5 commenti

1. 

   MeasomerPi

   about 3 years ago

   I recommend cutting the spike back to the base. It is spent and you will not get snore flowers from it. But don’t fret! With proper care you will get another show next year. Since it is finished blooming now is a great time to repot. Typically, when you bring home a plant, they are in sphagnum that is tightly packed. That’s not a great setup for the home grower. Or those in bark, the media is beginning to break down. From the photo, the bark in your plant doesn’t look to be in too bad of shape. You might want to pluck out some to see what condition it’s in. Generally, you’ll need to repot every 2-3 years or when the media is broken down. If you feel like it’s is time to repot, I would first give it a good soak as things are easier when hydrated. Take the orchid out of the pot and gently remove the media from the roots. Try get it all, but it’s fine if you have to leave some so you don’t damage the roots. And don’t worry if you damage some roots. It isn’t great but it happens. Just try to minimize as much as possible. Examine the roots for health and pests. Trim off any dead or dying roots. Dead roots are papery or mushy, black or brown. Healthy roots are firm and green when wet, silvery when dry. Deeper into the media you may encounter pale yellow roots. It just means they haven’t been exposed to light. They are fine as long as they are firm. I would leave any wrinkled roots as long as they are firm. If the plant will not fit in your current pot, upsize so that the roots just fit in the pot. They like a tight fit. If you have to upsize, orchid pots with additional ventilation are very helpful. They are typically clear so you can monitor root development, like the one it’s currently in. If you don’t have one, you can add holes to a growers pot or any other plastic pot you have on hand. You can also continue to use terracotta if you prefer, but I find it is harder to repot plants directly in terracotta because the roots really hold onto the pot. To minimize transplant shock, use a similar mix to what it currently is in. If your plant is in sphagnum, I would repot using a mix of 50% sphagnum 50% bark. That will allow moisture to hang around long enough for the roots to take in what they want without cutting off air circulation. If you are a heavy waterer you can reduce the amount of sphagnum in your mix. My preference is straight bark. The key is a loose airy mix that will allow the roots to dry between waterings. Regardless of what mix you use, gently work it around the roots. I use an old chopstick for the job. The goal is to firmly seat the plant in the pot without packing the media. You want an airy mix that allows the roots to grab the water they want and then dry out. Orchids like their water but the LOVE for their roots to dry out. When I water, I soak the pot for 10-15 minutes. Wait until the media dries out (look for silver roots). For my setup, that works out to once a week. Each time I water, I use fertilizer at 1/4 strength. Once a month flush with pure water to reduce salt buildup (this is especially important if you are using synthetic fertilizer). Put your plant in in bright but indirect light. I know, I know, every plant wants that. But direct sun will burn a phal pretty quickly. Too low and you won’t get blooms. I have mine an a west window that is shaded by landscaping. They get absolutely no direct sun. If the edges of the leaves turn reddish you know you are at the max limit of sun for your plant. I find caring for orchids very rewarding and mildly frustrating. Luckily they are tough plants. As long as you don’t drown it you will do great. Good luck

   7 Mi piace
   • I

     iambijoux

     about 3 years ago

     This was AMAZING

     2 Mi piace
   • 

     MeasomerPi

     about 3 years ago

     Thanks! I get excited about orchids.

     1 mi piace
2. N

   Newbee

   about 3 years ago

   Thanks that’s a big help with a grateful heart

   1 mi piace
3. 

   MeasomerPi

   about 3 years ago

   I am always excited to share the good news about orchids. They are really amazing plants.

   0 Mi piace