Detailed Key Points for Home Care of Phalaenopsis (Moth Orchid) in Spring and Summer

When you buy a flowering plant in spring (March-May)

The rising spring temperatures make it a good time to grow the plant. However, the plants sold on the market during this period have been cultivated all winter in production greenhouses with a minimum temperature above 20°C, so the plants are not very cold-tolerant.

After purchasing the plant, it should be acclimated: place the pot in a spot where the minimum temperature at dawn is above 10°C; if you have a hotbed or an air-conditioned room, place the pot in the center, apply slight heating, and protect it. During the 1-month adaptation period, do not fertilize. After that, apply liquid fertilizer once a week. The interval between watering and fertilizing is determined by the principle of watering or fertilizing once the surface of the growing medium is dry. Pay special attention to frequently misting the leaves. However, if you fertilize, repot, or overwater immediately after purchasing the plant during this period, the plant will not adapt well to the new environment and its growth will deteriorate. After the flowers of a flowering plant fade, cut off all the flower stalks and then repot.

When you buy a flowering plant in summer (June-August)

Summer is the best growing season for Phalaenopsis. It is the season when the plant is easiest to care for. After purchasing a flowering plant, you can display it for about 1 month; if it is placed in a room that receives no sunlight at all, the plant's growth will gradually deteriorate. Since the original grower cultivated the plants in 50-60% shade, you should place it in similar conditions at home. Water only after the plant's medium has dried out; keeping the pot constantly moist is not good. Do not fertilize a flowering plant; after the flowers fade, cut off the flower stalk from its base, take out the plant, and transplant one plant per pot. For potted plants with newly emerging flower buds, apply a 1000-1500 times diluted liquid fertilizer once every 5-7 days. The plant should be placed in 50% shade (shade netting can be used). After the flowers fade, move it outdoors and grow it in a well-ventilated spot; light should also be 50% shaded.

Summer is the season when the plant can immediately adapt to a new environment, but special attention should be paid to ventilation.