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I was just gifted an orchid. I’ve never have one before so I’d… | The Orchid Oasis 🇺🇸 | Planta-community

Holly

I was just gifted an orchid. I’ve never have one before so I’d appreciate any advice

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  1. MeasomerPi

    The most important thing to keep in mind is orchids like their water but the LOVE for their roots to dry out. The best way to tell is to look at the roots. Green roots = don’t water. Silver roots = watering time. The type of media dictates how I water. I grow most of my Phalanopsis in bark so they dry out reasonably fast in my growing conditions. When the phal is ready for some water (silver roots) I soak the pot for 10-15 minutes. Each time I water, I use fertilizer at 1/4 strength. Wait until the media dries out (look for silver roots) before watering again. For my setup, that works out to roughly once a week. Be carful to not get water in the crown. For plants in sphagnum, I top water only because soaking causes the sphagnum to take in too much water. These orchids usually are ready for water every second week. Again this is based on my growing conditions so watch your plant to determine when it wants water. Once a month flush with pure water to reduce salt buildup (this is especially important if you are using synthetic fertilizer or have hard water). Put your plant in in bright but indirect light. 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. Since this is a newly acquired orchid, the media is probably at the end of its useful lifespan. You’ll need to repot when it’s done blooming. I like to repot mine especially if it’s in sphagnum because I just don’t have luck with growing phals in it. Phalanopsis blooms typically last one to three months, so don’t worry when they start to fade. It’s just part of its natural annual cycle. I cut the inflorescence back to the base of the plant once the final bloom drops. There is a way to try for a second bloom but in my experience the following year flowers tend to be fewer in number and sometimes smaller. However many hobbyists do not experience this. You should experiment to see what works best for you. There is a lot of information on line about orchid care, such as YouTube channels (Miss Orchid Girl, Here.. but Not, Hello Plant Lovers and Growing Orchids With Roger), or the American Orchid Society. If you really want to dive into the rabbit hole, you can look for orchid societies in your area; nothing can replace interacting directly with growers that have been doing it for years. Good luck!

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    • Michelle’s Hobby

      Love your answer! So complete. Wish someone had that answer 6-6 months ago!!

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    • Holly

      Omg thank you so much!!

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