled the most common triggers for you here with tips on how to eliminate the error:

  • A cold shock makes the leaves soft and limp: temperatures of 18 to 23 degrees Celsius are ideal
  • The foliage becomes wrinkled in the rotted substrate: immediately repot in fresh orchid soil
  • The leaves wither in waterlogging: repot as soon as possible and only dive once a week
  • Sunburn causes yellow, brown and mottled leaves: move to a partially shaded spot immediately

If the buds turn yellow while the leaves are still lush green, your Phalaenopsis is almost certainly suffering from a lack of light or from a location that is far too cold. In winter, fix the problem with a plant lamp.(21.99€) Also, avoid opening the windows in the immediate vicinity to ventilate the room.

tips

If your Phalaenopsis is a little lazy to bloom, wake up the floral spirits with a significant drop in temperatures at night. If you place the moth orchid for 6 weeks in a place where the mercury column does not exceed 16 degrees at night, this measure will stimulate flowering induction.

Category:

Indoor plants