Fertilizer
Must be provided on a regular
basis because most potting media have little.
Provide: The exact fertilizer
you use will depend on the mix in which your plant is growing. A
good general rule is to use a balanced (10-10-10, 12-12-12 or
similar ratio) fertilizer "weakly, weekly." That is,
fertilize every week at one quarter toone half of the recommended
dilution.
Potting
Should be done every one to two
years before the mix breaks down too far. Best done in late spring
after main flowering season, using a well-drained but
water-retentive mix. Select pot size for root mass, not top size.
Humidity
Phalaenopsis need 60 to 70 percent
humidity. In the home, place on trays of moistened pebbles. In
greenhouse, use a humidifier if conditions are too dry.
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The
Moth Orchid
Phalaenopsis has become North America’s
favourite orchid. And no wonder. Perhaps no other orchid is better
suited to home orchid growing. Plants with long-lasting sprays of
lovely moth like blooms in a broad array of colours are inexpensive
and widely available, ready to give weeks of pleasure in your home
or office. Simply provide modest light and consistent moisture, and
they will delight you with their relative ease of culture. The main
flowering season is late winter into spring, though commercial
growers today can make flowering phalaenopsis is available year
round.
Light
Sufficient light is important for
healthy growth and flower production.
Provide: Bright light, no direct sun.
In the home, an east, west or shaded south window. In a greenhouse,
about 30 percent full sun. Under lights, four 40 watt fluorescent tubes
and two 40 incandescent bulbs directly over plants. Foliage should be
naturally semierect, and of a medium olive-green colour. Dark green,
limp foliage indicated too little light.
Temperature
Mature plants need a 15 to 20 F
difference between night and day.
Provide: Nights of 60 to 65 F; days
of 75 to 85 F. Seedlings need temperatures five to 10 degrees higher
than mature plants.
Water
Mature plants should seldom dry out
between waterings. Seedlings need more constant attention to
moisture.
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