How to Care for Phalaenopsis Orchids in Winter: Master Winter Care Tips for a Safe Winter

For how to care for Phalaenopsis orchids in winter, simply put, it is about keeping them warm. Temperature is the hard requirement. If the winter temperature cannot reach 15°C or above, it is a big blow to Phalaenopsis orchids and may even cause death, so meeting the temperature condition in winter is the primary requirement for Phalaenopsis orchids to survive the winter.

Because Phalaenopsis orchid varieties differ, and the climate in each region also varies, some flower lovers' growing environments were below 15°C and the plants still pulled through, but this is, after all, only a minority. In order to stay closer to real growing conditions, this article compiles some flower lovers' winter care experience with Phalaenopsis orchids.

Flower lover A: At temperatures of 10-15°C, Phalaenopsis orchids enter a semi-dormant state and grow slowly. Below 10°C they go dormant, and the bottom leaves begin to degenerate and turn yellow. Below 7°C, cold damage begins to appear on the leaves. Below 5°C, cold damage worsens, cells dehydrate and lose metabolic capacity. When growing Phalaenopsis orchids indoors in winter, if the average indoor temperature is below 12°C and the lowest temperature is below 7°C, with no heating equipment used, they will not be able to survive the winter normally.

Flower lover B: In winter, when the temperature is below 15°C, water control is needed. Keep the sphagnum moss dry. On sunny days at noon when the temperature is higher, a little water mist can be sprayed on the leaves!

Flower lover C: I am in Nanjing. Phalaenopsis orchids must be heated in winter, and below 13°C they will suffer cold injury. Last year each of mine produced 2 or 3 flower buds, and they looked cold-damaged. Later I bought a mini greenhouse, a temperature controller, and a heating cable on Taobao. A greenhouse alone is useless. The temperature was set to 12—19°C, and one winter used 40 yuan of electricity.

Flower lover D: Put them on an enclosed balcony and keep the sphagnum moss completely dry! Phalaenopsis orchids are tough. Even if the leaves dry out and become wrinkled, if you give water during the growing season, they will quickly recover! However, they must not go below 5°C.

Summary: Phalaenopsis orchids are not tolerant of low temperatures. If the temperature requirement cannot be met, control water as much as possible in winter.