Orchid care

The Butterfly Orchid (its other names: Phalaenopsis orchid, Moth orchid) is becoming more and more widespread and well-known, but it is still a mystical and unique plant, that blooms for a very long time. Many people are afraid to take care of it, because they do not know this plant. There are more than thirty thousand species of orchids on our planet, but only a few dozen are available in stores.

If someone wants to keep an orchid at home, it is worth choosing the butterfly orchid because its care is easier and simpler than that of other orchids.

The plant is characterized by its short and compact oval leaves, and the butterfly-shaped flowers on its long stem. Orchids are originally inhabitants of tropical forests, where they live on top of trees and take nutrients from the air instead of the soil, which is why this plant grows aerial roots. These roots should not be removed from the plant, and the plant should never be planted in soil because it will suffocate in it.

What kind of pot should we use for orchids and how should we repot them?

When repotting, buy a special orchid potting mix, which is excellent for the orchid, it's usually a mixture of pine bark, coconut fiber, perlite, and peat moss. It is available in smaller sizes at nurseries, garden centers.

It is recommended to repot the butterfly orchid once every two to three years, but the size of the new pot should not be much larger than the previous one, as in this case the plant will only develop the roots, not the plant itself.

A transparent pot is useful because the orchid's root is also capable of photosynthesis, can utilize the light passing through the pot, and we can also check the condition of the roots. But if we do not have such a pot, we can plant the plant in a normal pot.

The most well-known colors are snow-white, purple, pink, and violet.

One of the most important needs of the orchid is a constantly warm and humid environment.

Thanks to the work of gardeners, these orchids are adapting better and better to warmer weather, but they still cannot tolerate cold weather for a long time.

At a temperature of 10-15 °C (50-59 °F), growth stops and buds in development may fall off. The temperature requirements of the butterfly orchid: winter: 18-23 °C (64-73 °F), summer: 18-27 (64-81 °F) degrees. Too hot and dry climate is also not good for the plant.

During the summer, do not put the plant out to the garden to a sunny place in 40 °C (104 °F) heat, as the leaves may easily burn. Instead, place it in a shady and protected place. If the orchid is kept indoors, avoid drafty rooms. Pay attention to this especially in winter.

The orchid tends to grow leaves in the summer and flowers in the winter.

The reason for this is that, similar to tropical forests, the daytime warmth and nighttime cooling have a favorable effect on the plant's life processes.

Humidity is important for the orchid

The butterfly orchid can already develop nicely at 50-60% humidity, while 70-80% humidity is ideal for other species. For that reason the butterfly orchid can be easily grown at home.

Also pay attention to the watering of the orchid, never let water stand underneath it, and be careful with spraying too

If water accumulates under or on the leaves of the orchid, a harmful rotting process can start. It is better to spray the plant in the morning or in the morning hours, as the water that accumulates at the base of the leaves can evaporate. While in the evening it cannot evaporate at the lower temperature. This can cause the leaves to start rotting. When spraying, it is better to only spray the leaves of the plant and not the flowers, or only do it less frequently.

A watering method for those who have more time: immerse the pot in water for 10 minutes every two or one week, so that it absorbs the water, then drain it. The water should be enriched with nutrients every two weeks.

What to do with your orchid after it has bloomed?

You can encourage a second bloom by cutting and pruning the orchid

Cut the remaining flower stem to encourage a second bloom. The flowers may be smaller at the second bloom, but just as beautiful. If the orchid does not bloom, it may be due to lack of nutrients. When pruning, do not cut the stem back completely. There are nodes on the stem, and the last three nodes should be left intact. Wait one to two weeks after blooming before pruning, as new side shoots often emerge from these stems.

Proper nutrient replenishment is important, use specialized orchid fertilizers

Proper and regular nutrient replenishment is important. For this purpose, buy specialized fertilizers for orchids. When watering, it is best to use rainwater or carbon-free mineral water. If using tap water, be aware that hard water can cause white spots on the leaves, which is actually limescale. It is only recommended to use boiled and cooled tap water for misting.

Pay attention to pests and diseases, especially when buying an orchid. Do not buy a plant which already has yellowing leaves or suspicious brown spots on the leaves.

So the most important care tips:

• Water the orchid plant once a week and never let it stand in water. It's advisable to use rain or mineral water for watering. Regularly, about every two weeks, feed the orchid with a special orchid fertilizer.
• Keep our orchid in a bright, warm place without direct sunlight. Usually, scattered light is more than enough for an orchid.
• Transplant it every two to three years into a special orchid medium.

The butterfly orchid requires significantly more care than other houseplants, but it's worth trying because the plant can bloom for 4-5 months. It's worth keeping it in different colors because one color highlights the other.

The most common diseases, pests and causes of destruction of orchids:

Water shortage:

The first sign of water shortage in orchids, which is easiest to notice, is when the leaves droop.

In the best case, the reason for this is simply that watering is delayed. In this case, the roots are healthy and the planting medium is naturally dry. All we have to do is water it and put the plant in a humid place until it recovers. In its absence, a nylon bag will do the trick, into which we draw the pot after draining. Tie the mouth of the bag, leaving only the stem of the flower free. In 3-10 days, the Phalaenopsis will be back to its old self.

Overwatering:

The drooping leaf may be a consequence of overwatering. In this case, the roots have softened and turned yellow. The overwatered orchid is best taken out of the pot carefully, examined to see if the entire root system has died or not.

We remove the dead parts and replant it in black pine bark or its original medium. Cut the flowers. Water the moist medium only when it starts to dry out. In this case, it is inevitable to bag it. Depending on the level of development and growth phase, it takes 1-6 months to regenerate the plant in a warm and bright place. Unfortunately, there is little chance of success in the case of complete root destruction.

Snail infestation:

The presence of snails is first revealed by the leaves. We can suspect their presence if we follow the most important rule of watering, which is to keep the medium always moist without drying out or standing in water, and yet the orchid is drooping.

Mostly small, brown or black snails not larger than 3-5mm can cause damage. They feed on the roots, primarily the growing root tips or freshly emerging flower stems. Getting rid of them is not difficult, but constant attention is needed.

Dip the pot in water up to its edge. The animals climb up to the edge of the pot, to the upper roots, and to the base of the lower leaves. They are very difficult to notice, often hiding between the leaves. We can collect the snails thoroughly by repeating the above method several times, preferably during watering.

Not enough roots:

Even with proper watering and pest-free potting mix, orchids can wilt.

After watering, its condition may improve somewhat, but this is only temporary. Eventually, even the petals of the open flowers will become limp. It is likely due to an unfavorable balance between the root system and the foliage.

In such cases, keeping the Phalaenopsis orchid in a greenhouse or in the aforementioned plastic bag, where the high humidity reduces evaporation, will alleviate the symptoms. In a few months, when the roots have developed sufficiently, the butterfly orchid will also thrive in a normal living environment.

Over-fertilization:

Overuse of fertilizer can cause root decay and leaf spotting in orchids.

The roots are sensitive to excess nutrients. This can be prevented by using the nutrient solution only in heavily diluted amounts and as a foliar fertilizer. This way, the necessary nutrients can still be taken up by the plant.