Moth Orchids (Phalaenopsis) grow best where they receive bright light
but no direct sun. An east window is ideal, but they also thrive in south- or
west-facing windows that are shaded with sheer curtains or blinds. Plants grow
best at a temperature between 70 and 80° F. during the day and between 60-65°
at night. They also prefer a high relative humidity, of 50-80%. During winter
months, when the indoor air is extremely dry, raise the humidity around your
Orchid by running a humidifier, or setting plants in trays filled with pebbles
or gravel. Add water to a level just below the tops of the pebbles, and refill
frequently to replace water lost through evaporation. (Our Humiditrays perform
the same function.) Do NOT mist a Moth Orchid, because misting may cause the
growing point, where new leaves are produced, to rot.
Water your Orchid thoroughly (until the excess drains freely from the bottom)
when the potting mix feels dry to 1 inch below the surface. Do not allow the
pot to sit in a saucer of water, however. The simplest watering technique is
to water the plant in a sink and return the plant to the windowsill after the
pot has drained.
The plants we ship have already begun to send up a bloom spike and will start
blooming in late winter or early spring, producing flowers over several months.
(The bloom spikes may be wrapped in cotton to protect them from damage in transit.
Carefully remove the cotton on arrival.) As the flower buds expand, we recommend
that you support the bloom spike with a green bamboo stake. Tie the spike to
the stake with green plastic tape.
Do not remove the flower stem until it is completely dessicated and lifeless;
flower stems that appear to have finished producing blooms may send out more
flowering shoots months or even years later.
Moth Orchids produce fleshy, wormlike roots that have a tendency to push their
way up through the surface of the planting mix. This is perfectly normal. There
is no need to cover these roots with potting mix.
We recommend fertilizing twice a month from April to October, with a water
soluble Orchid fertilizer (30-10-10) mixed at half strength.
Repot your Orchid every other year or so after it blooms. Remove the plant
from the pot and gently shake the old potting mix from the roots. If you find
dead roots, cut them off with a sharp knife. Repot in a container no more than
2 inches larger than the previous one, using a coarse potting mix designed especially
for Orchids. Hold the stem in the center of the pot and fill the pot with premoistened
potting mix, pressing it firmly around the roots with your fingers. The lowest
leaf should just touch the surface of the potting mix. Water thoroughly after
potting.
