Pages

Take Care Of Your Moth Orchids

By Donald Evans


Orchids are probably among the most popular luxurious flowering plants. Phalaenopsis orchids, moth orchids or phals, are really lovely house plants native to Australia and southeastern Asia. These beautiful decorative plants usually have several quite broad, floppy, alternating leaves, and one or more flower spikes carrying luxurious large flowers.

These lovely large flowers may have up to four inches in diameter, and come in all different colors and color variations. The spike is usually up to 18 inches long, an carries several flowers. It is usually only one spike at the time, but larger plants may have a few spikes, each carrying a few flowers. In any case, the plant is quite attractive, and really popular.

There are so many species of orchids, and the problem is that each requires different type of care. Phals prefer diffuse light, preferably morning light, indirect by all means, and temperatures around seventy degrees F. Make sure your plant is really a phal first, before finding a right place for it. If you choose the east window, you probably won't make a mistake.

Although moths prefer indirect or filtered morning light, the right amount of light is really important, if you want it to bloom regularly. If it doesn't get enough sun, it won't re-bloom as it should. On the other hand, direct sunlight might burn the leaves. Finding the right balance is quite important here, and the best type of light is natural light.

Plant your new moth in a clay pot filled with bark mix, there are several types designed especially for orchids. In any case, you should never use various potting soils for this purpose. Moths require substrates that dry easily and allow the roots to get enough air. Plastic pots can also be used. The important thing is that the pot has enough holes on the bottom.

Watering is quite tricky. Too much water could make damage to the roots, and although the plant should be watered once a week, it's better to check the soil first. If the soil is wet, don't water the plant yet. When watering the orchid, pour the water only on the substrate, and do it until it starts to come out from the holes.

Feed your plant once a month with orchid fertilizer diluted in water. When choosing the fertilizer, avoid these that use urea as the nitrogen source, because it can burn the root tips. It is better to use maybe one half of the recommended amount of fertilizer, and be careful not to get any on the leaves or in between them, just in the substrate.

Keep the temperature in the room in between seventy and eighty degrees, your orchid will be pleased about it. During the night, the temperature should never be lower than sixty degrees. When buying your orchid, make sure to check the roots. If they are brittle and very hard, the plant will probably not survive, and if they are really squishy, it was over-watered. This plant may be saved if you trim those roots and re-pot the plant.




About the Author:



By Donald Evans


Orchids are probably among the most popular luxurious flowering plants. Phalaenopsis orchids, moth orchids or phals, are really lovely house plants native to Australia and southeastern Asia. These beautiful decorative plants usually have several quite broad, floppy, alternating leaves, and one or more flower spikes carrying luxurious large flowers.

These lovely large flowers may have up to four inches in diameter, and come in all different colors and color variations. The spike is usually up to 18 inches long, an carries several flowers. It is usually only one spike at the time, but larger plants may have a few spikes, each carrying a few flowers. In any case, the plant is quite attractive, and really popular.

There are so many species of orchids, and the problem is that each requires different type of care. Phals prefer diffuse light, preferably morning light, indirect by all means, and temperatures around seventy degrees F. Make sure your plant is really a phal first, before finding a right place for it. If you choose the east window, you probably won't make a mistake.

Although moths prefer indirect or filtered morning light, the right amount of light is really important, if you want it to bloom regularly. If it doesn't get enough sun, it won't re-bloom as it should. On the other hand, direct sunlight might burn the leaves. Finding the right balance is quite important here, and the best type of light is natural light.

Plant your new moth in a clay pot filled with bark mix, there are several types designed especially for orchids. In any case, you should never use various potting soils for this purpose. Moths require substrates that dry easily and allow the roots to get enough air. Plastic pots can also be used. The important thing is that the pot has enough holes on the bottom.

Watering is quite tricky. Too much water could make damage to the roots, and although the plant should be watered once a week, it's better to check the soil first. If the soil is wet, don't water the plant yet. When watering the orchid, pour the water only on the substrate, and do it until it starts to come out from the holes.

Feed your plant once a month with orchid fertilizer diluted in water. When choosing the fertilizer, avoid these that use urea as the nitrogen source, because it can burn the root tips. It is better to use maybe one half of the recommended amount of fertilizer, and be careful not to get any on the leaves or in between them, just in the substrate.

Keep the temperature in the room in between seventy and eighty degrees, your orchid will be pleased about it. During the night, the temperature should never be lower than sixty degrees. When buying your orchid, make sure to check the roots. If they are brittle and very hard, the plant will probably not survive, and if they are really squishy, it was over-watered. This plant may be saved if you trim those roots and re-pot the plant.




About the Author:



No comments:

Post a Comment