Basic Phalaenopsis Orchid Care: Part 1

[@greekmom3]

So good to see you making video's again! I have been growing my orchids in water for about 4 years now with fertilizing them as well with Cal/Mag, sea kelp and better grow, they seemed fine. In the past 7 months I have been using distilled water and nothing else and they seem to be doing fantastic, I can't ex[pain it. It's as if they are getting what they need from the air, who can figure. I live in Northeast Pennsylvania and they face a Southeast window constantly! My window is 6x6 and they have spiked more so than ever before! I thank you for your videos and "how to's" for sure. At 73 years young they are my children and am loving to see them spike and grow.

[@daniellesorchidranch1591]

How wonderful! I honestly feel like they enjoy a break from all the fertilizer sometimes. If there’s a lot of nutrients stored up in their leaves and pseudobulbs, they can go for quite a while without nutrients. A clean flush of our orchids is always a good idea, so I’m sure your plants are enjoying it. Happy growing!

[@sandlots15]

Thank you so much for posting your orchid videos. I just got my first one and freaked out when it started dying and again when I cut the spike. You're not rambling, you're giving all of the information in a clear way that I for one greatly appreciate. I've been slowly switching all my plants away from growing mediums, so I love that you're also teaching how to grow without all the specialty dirts. Thank you!

[@daniellesorchidranch1591]

Thank you for watching! We all freaked out with our first orchids too! 😆 I think that’s just part of the learning process! Happy growing!

[@elainereilly4686]

Hi Danielle... from Florida, Good to see you back. I want you to know that after watching your channel for a long time I finally coverted my 250+ orchids to water culture using your method...double clear cups and glass beads. I will never go back to bark! My grow room is usually in the 60s at night and low 80s daytime. I rotate on a 4 week schedule... Week: 1 calmag, 2 fertilizer, 3 fertilizer and 4 flush. My plants are sooo healthy with great roots and no more pests. I'm having success with kinds of orchids that I used to kill...especially slippers... phragmipedium & paphiopedilum. Thank you for sharing your know how with us...Brightest Blessings.

[@daniellesorchidranch1591]

Elaine! Wow! Thank you so much for sharing this with me! You are taking such excellent care of your plants and it shows in the overall health you have achieved! I am beyond pleased if I was able to assist in any way and thank you for telling me how well it is going! The whole purpose of this channel was to help others succeed! Happy growing!!!

[@invzbldog]

Glad to see you posting videos again. I would love to see a new video that gives an overview of how you do your version of semi-hydro. Are you doing wet dry cycles?

[@daniellesorchidranch1591]

Great suggestion! I will see if I can make one soon.

[@empress408]

Thank you so much for your website! You have rescued the 3 orchids I have! I couldn’t figure out what I was doing wrong. They wanted so much to live and they will with your techniques. I am so excited

[@andreaallum8859]

Very interesting and knowing about the orchids. Thank you for that.

[@daniellesorchidranch1591]

Thank you for watching!

[@deannknox9499]

Hi Danielle 😊 nice video and beautiful phal ❤ your hubby did good 👍

[@daniellesorchidranch1591]

Thank you! I think he did too ☺️

[@dl9170]

I discovered your channel and I love your videos, I’m learning so much from you Thank you I have a question about some new roots that are growing and not sure if they are healthy or if I should clip them? How can I send you a picture? 😊

[@FernandaNascimentoOrchids]

Great video, Danielle ❤

[@daniellesorchidranch1591]

Thank you my friend, I hope you’re doing well ☺️

[@meloisa4181]

Hello Danielle I just found your channel and I’m really grateful for all the information you share with us. Your orchids are wonderful and I’m learning a lot from you. I have a question about the plants in water method. Do you use some fertilizer in the water you keep them in or some special kind of water? Thank you so much again

[@patrickbrown551]

Great video thank you .

[@daniellesorchidranch1591]

Thank you for watching!

[@marycamilleri447]

Thank you for video, I have had many orchids and researched why they haven't survived........have I over watered them, not watered them enough etc, but you explained everything in such a way that it certainly makes feel more confident.

[@daniellesorchidranch1591]

I’m so pleased to hear that and you’re not alone! I killed orchids for years, I was a consistent overwaterer! That’s why water culture really work for me personally because I can see how much water I am giving them and when it’s all gone.

[@ashleyouderkirk9875]

I have an orchid I just inherited and have been watching your videos to try to figure out what to do with it! The root system is huge and idk how or which method would be best for repotting. Do I thin the roots first better management?

[@johnwilson1489]

I repot most all of my new plants as soon as I get them home. I use sphagnum moss for all of my orchids, especially phalanopsis orchids.

[@daniellesorchidranch1591]

I am glad you found something that works well for you! Happy growing!

[@cynthiaakacyndsmith6539]

Hi I watched a video that I did not ask the question I had, the one we where you showed the ones living int a glass or jar,

[@deborahpedro7333]

Orquídea maravilhosa 💐💕

[@sueweinmann6176]

I’ve recently seen a lot of videos on orchid care where they are using a small amount of sugar and yeast (1/3 of a teaspoon ) and about 500 ml of water. Is this a good idea?

[@sharonholmes2470]

Great video Danniel !!! I've found out over the years that the pH and tds meters have become my bible. Honestly i cannot fertilize without them !!! Could you possibly do a partial video on the Maxilaria Tentaflora someday? Mine grows, grows, grows pseutabulbs on top of pseutabulbs !!! No spikes yet. She was a gift around mother's day. Thanks 😊

[@daniellesorchidranch1591]

Thank you ☺️ I honestly haven’t checked my pH or TDS in over a year 😆 I probably should because I’m sure well water can vary. There are a lot of things I need to do for my plants that I just haven’t had time for. Have you tried increasing the light in the “winter”? I increased my light, stopped fertilizing and only give it one quick soak a week and it bloomed for me.

[@sharonholmes2470]

@@daniellesorchidranch1591 Gee, I'm gonna have to try that! Thank you! I'm in Arizona 🌵 and not much winter left but it's worth a try. 🤞

[@daniellesorchidranch1591]

Wishing you success!

[@LornaRosales-q3y]

Hello Danielle, Thank you for all these information, I truly appreciate all of these. I used to be intimidated by orchids, but now, I feel like I can do this. I watched your fertilizing video and I am wondering, how did your orchids respond to the First Ray fertilizer? Also, I am wondering if you can clarify one thing, in a month, do i understand it correctly: 1 week of Cal Nitrate one week and then the rest of the month, it will be fertilizer + kelp max? Again, thank you in advance for your help

[@daniellesorchidranch1591]

You are right! You can do this! Currently I do fertilizer with Cal/Mag 3 weeks and then a plain water flush the 4th week. I do occasionally add the kelp as well but not every time I fertilize, I found they didn’t need that much of the kelp. I have been using First Rays for some years now and I do like it 👍🏻 Happy growing!!

[@ruthswarthout1115]

glad to see you, I do haveca question so I took my orchid out of the pot last night and ket it dry out overnight and then put a little bit of water in today but the leaves are really dropping do I need to add more water t ok hydrate then just put a little bit in help 😊

[@daniellesorchidranch1591]

Are the roots firm and healthy? Drooping leaves are a sign of dehydration so I would say it’s a problem with the roots. You don’t want to overwater a dehydrated plant because that can cause the healthy roots to die. I would put a little water in the bottom of the container so that just the very tips of her roots are in the water. Leave it like that for a day or two and then drain the water off.

[@crystalramos6250]

You are so knowledgeable and helpful to newbies like me ❤ Thank you for sharing

[@daniellesorchidranch1591]

I am glad to help!

[@susanbaker3876]

So once rehabbed, do you continue the water 24 hr soak, drain and wait a week?

[@dougherty1445]

I bought a moth orchid from Lowe's today. The reason was it had a beautiful pink and white flower but no leaves at all. I bought it home to try to rescue it. Took it out of its pot which was full of water at the store. The roots look pretty good. The air roots on top were all dead. The stem was black on top and thre isn't any green at all on the stem. Do you think it has a chance?I put it in a canning jar with a little fertilized water. Please give me your opinion on whether it's worth the time.

[@daniellesorchidranch1591]

If the stem is black and rotten then it can’t grow from that stem anymore, however the flowers spike is capable of growing a Keiki (baby plant) so you could wait to see if that happens.

[@dougherty1445]

I cut the tip of the spike with the flower on it off. I guess I should have left it on. It still has a long green flower spike on it. I will see if it produces a keiki. What should I look for?Should I keep it hydrated 24/7?Ive been Change the water every week with distilled water

[@ariellynngalan1225]

hi i have a question: i got a grocery orchid a green one and all of the buds ( flowers ) have fallen off - i bought orchid soil for it but now watching your videos idk what to do? i also bought a plant light with red/blue settings for my orchids because i don’t get window light from where i live unfortunately. can you please tell me what settings and colors i should have it in right now in march? it still has all its leaves - and some but not all are dropping. can you help?

[@daniellesorchidranch1591]

Have you unpotted the plant? If not that would be the first thing I do to see what condition the roots are in. Phalaenopsis orchids like bright indirect light. I’m not sure which grow light you got but if you do some research on it I’m sure you can figure out how best to use it to grow your plant.

[@sandyfsheehy]

Hi Danielle, Are ceramic pots with holes good for orchids? If so, do they still need an inner plastic pot with holes? Thanks!

[@daniellesorchidranch1591]

You can absolutely use a ceramic pot with holes instead of a plastic one however if the orchid outgrows the pot it’s harder to get it out of a ceramic pot. You can soak it to get the roots to release but it is definitely harder.

[@sandyfsheehy]

Thank you so much!

[@DawnBlessing-k8d]

My orchid leaves are starting to droop and fall off. I only give it 1/4-1/3 cup of water weekly. My roots seem to be dying. What am I doing wrong?

[@daniellesorchidranch1591]

It may be staying to damp to long. How long has it been in the same pot with the same potting medium? Have you repotted it yet?

[@DawnBlessing-k8d]

@@daniellesorchidranch1591 yes, I had repotted it a few weeks ago. Since I wrote my original message all of the leaves fell off. I've just taken it out of the pot and cleaned up the dead roots and put it in new potting medium

[@spooky91107]

Is spaghnum moss a good medium?

[@daniellesorchidranch1591]

It depends on what your growing environment is like. Moss tends to retain moisture for quite a while so if you live in a cold climate or have a tendency to overwater then you might want to consider mixing it with bark to prevent root rot. If you live in a hot climate or you feel confident about making sure the moss isn’t staying too wet then it can be an appropriate potting medium.

[@katharinelockhart2637]

Now I know why I can’t get my orchid to grow up from the pot. It keeps falling over and that’s because it is trying to grow off a tree! 😂 I put it in all kinds of pots and the same thing keeps happening.

[@davoud6487]

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