Phalaenopsis orchid can be bought today at any flower shop. In order for the plant to easily adapt to new conditions, it needs some care. It is important to have an accurate idea of how phalaenopsis care should be at home after purchase.
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The adaptation period of the Phalaenopsis orchid after the store
After the phalaenopsis got into the apartment from the store, it can react to a change in the microclimate quite sharply, as a result of which sometimes the buds dry out or a sharp, rapid withering of flowers.
Such a reaction of the plant is the norm, and you should not be scared because of the changes that have arisen with the orchid. In such a situation, the grower simply has to speed up the process of plant adaptation.
Quarantine conditions
Despite the fact that when buying a flower, they always inspect it in the most attentive way, it is impossible to say exactly that there are no pests on it and it is still 100% healthy. Because of this, it is unacceptable to put the newly purchased plant along with the rest of the flowers. A new orchid must be quarantined for 2 weeks. If no problems have been identified during this time, then you can rearrange the flower to the general company.
In the room in which the orchid will stand, being in quarantine, there should not be other plants, since many diseases and pests can spread from one flower to another.
Do I need an orchid transplant after purchase?
It is highly undesirable to carry out an orchid transplant after it is brought from the store, since additional stress during the flowering period will only worsen the condition of the plant. However, there are times when changing the soil and pot is vital for him.
A flower transplant will be required in the following cases:
- Phalaenopsis does not hold in a pot. If the orchid falls without a support, due to the fact that its leaves have grown one-sided or the flower stalk is too powerful, the plant will turn out to be transplant, since a fall can lead to the death of the flower due to the fact that almost all the leaves will be broken. If transplantation for some reason is not possible, then the plant is simply placed in a heavy pot, which is able to hold it. However, in this case, you must constantly ensure that the orchid does not begin to suffocate and does not die from decay.
- Lack of soil in the pot. This is not common, but it can still occur. Topping up the soil in this case is not desirable, since in this case it will be necessary to significantly fill up the external roots. Because of this, it is better to transplant the orchid into a larger pot.
- Root problems. The roots of the phalaenopsis are always visible, since orchids grow in transparent pots. You should not buy a plant with bad roots. However, if for some reason the problem orchid is at home, it is necessary to transplant it. All diseased roots are removed, and the places of the slices are sprinkled with crushed activated carbon. It is also required to cut off the peduncle, since with it the weakened plant will die. In the case when only 20% of the roots remain, the death of the lower leaves and the loss of turgor in the upper can occur. This is not dangerous, since in this state it is important for the phalaenopsis to grow roots, and the green mass will recover later.
If particles of bark are observed in the soil of orchids, on which there is a white coating, they must be carefully removed and discarded without replanting the flower. If there are many such elements, a complete replacement of the substrate will be required.
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Soil and pot requirement
When there is a need for transplanting, it is important to choose the right pot and soil for the plant. In nature, phalaenopsis take root in trees, leaving some of the roots airy, and some run under the bark of the host tree.
In pots, orchids grow in a substrate, which consists of the following components:
- tree bark;
- sphagnum moss;
- coal chips - not required for orchids, so it is not added to every specialized soil.
The phalaenopsis pot needs transparent. Its size is of prime importance. It is impossible that the pot was large, as this will cause the soil to become clogged, and the roots of the flower will gradually rot. When the pot turns out to be small, then the roots will be too compressed and will be injured, from which they will begin to deteriorate. It is optimal that when transplanting an orchid from a pot, if it does not outgrow it, the new one is the same. If the previous capacity for the plant is small, then the next one is needed with a diameter of 5 cm more.
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Orchid care after the store
Care in the period of the plant getting used to a new place requires slightly different than when growing phalaenopsis, which has long been settled in the apartment. If everything is done correctly, the plant will adapt to new conditions quickly enough. Caring for phalaenopsis after purchase has some features.
Temperature, humidity and lighting
The optimum temperature for the flower is from +16 to +26 degrees. For a short time, the plant tolerates temperatures and more than 30 degrees, but in this case it takes off the flowers. Under comfortable temperature conditions and in compliance with all recommendations for care, flowering lasts from 3 to 6 months.
- Humidity for all orchids is significant, but spraying a new phalaenopsis with water is not worth it.It is much safer and more effective to simply wipe the flower leaves with a damp cotton pad once a week. This will help not only moisturize them, but also erase the dust, which interferes with the proper respiration of the plant.
- All orchids love light, but direct sunlight will burn their leaves. After the purchase, the flower should be accustomed to the light gradually, always using a special film on the window to prevent direct sunlight. Lighting in summer needs more intense and longer than in winter.
Watering Phalaenopsis
After the purchase, you can water the orchid no earlier than after 7 days, as it is necessary for the substrate to dry out qualitatively. Phalaenopsis flower is resistant to drying, but not to waterlogging.
It is most convenient to carry out watering by immersion, when the pot is lowered into a container with water and left to stand in it for 30 minutes. The water in this bowl should reach the middle of the pot.
It is very important to ensure that water does not get into the leaf outlet, as this will lead to decay. If this happened, urgently need to dry the plant with a napkin or toilet paper.
Fertilizer and fertilizer
Top dressing is mandatory with proper orchid care. You should start them only after the plant has fully adapted to the new conditions and bright green tips that provide active flower growth become noticeable on its roots.
To form a large number of leaves, feeding phalaenopsis is required with compositions with a high nitrogen content, and to stimulate flowering, saturated with potassium and phosphorus. The easiest way is to use ready-made special compositions for phalaenopsis, which are sold in flower shops.
In winter, top dressing is needed only 1 time per month, and in summer 2 times per month.
Rules for care after flowering
After flowering, the plant goes into a resting state. Trimming the peduncle is necessary only if it began to dry out. If it remains green, it means that the plant either wants to reopen, or will form a baby.
It is not necessary to change the care of the plant after flowering in any way. In the event that a transplant is required, this period is optimal.
Propagation of the Phalaenopsis orchid at home
In the reproduction of phalaenopsis there is nothing complicated. In order for the children to appear on the peduncle, after the plant has faded, it is necessary to carefully make an incision in the form of a semicircle and remove the scale that covers the bud. The kidney is smeared with cytokinin paste and covered with sphagnum moss on top.
After about 45 days, a baby appears, which gradually grows and develops. As soon as the roots of a young plant have reached 4-5 cm, it is carefully cut with a part of the maternal peduncle and planted, covering the roots with moss to prevent them from drying out. Care for a small orchid is required the same as for an adult plant.
The main problems when growing plants
Phalaenopsis is quite unpretentious indoor plants, however, sometimes with them certain difficulties can arise when growing. Most often, there are two types of problems. The first is the lack of flowering, and the second is the slow fading of the flower and its death.
The lack of flowering is most likely due to the fact that the plant is overfed with nitrogen fertilizers, which stimulate a set of leaf mass, but not buds.
The second reason is a lack of light and excessive watering. After the errors in the care of the plant are eliminated, it blooms after 2-3 months.
Orchid pests and methods for controlling them
Orchids can infect pests, and such parasites pose a special danger to them:
- mealybug - leads to loss of foliage and gradual death of the plant. Destroyed using a special drug purchased at a horticultural store;
- spider mite - draws cobwebs of flowers.You can destroy the pest with the use of specialized drugs or by spraying flowers with a weak solution of manganese;
- scale shield - a pest that sucks juice from leaves, parasitizing on their underside. As an emergency aid, pests are erased from a sheet of cotton soaked in a solution of laundry soap. Next, the orchid should be processed by buying a special composition.
Damage to orchids by harmful insects is rare. Usually this phenomenon is noted if there are diseased flowers in the house, and the care of phalaenopsis is not correct.
Having bought an orchid and providing it with competent care, you can not be afraid that the flower will begin to disappear.
