Care Instructions:
- Because of the bark media that they grow in, I've found the best way to water orchids is, first put them in the sink. A good thorough soak will make sure they are evenly watered. Let the water drain for a few minutes. Watering this way makes a big difference.
- You can also spray their leaves when you do this, keeping them clean and giving them some instant humidity. It's best to let them dry out about 1/2" from the top of the media before watering. I do prefer using touch rather than time to decide when plants are ready to be watered.
- If you keep the temperature in your house below 70°F (or 21°C) in the winter, you shouldn't have to be concerned about the humidity levels, although a daily mist would always be appreciated. If your house temperature is over 70°F (or 21°C )in the winter, and if you keep your air conditioning below 75°F (or 24°C), you may want to place your orchid on a tray with pebbles in it and keep water in the tray just to the top of the pebbles so that the plant is not sitting in water. The evaporating water and a daily mist will definitely help.
- Fertilize them regularly, African violet food works well, as does a plant food specifically for orchids. You can use a specific orchid fertilizer or a general houseplant food, which works well, too.
- Please click on comments, if you need any more information or have any questions about orchid care.
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**To see other plants on this blog click here: The Indoor Garden blog
***For a variety of video clips on houseplant care from my 90's TV series, click below:
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The Indoor Garden TV show
Hi, thank you so much for posting this. Please explain a little more about how to "soak" when you water the Phal. Do you immerse the whole plastic pot with Bark & Phal in a larger pot/pan filled with water and it all soak ? If so, how long do you let it soak for? Then of course one would pull the complete pot - Bark & Phal - out of the water and let water drain out until it stops. Do you water this way every time? - like weekly - or do you water this way less like once a month. New Phal gardener here - also in Arlington, VA
ReplyDeleteI place the pot in a larger container that will hold water. I don't immerse the plant in a container that was first filled with water. Instead, I set the plant in the container and water it from the top. Then, I let it sit in the excess water that drained through for about 10 minutes or so. That's usually about 3" or more. Ok to water generously! I water this way every time but that's not always necessary. I water when the media is dry about 1" from the top of the media. That's usually about every 10 days for plants in 6" diameter pots. It's far more important to test the moisture level rather than rely on set timing. Several factors such as how sunny it's been and the temperature of the room contribute to how fast an orchid will use the water.
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