Grow Phal Orchid In Your Garden

Looking for the best orchid for the home or office? Then that orchid is the phalaenopsis. This amazing plant is resilient. It's an excellent choice for your first orchid where you can learn and your mistakes will not have such a significant effect on the plant's well-being. Mature plants will frequently bloom, in some cases having a number of flowers all year-round usually with an optimal blooming period in the spring. Typical domestic environments and conditions are generally more than enough. You can induce the flower twig with certain hybrids to flower again by cutting their tips after first blooming. Inciting to bloom over and over is recommended only for healthy orchids.

The provision of light to phalaenopsis is a straightforward matter. Provided that they are situated in a very vibrant window they will manage under low intensity sunlight. In the home setting an east window would be perfect and shaded from the direct sunlight of the south and west windows. In a gloomy overcast winter of the northern hemisphere an extensive exposure of the south window may be considered necessary. For such a situation indoors the use of artificial lights will do the job. What will be needed is placing above the plant is a combination of incandescent bulbs with fluorescent tubes.

In the hours of the night the temperature should not be expected to fall below 60 degrees Fahrenheit (16 degrees Celsius). While during day light hours the temperature should be between 75 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit (24 and 29 degrees Celsius). Increasing temperature induces further growth, but you should also increase air circulation and humidity with temperature. However temperatures above 95 degrees Fahrenheit (35 degrees C) are not recommended to be exceeded. Autumn night temperatures of 55 degrees Fahrenheit (13 degrees C) are advantageous for a number of weeks, to encourage growth of flower spikes. Though, temperature variations will cause buds to fall before they can bloom.

Water is particularly vital to phalaenopsis. Apart from their leaves have no other water storage capabilities. Under no circumstances should the medium be allowed to dry up. A good watering is needed initially and watered again only when about to dry out. During the summer season where dry weather has a withering effect on the plants watering may be needed every second day. Watering should be schedule for the mornings so by nightfall the leaves should be dry. This is so to limit the possibility of bacterial and fungal infections.

To the phalaenopsis humid air is essential. Generally the humidity range for this specie is from 50% to 80%. If one is to provide for their phalaenopsis a very humid atmosphere such as in a greenhouse or in some damp area indoors then it is vital to regulate air movement around the plant as well. This air circulation is considered necessary to prevent water from condensing on to the plant at night to avoid rotting of the leaves. At home where the air is usually at a comfortable temperature for us is sometimes unfortunately dry as well for your orchids. Then your best option is to provide a humidity tray underneath your pots. Make sure though, that the roots by no means remain in constant contact with the water in the tray.

When the temperatures are warmer like in spring and summer your phal should be fertilized more frequently. This is the time when your orchid shows signs of growth. An intake of high-nitrogen fertilizer is well suited when the potting medium is primarily composed of bark. Or the use of an all round fertilizer would be suitable. In cases where, blooming is wished for then a fertilizer with high phosphorus content is best used. In warm climates with prevailing humid conditions it is common amongst orchid gardeners to use a fertilizer at one quarter strength as per instructions for each time they water their phals. In cooler climates where it is generally overcast with little sunshine fertilize once every fortnight at half strength to that suggested on the fertilizing guide.

The best time to be re-potting your orchid is in the spring after it has bloomed. Like all orchids, phals should be potted into a well draining, airy medium. Re-potting usually depends on the growth rate of the plant and on the time it takes for the medium to decompose. Seedlings will need to be re-potted every year because of their fast growing process until they mature. Mature plants only required re-potting when the mixture has began to decompose which is about two years. A fine grade mixture is recommended for seedlings and a medium grade for mature phals. Clean away old potting medium and bugs attached to the roots. Trim off any roots that have rotted. Place new mixture on the bottom of pot and spread the root system over the mix and finally fill the pot with new mix up to the point, where the roots join with the stem. By keeping in line with these basic facts on the phal orchid one shouldn't have any trouble growing it.