Best Fertilizer for Phalaenopsis

[RandomGemini]

I did the same thing when I started. Let me give you a piece of advice.

Stop buying unhealthy plants.

Let that sink in for a second.

I'm not making fun of you. I did it too. It's okay. Here's why I think you should stop though:

Sometimes, the shape these plants get into in the hardware store, takes years to recover from. I mean, like as in at least two, from extensive root rot you describe. When you're just getting started, this sort of thing can be so frustrating because the only thing you want to know, is if you can make these suckers grow and rebloom for you and sometimes, it can take months for a rescued phal to even start growing new roots.

Getting that growth to watch, and a possible spike so you can get a rebloom, starts with purchasing a healthy plant. So, when you buy a phal, look for pencil thick roots that are green or silvery green. Look for between six and eight leaves that have very little damage to them. A scratch that looks like it might have happened in transit is fine. Lift the pot out of the decorative container. It should be potted in clear plastic, if it's not, pass on the plant, because you don't know if the root system is healthy or not and you need healthy roots to get flowers!

Also, buy plants that have flowers and leaves that you LOVE. You shouldn't sacrifice space for a plant in your collection, just because you felt sorry for it. I didn't realize when I got started that space is actually a precious commodity when it comes to having an orchid collection. I started with one phal and for a long time, had 7 plants... then I bought some from a nursery and then I went to an orchid show... the collection sort of multiplied. I've killed a couple along the way, but I have learned a lot in the process, so go ahead and hang on to the rescues you have. They will help you learn for the healthy plants that you purchase in the future, but don't be heartbroken if they die. It's not even your fault. The store overwaters these poor things to death, besides, even experienced growers kill plants from time to time. Hybrids are easily replaced.

From here on out, buy only plants that you know are going to be successful for you from the start. That way, you have something to look forward to in a few years if any of your rescues do survive.

[Orchid Whisperer]

Sound advice given by RG!!

It is sometimes tough to pass by the bedraggled orchids that have languished in the store for 2 months, and which have been over-watered (or never watered at all). But sometimes it is the best thing to do.

I try to think of the orchids in the grocery as not too different from bananas or carrots in the grocery.

- The orchids, carrots and bananas are all agricultural products with a shelf life

- I should not feel compelled to buy orchids, bananas, or carrots that are past their prime

- If I really know I want only organic carrots (for example), I should not feel compelled to buy any old carrot that is unlabeled, and may not be what I want/like, just because the carrot is marked down. Same goes for an unlabeled orchid, or even a labeled orchid that I have no idea what it looks like.

- Sometimes bananas go spotty --> brown --> inedible on the shelf in the store, or in my kitchen at home. If it happens, time to throw them out. The same happens with orchids.

- Admittedly, the one thing different with orchids is that where there is green, there is hope for renewal. Whether the renewal process is worth it (or not) is in the judgement of the grower.