Phalaenopsis orchid: newbie seeking advice!

[Lizzles]

Hi there!

I've recently gotten into orchids, I'm starting with phalaenopsis'. I have done all my research about watering and care. I have one phalaenopsiss that I bought quite cheap at ikea (of all places!). So far the blooms have been very happy, new ones have opened. It looked a little over watered so I took the roots out, removed all the mushy ones and replanted in new bark, and has since seemed quite happy. The one thing I'm wondering about is that the widow my orchids are on is not the warmest so the need to water is seemingly quite low, even longer than 2 weeks - is this ok? The other thing is that the leaves have some dark stains on some of them, despite being otherwise quite turgid and a nice green colour. I've attached some photos - I can't remember if the plant came with these on or not, do you think they are a cause for concern?

(I have put a bit of cinamon on the areas and moved them away from the other plants)

Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!!

[shushu45]

[Leafmite]

It is very pretty!
The most important thing is not to over-water them and to try not to get water on the leaves. They like warmth, bright, indirect light, and a well-draining medium that doesn't stay soggy. Your climate and indoor temps will influence how often you water, as well as the type of pot and medium that works best. I grow most of mine in NZ sphagnum moss in basket pots with red lava rock on the bottom or in straight red lava rock. Everyone else seems to do very well with plastic pots and bark. Good luck!

[Lizzles]

Sorry - I can't seem to put more than one photo per post! Above is the picture of the marks on the leaves, this is one is the overall plant.

Thanks so much for your reply! I'm growing them in plastic pots and bark. I'm in England, so the climate is moderate most of the time. They are on a north-east windowsill (it's such an old house it's the only windowsill and is quite drafty - so I can't move them or change the temperature!). I haven't watered two of them in 2 weeks now but the roots are still green and there is still some moisture in the pot, so I'm hesitant to water because of fear of overwatering (I hope this is right?).

Would you advise the method of soaking for ten minutes and completely draining the water? Only because they are taking so long to dry out I fear ten minutes could be too long?

Thanks again for your help and advice!




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[Optimist]

I just saw a video of a wild phal in its natural state (so neaty on youtube) it was upside down root side up, a few meters over a small marsh in a probably very warm jungle or rain forest. Seeing this just last night, and then seeing this post really reminded me of the difficulties of providing for a tropical plant in a temperate environment at the end of winter. Although this is a hybrid, that does not mean it is not a phal. I am addressing your window situation. It is better to move it slightly away from a cold window, on a small table or somewhere warmer, and place a little grow light somewhere near if you feel it is not getting enough light. A phal needs about 1500 footcandles on the high end. Next, the watering. Phals can actually take a great deal of watering. The problem is often called over watering, but what it is is water retention, or not enough air to the roots. I also think that the roots would never actually be dry if they had the proper humidity. If they are still green after 2 weeks, you might have a situation where the pot needs more holes, or you may need to change the pot.

[rvalkenburg]

For the leaf with the spot, I would cut the leaf off to make sure that does not spread to the rest of the plant. The other thing I would look into is re-potting it and I say this for a few reasons. First you can take a look at the terrestrial roots in the media to see how they are doing, cut out any dead (soft, mushy) roots. Make sure when cutting the leaf or roots to sterilize the scissors or knife you are using (rubbing alcohol works fine). When you repot it, I always make sure where the base of the leaves are (the crown) is not covered with media and it is not down inside the pot either, it needs air flow. If you want to get adventurous :-) try potting it in a stilted plastic pot that has a great deal of air flow ability (bottom and side hoels or slots) and use PrimeAgra or Hydroton as the media, it will dry out faster but it is more consistent with holding moisture then bark/charcoal/perlite does.

[Lizzles]

Hi there! I've moved my littlest orchid away from the windowsill, but it's mostly north facing so it very rarely gets any direct light, if at all, so I was worried it may not be enough light at all?

I have repotted once before in bark and the roots were mainly healthy and I removed any that were mushy. I'd love to use the hydroponics but so far I haven't even able to find any in the UK bar spending a lot of money to order in bulk through a specialist, not sure if anyone knows a good way to get some? I've also cut holes around the sides of the pot for extra air flow, and there are lots already at the bottom. The blooms on all my plants seem really happy!

Thanks everyone for such helpful replies!


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