Do Phalaenopsis orchids need watering right after planting? Detailed explanation of the pros and cons of half bark and half sphagnum moss
Phalaenopsis orchids come in many varieties with different flower shapes; some have large, elegant blooms, while others have small, delicate ones, which is why they are so loved by gardeners.
However, no matter how beautiful the flowers look at the flower shop, about a week after you bring them home the plants start to look listless and the flower buds fail to open. What should you do in a situation like this?
In fact, when a Phalaenopsis orchid has just been brought home and its flower buds start failing to open, this is a problem many gardeners run into often, and it usually happens because the air has become very dry or the weather is gloomy.
On this point, a gardener asked: after running into this situation, the first thing they did was switch to fresh sphagnum moss for care, but once the sphagnum moss is soaked wet its volume shrinks dramatically, so it is not nearly enough to completely wrap the orchid's roots. They then added things like bark or coconut shell to fill up the pot. Is that the right thing to do? After replanting with new medium, should it be given a thorough watering?
In response to the gardener's question above, the editor shares some experience they have accumulated. When it comes to growing Phalaenopsis orchids, I have tried almost every growing medium imaginable, and I have also tried mixing various media, but after mixing, the medium never gave very good results for root growth, and root rot even appeared for no apparent reason. Also, if you plant first in sphagnum moss and then wrap other media around the outside, such as coconut coir, tree fern fiber, bark, gravel or artificial soil, the new roots growing out of the sphagnum moss clump may stop growing as soon as they touch these different materials. So it is recommended to try growing with just one medium.
If the problem is not having enough sphagnum moss, it is recommended to switch to a slightly smaller pot for planting. In fact, using an oversized pot with sphagnum moss is also likely to cause root rot. Also, the sphagnum moss can be used after being wrung dry; never dry it further with a hair dryer, and after replanting, do not water it right away.
Judging by indoor temperatures, after planting it is best to cover it with a large clear plastic bag, leaving only a small hole, so that too much moisture inside the bag does not form lots of water droplets and breed mold; at the same time, this method lets the plant recover quickly. But you must always watch for changes inside and adjust the size of the opening according to the actual situation. Once the plant's leaves perk up, you can remove the large outer bag and let it slowly adapt to the environment where you are growing it.