Soil for Growing Phalaenopsis and How to Care for It After Blooming
Phalaenopsis is a very beautiful plant, but because it has relatively high demands on its environment, when we grow Phalaenopsis we need to accurately match all the elements in the environment so that it can grow smoothly. In addition, blooming is an important growth stage for all plants, and how to care for Phalaenopsis after it blooms is also a question worth considering.
What soil to use for growing Phalaenopsis
First, we can note that Phalaenopsis is a plant with epiphytic characteristics, so when planting it, soil should not be used.
Second, Phalaenopsis has its own requirements when it comes to choosing a growing medium. Its demands on the medium are fairly high: it needs a medium that is airy, well-draining, slightly acidic and resistant to rot.
When choosing a medium, we have two options.
One is to buy some special orchid medium for growing Phalaenopsis on the market. This medium has already been mixed and can be used directly; it is of course more worry-free and labor-saving, and for growers who do not know how to choose or mix soil, this kind of medium is a good choice.
The other is to mix the medium yourself. When mixing a medium for Phalaenopsis, you can generally use sphagnum moss, wood shavings, bark, charcoal and so on, either alone or in a mixed blend, to meet the needs of Phalaenopsis as much as possible.
What to do after Phalaenopsis blooms
After the flowers of Phalaenopsis fade, if you want it to bloom a second time, simply cut off the flower stem and continue normal care. However, note that after a long period of growth, the growing medium of Phalaenopsis will age and needs to be replaced in time; otherwise the medium will become less airy, the roots will not be able to breathe properly, and the Phalaenopsis may suffer root rot or even die.
After the flowers fade, you can repot in May. When repotting, be careful to sterilise and disinfect, trim the roots, and place the plant in a cool, well-ventilated spot, which is good for its growth.
Care tips for Phalaenopsis
Under normal circumstances, a new Phalaenopsis plant needs 3 months of cultivation before the flower buds sprout, making blooming possible.
Temperature is the main factor affecting the differentiation and formation of Phalaenopsis flower buds. Not only is a certain accumulated annual temperature needed, but short-term low-temperature treatment is also required.
After late autumn arrives, the growing environment at night must be kept at 15-18°C for the flower buds to differentiate normally. Then, for one and a half consecutive months, the plants need low-temperature treatment of about 18 hours per day, which will cause the plants to sprout many flower buds.
Next, the night temperature should be kept within 18-20°C, and after 3-4 months of growth, bright flowers will appear.
Because Phalaenopsis has a relatively long flowering period, cutting the flower stalk early to make cut flowers allows a second bloom in the same year.
Of course, different varieties of Phalaenopsis bloom at different times. Usually each flower stalk can bear more than a dozen flowers, opening in sequence from the bottom upward, and the flowers on each stalk can last about a month or more. To make the flowers bloom more abundantly, liquid fertiliser can be sprayed on the leaves and roots during the peak growth period.
In spring, fertilise usually once every 3-4 weeks. Once the flowering period begins, stop fertilising, and after the flowers drop, fertilise once every 10 days. Choose a liquid fertiliser with a relatively high phosphorus and potassium content, and apply only a small amount at a dilute concentration.
Summer is the peak growth season for Phalaenopsis. After applying a solid organic fertiliser once on the surface of the pot, apply liquid fertiliser once a week; in autumn, as temperatures drop, reduce fertilising as well, until fertilising stops after the end of October.
Growth habits of Phalaenopsis
Because Phalaenopsis originally comes from tropical rainforest regions, it likes to grow in warm climates and is not cold-tolerant. The most suitable growing temperature is around 15-20°C; when it drops below 10°C in winter, growth stops, and below 5°C it can die.
Phalaenopsis has physiological structures that protect it from the effects of stress in low-humidity environments, but in overly humid, high-temperature environments it is prone to disease, so suitable humidity should also be maintained for Phalaenopsis to grow healthily.
Growing Phalaenopsis is not a very simple matter. It requires us to master every stage of cultivation and to give Phalaenopsis appropriate care in different seasons, so that it can grow better and show its colours and radiance to the fullest.