The most common and unpretentious incare is the orphan phalaenopsis. These plants have received such an original name due to the external similarity of their beautiful flowers with night butterflies. From the Greek language phalania translates as "butterfly", and opsis - "similarity."
Phalaenopsis is a type of monopodialorchids: they do not form rhizomes and pseudobulbs, and their shiny hard leaves gather in a rosette, from which grow peduncles and aerial roots. The only stalk of a plant is usually shortened. Coloring of flowers can be very different: white, bright pink, lilac, yellow, orange and even green. Before buying it is desirable to learn in detail all the nuances about the phalaenopsis orchids: how to care for them, how to replant them and multiply, what conditions they should provide. We'll deal with everything in order.
Phalaenopsis orchids. How should they be cared for and what conditions should be created for them?
This plant perfectly coexists in climaticconditions of a standard city apartment: in the warm season it needs a temperature of 25 ° C to 30 ° C, and in the cold period - from 20 ° C to 25 ° C. For phalaenopsis, the presence of a difference between day and night temperatures within 5-7 ° C is important. This is a necessary condition for laying flower buds. It is not necessary to expose the plant to a prolonged drop in temperature: for a day or two, the domestic phalaenopsis orchid will survive calmly at a temperature of 10-15 ° C, but several cold days can be detrimental to the plant. It is advisable to control, so that its leaves do not touch the cold windows in winter, and it is not necessary to subject the orchid to drafts. As for lighting, in principle, a window for phalaenopsis is suitable for anyone: Western, Eastern, Southern, and Northern. But it is worth remembering: in summer, on the southern window, the plant must be shaded, protecting from direct sunlight. And in winter it is desirable to illuminate the orchid, so that the light day was not shorter than 12 hours. Phalaenopsis should periodically be rotated by 180 °, since the plant tends to tilt towards the source of illumination. It should not be moved during the bud formation on the peduncle. For orchids, high humidity is required (from 60% and higher). Dry hot air from the central heating battery in winter can become fatal for phalaenopsis. It is advisable not to let hot air masses enter the flower. Spray it at least once a day, in the morning, and also periodically put the pot on a pallet with small pebbles and a small amount of water.
Phalaenopsis orchids. How to care, water and fertilize?
Pour phalaenopsis in the summer every twoor three days, in the winter - once in two weeks, and the rest of the year about once every 7 days. Do not flood the plant. Orchid will normally suffer a small drought, but excessive watering can affect it very badly. Watering must be carried out only when the soil dries well. Typically, moisten the soil by immersing the pot in a container of water until the substrate dries completely. Water for irrigation should be non-cold, soft and clean. You can use distilled water or filtered boiled water. Fertilizers for orchids should be water soluble and not very concentrated. They are introduced exclusively into the moist substrate, and then give the solution to drain. If the flower has any problems with the roots, it can be fertilized only by spraying.
Phalaenopsis orchids. How to care: soil, transplant and pot
Transplant the plant quite rarely - inaverage once every two to three years. Before planting phalaenopsis is cut off by rotten and too long roots, and the cuts are treated with cinnamon or ulem and kept for about 2 hours in air. The plant is placed in a pot and filled with a substrate to the base of the rosette of leaves. Up to the top of the pot leave 2-3 cm. After transplant, water the orchid every 4 or 5 days.
As for the soil, it must behygroscopic, breathable and should maintain its properties for a long time. As components for the substrate used pieces of bark, charcoal, sphagnum moss, expanded clay, etc. The state of the substrate must be checked periodically, and when it is destroyed - quickly replaced. A special substrate for orchids can be purchased at the store, but you need to consider its composition and, if necessary, add the necessary elements (bark or moss) to it.
How to propagate Phalaenopsis orchid? On the flower buds of the plant, airy children are formed, which can be carefully separated and planted in sphagnum moss.
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