How to best get a Phalaenopsis orchid through the winter? Answers to common winter care questions

Whoever grows flowers and plants hopes for a full, bursting pot, since only a lively display looks good. Yet for some ordinary flowers, once you bring them home and care for them casually, they may well fulfill a flower lover's wish for a bursting pot, but if what you choose is a Phalaenopsis orchid, that is another matter.

Many flower lovers have written in to report that when they went to the flower shop, they clearly chose a spirited pot of Phalaenopsis orchids, every bloom delicate and dripping with beauty, yet just a few days after bringing it home, the flowers began to dry up, the leaves turned yellow, and the whole thing seemed to complain, "How did you raise me into this?" So why exactly does this happen? And when placing and caring for it at home normally, what should you pay attention to?

Growing Phalaenopsis orchids in winter has always been a flower lover's nightmare, because a slight lapse in care can easily make the plant unable to survive the winter. In its native habitat, the orchid is a flower that loves a warm and humid environment, so if you want the orchid to do well in winter, you must create a suitable indoor environment.

When caring for it in winter, keep humidity at around 50%-70%. It is suggested to set up a humidity tray, or use an indoor humidifier to let humidity rise naturally. As for light, if conditions allow, let it get 6-10 hours of sun each day, preferably diffused light.

Speaking of watering, in the north winter has heating, so temperatures are high and moisture evaporates quickly, and the watering frequency may even be a bit more than in other seasons. In the south, winter watering must be less than in the growing season; before watering, check more often whether the medium is dry, and wait until the sphagnum moss is dry before watering thoroughly. If there is too little water, the roots will wrinkle and the leaves will droop limply. If you use bark medium, its top layer dries fairly quickly, and as long as the temperature is not especially low, watering a bit more is fine, but it must not be excessive; too much water turns the leaves yellow and easily rots the roots. If the roots really do rot, immediately take the orchid out of the pot to check, use sterilized scissors to cut off the rotten roots, then plant it in fresh, well-draining medium, and be sure to be careful with watering from then on.

Also, regarding diseases and pests, in winter Phalaenopsis orchids can get red spider mites, aphids and the like. Check often for pests and diseases, and if you find insects, use a mild insecticidal soap or a specialized solution, so as not to make things worse for the plant.