Need Help With My New Phal Orchid - Orchid Board

karisalisha · #1 04-02-2010, 01:45 PM

I've just bought a Phal (Phal. Ho's Little Caroline - mericlone) last Thursday from a grocery store. It's blooming quiet nicely and I see a few that's about to bloom. Try to manage not killing this one (killed one few years ago due to total lack of orchid knowledge), I read some books on them but still quiet confused.

1. Feeding. I bought a Schultz 19-31-17 yesterday and its instruction says 1/4 tsp per gallon of water. Now I have the mixture ready, but do I use the entire gallon of water or just 1/8 or 1/4 of a gallon because my orchid is only about 4" in diameter and 24" tall. After 1/4 of the gallon, its already quiet soaked up. I don't want to drown it, so do I save the rest and use it next week when I water/feed it? I plan to water and feed at the same time once a week from the gallon mixture. Should I use one gallon every time (though that will take a long time due to the size of the orchid) or just enough to soak it? If not the entire gallon, then the orchid is not getting 1/4tsp of fertilizer??

2. My orchid had a plastic container along with a ceramic container outside when I bought it. I see a root coming out of the plastic container this morning while I was watering it. Should I take the orchid out of the plastic container and just put it in the ceramic container, then cover it with sphagnum moss around it? It's only been a week since I bought it, not sure if I should do anything like repotting right now since it's in the middle of blooming.

Thank you for any advice regarding the above or anything else I should know about my particular orchid. Determined this time to really take a good care of it.

RosieC · #2 04-02-2010, 02:54 PM

First off, welcome to Orchid Board

1. I would just use as much water as you need to soak the medium. Make sure it drains afterwoods. You don't want to leave an orchid sitting in water for long. I use outer pots on my Phal and I water by filling that pot for about 15min so I only use enough water to fill that. However you water make sure it drains well and is not left standing in water for more than a short time.

These days I have enough orchids to use up all the water, but when I just had one or two I used to make up smaller quantities. I once counted how many drops went in a teaspoon and did the calculation to number of drops for samller quantities.

2. Does the ceramic container have holes or is it like my 'outer pots' which are solid glass or ceramic with no holes. If there are no holes then you do NOT want to put it direct in that pot. You always need holes in the pot so you can drain it fully after watering.

Phals tend to like growing their roots out the pot, most of mine are doing it and I would not worry about it.

karisalisha · #3 04-02-2010, 03:11 PM

So I assume that means I need to use the whole gallon of water each time I water/feed... That will surely take some time to water since I have to wait for the orchid to absorb before adding more.

Yes, the outer pot has a hole on the bottom. I think I eventually have to remove the plastic container although the ceramic pot is not any bigger than the plastic container but just taller.

Thanks Rosie!

trdyl · #4 04-02-2010, 03:21 PM

Welcome to OB!

I would advise against putting a Phal in a ceramic pot. The reason being when it is time to repot either due to out growing it or media break down many times the only way to get it out is to shatter the pot.

As far as roots growing out of the pot this is normal. If the media is good and it is not way underpotted do not repot.

The mixed fertilzer will be fine to save for use later on.

PleuroPal · #5 04-02-2010, 03:29 PM

Hi,
Welcome to Orchid Board.
You don't need to use the whole gallon of fetilizer mixture every time you water/feed. A good routine would be something like this: Each week, or whenever you water, take the plastic pot out of the decorative pot and water the plant thoroughly with just plain water. Let it drain in the sink (or wherever) pretty well. Then, water it with your fertilizer mixture - again, just enough to give it a good drenching - and let that drain well before putting it back in the outer pot.

I don't think you need to transplant it yet - wait until after it's done blooming. If you can, take some pictures of it and post them I'm sure people here can tell you whether it needs repotting.

One other note: Don't let water sit in the crown of the plant.

karisalisha · #6 04-02-2010, 03:29 PM

Thank you Ted for the info! Let's say my orchid lives through my care and actually grows and one day needs to move to a bigger pot, what kind of pot medium should I use then?

karisalisha · #7 04-02-2010, 03:36 PM

Ray, thank you for that clear direction. Now I know just how to water my orchid ;-)

A few minutes ago, while I was checking the bottom of my pot I accidently dropped the orchid! A few petals fell off my precious orchid and I hope not to do that again!

trdyl · #8 04-02-2010, 03:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by karisalisha

Thank you Ted for the info! Let's say my orchid lives through my care and actually grows and one day needs to move to a bigger pot, what kind of pot medium should I use then?

My media of choice is PrimeAgra. I grow in S/H (Semi-Hydroponics). Others use a bark based media or sphagnum moss. The are many other medias out there also. It really depends on what is best for you.

I really like S/H. If I need to go away for a couple of weeks, they are fine on thier own.

RosieC · #9 04-02-2010, 03:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by karisalisha

A few minutes ago, while I was checking the bottom of my pot I accidently dropped the orchid! A few petals fell off my precious orchid and I hope not to do that again!

I dropped one of mine 3 times within a couple of days. Poor thing coped very well considering and while several flowers had damage marks they still lasted another 6 weeks before finally dropping. Don't worry, we all do it

RosieC · #10 04-02-2010, 04:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by karisalisha

So I assume that means I need to use the whole gallon of water each time I water/feed... That will surely take some time to water since I have to wait for the orchid to absorb before adding more.

Sorry, no that's not what I meant. I used to make up smaller amounts with just a few drops of fertiliser but like others have said I think you can store any left over to use later.