Can You Use an Unperforated Milk Tea Cup for Phalaenopsis? A Detailed Guide to the Correct Watering Method

Nowadays, people can learn many money-saving methods online, including using cups as pots for growing flowers. Take using cups to grow Phalaenopsis as an example: it is very easy to find tutorials online teaching how to make orchid pots out of milk tea cups. As a result, many questions from beginners have arisen, including what potting medium is suitable? What should be noted when using an unperforated milk tea cup?

First of all, the best potting medium choices for Phalaenopsis include sphagnum moss, bark, carbonized cotton, and so on. Now let's talk about what the key points are when growing Phalaenopsis in an unperforated milk tea cup. Orchid roots are sensitive and need enough ventilation space, so when using a cup with no bottom holes, remember not to let the potting medium touch the bottom of the cup, and try to let the roots hang in the air, so you don't have to worry about the roots being easily suffocated. If the clump of potting medium is too small and touches the bottom of the cup as soon as you put it in, then put a layer of drainage material at the bottom of the cup. This is done to keep the potting medium and roots from soaking in water, which can reduce root rot. As for the padding material, just find some volcanic rock, clay pebbles, or even small stones picked up by the roadside. Whether it costs money is up to you; as long as the effect is achieved, that's fine.

Then, some flower lovers ask, what should be done if the inside of the milk tea cup is very wet during care? Here I suggest taking it out and directly hanging it up on the balcony to dry, so the wet-dry cycle can be faster. Later, depending on the humidity, you can also add some pebbles with sphagnum moss, so that growing it this way can both retain moisture and provide ventilation.

In addition, in terms of care, many 1.7-inch small seedlings, when moved to a larger cup, will end up with too much space inside the cup. In this case, use bark wrapped with sphagnum moss as the potting medium. For small seedlings, make the drainage layer at the bottom of the cup higher, which can make the wet-dry cycle faster.

Finally, regarding watering, as long as you generally master the wet-dry cycle, there are basically no major problems. What I summarize is "one touch, two looks." Touch the surface of the potting medium: if you find it is a bit damp, no need to water; when it feels dry and hard, you may need to water. Second, look at the color of the roots. Since the milk tea cup is unperforated, the top being dry does not mean the inside is dry. You must wait until the roots turn gray-white or green before watering.

When watering, you can directly fill the cup full. For those grown in sphagnum moss, wait 10 to 20 seconds; for those grown in pure bark or carbonized cotton, soak for 5 to 6 minutes, then pour out the excess water.