Care Tips for Phalaenopsis orchids

The phalaenopsis orchid is one of the most beautiful and admired worldwide.

Surely many of you have received this plant as gift on Valentine's Day or another date highlighted.

Although care is not difficult, as mistakenly think, showing you simple recommendations to enjoy this range for a long time without too much sacrifice.

Flowering

Under favorable conditions the phalaenopsis live between 3 and 7 years, flowering two or three times a year.

Its flowering is very durable, the rods can withstand up to thirty petals begin to wilt and not until he has flourished the last bud, which can be a two or three months beyond the onset of flowering.

Once all the flowers are wilted, it is recommended pruning, cutting the stem above the third or fourth bud, Hence another stem will begin to sprout.

A critical moment for the plant is when the buds are swollen, about to open. We should not stress the plant is these days with changes in location, temperature or humidity. Any such changes may lead to the premature fall of the buttons, without ever blooming.

Temperature and Humidity

A phalaenopsis orchids do not like extreme temperatures or drafts. On the contrary, is very comfortable in sites with abundant light and moisture.

Under normal circumstances be sufficient to water them once a week in winter, increasing the frequency in spring and summer. The key is to avoid reaching dry land, without always having it flooded.

The water irrigation will be better the more natural. If tap water is too chalky can collect rainwater or use a neutral mineral water. If we get very chlorinated water can let it stand several hours and then water. You must be at room temperature.

It should be watered without wetting the leaves and the center of the plant. Do not leave standing water in the center of the leaves or roots continually swamped, recognizable by a deep green color. Nor is it desirable to leave water in the dish.

We should have Caution with the heating during the winter months. The orchid may find a more dry, which could hurt. Our recommendation is to place the pot on a plate with water and pebbles so that the base of the container does not get wet. You can spray occasionally. Another way to facilitate the proper moisture content could be put several plants together, so they will make the right microclimate.

Substrate and pot

The phalaenopsis is green chlorophyll in their roots, use them to perform photosynthesis. It is therefore sold in transparentes machetes and TranslucideTo facilitate the light reaching them. Do not transplantéis classics opaque ceramic pots, or the cubráis with embellecodores not permit the passage of light.

These orchids are well adjusted to their pots, even if they seem small. While a transplant could come to them every two or three years, in spring. We can remove the dried roots carefully, paying attention to the aerial roots remain so, do not cover them.

We will always use a special substrate for them, usually based on peat and pine bark, leaving a good drainage.

Abono

The substrate used is usually very poor in nutrients, so it's good for the plants provide nutrients through a special liquid fertilizer for orchids. But do not you pass to the doses, can burn the roots.

Always paid on the substrate and watered.

Its most common disease


High humidity, low temperature and poor ventilation are the ideal conditions for the growth of bacteria Pseudomonas cattleyae, Which attacks almost every orchid in the Phalaenopsis but is fatal in a few days. Produce rots the leaves known as "Brown spot (brown spot) and the infection appears as translucent and watery spots on the leaves.

It is a highly contagious disease among orchids, so it is desirable to isolate from other plants as a first step.

The most effective is to cut with a sharp blade portion of infected leaf and place the plant in a well ventilated, while avoiding watering during a week or until it is seen that the progression of the rot has stopped.

Had dead roots (they are recognized as they tend to be "deflated" and be brown) must be cut using scissors that we will have gone through the flame of a candle in order to sterilize them to prevent virus transmission.