Phalaenopsis orchids have become the #1 selling flowering plant species worldwide because of their long flower life, low light requirement, and ease of culture. You can expect most Phalaenopsis orchids to flower naturally in the spring (with new flower spikes emerging before Christmas and blooming in early spring).
This winter I have been working a 9-5 job in Raleigh, so I have had less time than I would like to keep this blog up to date. I will add to the sparse descriptions as time allows.
The early spring-blooming orchids are starting to pop. As you probably know, most orchids bloom in either the spring or the fall with many fewer in summer and mid-winter. I like spring flowers the best; after winter I am ready for some flowers! Oh, and the Brassavola nodosa has been in on our bar in the dining room for 2 months now, perfuming us every evening!
Most Phalaenopsis plants naturally bloom in the spring. Of course you see them in the stores year-round, but most of those plants have been forced by the grower to bloom out of season. Even those will revert back to blooming in the spring for you. Continue reading “Time for Phalaenopsis spikes!”
Improper potting kills more home-grown orchids than any other factor. Potting for your conditions is the most important orchid-growing skill you can develop.
This is the first repotting video and several more will follow. I started with Phalaenopsis for multiple reasons, primarily because more than half of the orchids in cultivation are Phalaenopsis. Also, Phalaenopsis are very easy to repot so it made sense to start here. I intend to follow up with repotting videos for Cattleyas, Oncidiums, and Dendrobiums.
To repot a Phalaenopsis we will need a plant, a pot, and some mix. In many cases removing the mix from the roots will be more involved than it is in this video; be patient, remove any rotted roots, and be carefull with the healthy roots. Before you begin, wash your hands carefully, especially if you have handle other orchid plants. Viruses are easy to transfer from one plant to another during repotting.
The size of the pot is very much dependent on the size of the mass of the remaining healthy roots, which we do not want to damage. But also, do not be tempted to overpot. I prefer to use pots no larger than about 6″ or 6 1/2″ for Phalaenopsis. Larger pots tend to stay too wet in the middle, which can rot the roots and kill the plant. If you cannot fit the rootball into the pot without damaging the roots, you may have to do some root pruning.
