New Phal. First Time!

[kristin2588]

I just picked up a Phal. Little Mary Ava today and I was just curious on the specifics of it. I did some research about watering and fertilizing. But I just wanted to know if there was anything special I should know about them? whats the best fertilizer to use? How much watering?

This is my first orchid, so I'm new at this. Any advice would help!

Thanks
Kristin

[Amanda L]

Welcome to the Orchid Board Kristin!! What kind of potting medium is your Phal in? What are your growing conditions? Knowing this will help ensure you get the best advice for your new orchid. oh yeah, pictures are always welcome!!

[Singingirl96]

don't overwater! Let the medium dry completely before you run it under the sink for a few minutes and drench it again. Don't expose it to direct sunlight, but it will need lots of light, so put it close to a east facing window. Other than that, just enjoy it. It will flower for about 3 months.

[RosieC]

Hi Kristen and welcome to Orchid Board.

As Singingirl said make sure you don't overwater it and make sure it is not left standing in water for any length of time. On the other hand when you do water it you should ensure that the medium is thoroughly wet.

Hopefully the pot has holes in the bottom, it's very difficult to get the watering right if there are no holes in the pot. Water it by running water through the pot from the top until it runs out the bottom, then letting it drain, or dunking the pot in water for a short time, then allowing it to drain.

How often you need to do this depends on your climate, for me it's between once a week and once every 10 days. If your pot is a clear plastic one you can tell easily when it should be watered again. If the roots are green then it does not need watering, if they are silver and there is no beeds of moisture on the inside of the pot then it's time to water again.

[kristin2588]

Thanks guys! yeah thats what I've been reading so thats good!
The orchid is from Home Depot so I don't know what they used to pot it. I'm living in RI and its next to a window right but not in the direct sunlight, there's also a humidifier in the room so im hoping that will keep it more humid for it.

Ive been reading a couple different things but i was wondering when I water it should a also fertilize it too? or how often should i do that?

[kristin2588]

Oh, here's a picture of it! Let me know what you think!

[Amanda L]

Rosie said it!! Also, if it's in moss, I would use a skewer to see if it's still moist in the middle. I can never get watering right with moss, so I use a bark mix. Clear plastic pots are the BEST!!! My orchids couldn't live without them!! Good Luck with your new Phal Kristin!! Any and all questions are welcome here, so please don't hesitate to ask.

The general rule on fertilization is to use it weekly/weakly. If you get some orchid fertilizer, it should have directions on how to mix it this way. I just use a gallon water jug and mix it in there and water with it when it's time. If the container doesn't have the weak mixing directions, just mix about 1/4 of what is says for once a month application.

[RosieC]

Amanda is right on the firtilization. Weekly/weakly is best. The Orchid fertiliser I use has instructions for weekly use so I just follow that. If the fertiliser is for monthly then use 1/4 strength weekly.

I think general advise is to use a fairly balanced fertiliser and that's what I use.

[jkofferdahl]

That's a pretty flower, Kristen.

As others have said, it's crucial to not overwater it. More new orchid owners kill plants by overwatering than any other way. Phals are more tolerant of water than some orchids, but you want to be careful. The medium should be allowed to get just dry before it is again watered, but you don't want a Phal to remain dry for long periods.

As to fertilizer, you probably would want to use a balanced food. Most places that sell the plants also sell orchid fertilizer. Look for one that has a balance between all three numbers, 10-10-10, or 20-20-20 for example. However, if the plant is in a bark mix you want to get more Nitrogen, the first number in the balance, as bark tends to absorb nitrogen. Most people agree on the "fertilize weekly, weakly" school of thought, or using about a quarter of the recommended strength, on a weekly basis.

If anything begins to look amiss with the plant, post a question right away so that someone here can help you out.

[kristin2588]

Thanks for all the help! everything I've been reading is going along with everything I'm hearing here!

I'm so excited! I'm really hoping to keep it for a long time! I've always loved orchids so now I'm just hoping to keep it healthy!

Thanks a lot!!