PHALAENOPSIS – THE MOTH ORCHID

• Temperature

  Phalaenopsis is best cultivated in hot houses because they like temperatures of 20 to 28 degrees all-year. In their natural environnement, temperatures can reach up to 28 degrees in day time however night temperatures are 2 to 3 degrees (nocturnal fall) cooler.

  Sometimes Phalaenopsis do not want to flower in their main flowering time (mostly in fall / winter). It could be useful to give them a cooler climate with day temperatures of 20 degrees and night temperatures of 17 degrees for three to four weeks – your bed room should be perfect. After the cooler period, please put the plant in a bright and warm environnement and it should soon grow flowers.

• Light

  Phalaenopsis wants to have a medium source of light. You will recognise this by their large and succulent leaves. However to encourage flowering and to avoid that it will loose its buds due to lack of light, please put it in a very bright place without direct sun. The brighter you put it (please be aware of sunlight) the more you have to be careful that it is not too hot. Please ensure a sufficient cooling by movement of the air.

• Humidity

  Humidity should be at least 60 percent of relative humidity. Phalaenopsis likes to get sprayed in the morning with soft water which has room temperature. Please make sure that the plant is dry until the evening to avoid pathogenic germs such as fungus.

• Movement of the air

  In nature you will always find air movement. A slight wind is always blowing but it is very different in a room. Often there is no air circulation which leads to unregular heat distribution especially in winter when all windows are closed. Therefore, during the whole year, a fan is best suited to move and mix the air. We recommend fans from the American based company Vornado. It is sufficient to have them run 15 Minutes per hour (in winter) and 15 Minutes per 90 Minutes (in summer).

• Fresh air

  Fresh air is just as important as movement of the air to ensure an adequate level of carbon dioxide for photosynthesis. However there should be no draught!

• Water and fertiliser

  All-year long, Phalaenopsis like a slight humidity which means your compost should not be completely dry for a longer period. However it is always useful to change the humidity of your compost. Please water with soft water and if possible on the basis of rain water. From April to September you can use fertiliser once a month. Use a commercially traded fertiliser for orchids and read the dosage instructions carefully.