Question:
I am an amateur grower with only a handful of orchids. Should I be fertilizing while the plants are in bloom? With which fertilizer? Paul P
Answer:
All orchids need some sort of fertilizer since plain water doesn't contain many nutrients. The brand name of the fertilizer is not as important as what is contained in the bottle. A formulation that is high in Nitrogen will promote lots of leaves and roots but will do little to encourage flowering. On the other hand, a formulation that is either balanced or high in Phosphorus will be sending the right signals to the plant "to bloom" and the grower will not have to keep track of each plant's individual blooming season. The plant would appreciate just water while the flowers are open. One additional note - orchid roots are quite sensitive and great care must be taken not to burn the root tips by over-fertilizing. Use ½ strength (or less) every few weeks.
Question:
I bought an orchid 6 months ago and the roots are growing out of the pot. Should I transplant the orchid now or wait? (Vicki J)
Answer:
It is second nature for orchids to grow roots in great abundance since orchids are from the rainforest where they wrap themselves around trees. It is, therefore, impossible to keep orchid roots inside a pot. At some point, however, all orchids need to be repotted in order to keep the potting media fresh and airy. Orchids that are potted in bark chips (Ex. Cattleya, Dendrobium, Oncidium) can be quite happy in the same media for approx 3 years. Orchids that are potted in peat moss or sphagnum moss (Ex. Phalaenopsis) must be changed every year. The best time to repot an orchid is immediately after it blooms and always select a pot that is the smallest that the roots will fit into.
Question:
I have several Phalaenopsis and they re-bloom every year. However, I only get 3 to 4 blooms per plant. What should I do to increase the number of buds and blooms for next season? (Sheri M)
Answer:
Congratulations on blooming these orchids! Your growing conditions are obviously quite good and you are now ready to take the next step. Advanced Phalaenopsis growers know that the secret to having a large number of flowers per stem is to not let the media dry out (even for a day) while the plant is forming buds. Phalaenopsis have no pseudobulbs with which to hold water for periods of drought, so it must rely completely on the water that the roots receive. If there is any dryness, the plant will instinctively abandon its flower production and concentrate on survival. Prolonged dryness may result in 'bud blast' where the existing buds just shrivel up and fall off.