Caring for phalaenopsis at home after the store: step-by-step instructions, what to do next after buying an orchid in a pot, how to transplant and water?

Phalaenopsis is a very beautiful flower from the orchid family. The charm of its peduncles, which come in a variety of shades, from white to purple, make the plant one of the most popular in the flower shop.

But often after a purchase, a beautiful orchid begins to wither, lose leaves, and sometimes dies. Why is this happening, and what to do next, after you bought an orchid? In this satya we will talk about the rules for caring for this tropical plant. Also watch a helpful video on the topic.

Differences in flower content at home and in the store

The fact is that orchids are grown in specific conditions in stores.. The main task of sellers is to buy a plant. Therefore, it should have a presentable appearance: large, with abundant green turgor and, preferably, flowering.

To achieve this, top dressing is used, the plant is abundantly watered, sphagnum is planted on the moss, and sometimes there is a frank deception: blue painted orchids. Paint is injected into a white peduncle, and you get an "exotic" bright blue orchid, which in nature does not exist.

TIP: It is better to buy an orchid not in a beautiful ceramic, but in an ordinary plastic pot. So you immediately make sure that the roots are not rotten or broken.

Besides, orchid in the store usually does not have access to natural light, and instead is illuminated by phytolamps. But the temperature regime and the necessary humidity are provided - and at home, in order to create ideal conditions for the plant, it will take time.

Adaptation period

So, the plant was acquired and came home, dramatically changing one microclimate to another. What seems to us insignificant: a change in temperature by several degrees, a decrease or increase in humidity and the amount of light is very significant for an orchid. In the near future, she will adapt to the changing environment. This is called an adaptation period.

It passes quite frighteningly: the plant drops buds and already blossoming flowers, the leaves may begin to fade and dry, or turn yellow in places. It is not necessary to panic and think that phalaenopsis is gone: this is a normal adaptation process.

It is important to help the plant cope with it successfully. To do this, create a “quarantine zone” for it, placing it away from other domestic plants. This will protect the remaining flowers from pests that may be in the new flower, from its diseases. The period of adaptation and isolation of the flower will be about three weeks.

What to do first?

First, carefully study the orchid for pests and diseases. If there is a suspicion that the flower is ill with something, do not rush to begin treatment. Wait a couple of weeks and let it get stronger after moving.
Look at the bark. Very often in stores, the top layer of the bark, in which the orchid grows, covers a white coating. It is poisonous to the plant, you need to throw out all such pieces.
Check if there are drainage holes in the pot and if there are enough of them. If not, they urgently need to be done, and orchid transplantation is not required. Heat the nail and pierce the pot right with the orchid in it. The main thing is not to damage the roots. The drainage holes in the orchid pot should be located not only on the bottom, but also on the walls of the pot.

ATTENTION: You must immediately put the purchased orchid in its chosen place and do not move or move it in the future.

Do not rush to water and fertilize the plants after buying in the store. Watering should be no more than 1 time per week, and top dressing and growth stimulants during the habituation period can only do much harm.

Also, do not cut the flaccid and yellowed leaves: they either come to life themselves after a period of adaptation, or they disappear themselves, after giving the orchids vitality, which she really needs now.

Do I need a transplant?

Do I need a flower transplant right after the store or not? On this score, serious disputes flare up between experienced gardeners. Supporters of the transplant cite as arguments the possible danger to the orchid:

It can grow in the wrong soil, not giving enough moisture and air for the roots.
Orchids are often planted in ceramic pots without drainage. In addition, it is difficult to determine the degree of drying of the substrate and the need for watering.
Orchids are often poured in stores, so that while the plant in your house is blooming, its roots may already rot.
Sometimes, to stimulate growth, a plant is planted on the so-called "moss bomb" - a lump of sphagnum that retains moisture, right under the roots. Outside of store conditions, it can provoke decay of the roots and stem.

A transplant can also harm a flower:

Orchids are usually bought blooming, and during the flowering period, a plant can be transplanted only in the most extreme case.
Any, even planned, transplant is stress for the plant, and here it is in addition multiplied by the stress from adaptation.

What to do? Focus on the fact that phalaenopsis does not like to be touched. If the orchid has a healthy appearance, the leaves are green, elastic, without black spots, the aerial roots are not damaged, and the roots and neck are not rotten, then the transplant will wait. It is better to hold it when bright green tips appear on the roots. This will indicate that the orchid has fully adapted and has grown.

But there are situations when a transplant is absolutely necessary:

The pot is small, it turns over under the weight of the plant, there was almost no soil left in the bowl, everyone replaced the roots. It is especially dangerous if small roots are knocked out of the pot and began to braid it. Subsequently, they will be woven into a tight hydrophobic sponge, and the orchid will die without water, and it will be difficult to untangle such a lump without significant damage to the roots.
The roots are spoiled: they are dry, or vice versa, softened and rotting. In this case, only an emergency transplant can save the orchid, with the removal of all rot. Tip: if the plant is blooming at this moment, the peduncle should be cut.

Step by step instructions

Prepare a new transparent pot (2-3 cm larger than the previous one) or disinfect the old one, stock up on the substrate. The best option is dry pine or pine bark.
Carefully remove the orchid from the pot. To do this, you need to knead the pot a bit: the roots will change position, release the substrate and easily take out.
Put the flower along with the substrate in warm water, leave for an hour.
Wash away old soil under a pressure of water.
Inspect the roots. Remove everything rotten and dead. To determine if the root is alive, squeeze it a little. The dead will squeeze under the fingers, moisture will come out of it.
Treat all places of cuts with crushed coal or cinnamon.
Let the orchid dry for several hours.
Pour drainage at the bottom of the pot: expanded clay or coarse river sand, then place the plant in the center and begin to fill it with a substrate (see which phalaenopsis pot is better, read here).
Tap on the walls of the pot so that the substrate is donkey, fill up if necessary. It is not necessary to take the substrate: so you risk damaging the roots.
Make a support for the peduncle.

IMPORTANT: Watering is strictly prohibited for several days after transplanting.

Watch the store orchid transplant video:

Seat selection

So, the flower is transplanted, and now it will begin to take root with you. To do this, create certain conditions. How to care for an orchid bought in a flower shop and transplanted into a pot?

At first, the flower is weak, and it must be protected from bright light, kept in partial shade. For example, you can put it on a nightstand by the window. In this case, the place should be warm and protected from drafts. In the future, it is better to choose the eastern or western window sills: in the south, direct sunlight will burn the delicate leaves, and in the north it will be too cold.

Humidity and temperature

Orchids love moisture and warmth.. Humidity should be at least 40-60%. The temperature in the summer is 30-32, and in the winter - 15-17 degrees. If it decreases or rises by several degrees, this will provoke the loss of leaves.

If you are unable to create optimal humidity, place the pot on a pallet with moist gravel and pebbles. The main thing is not to overdo it so that root rot does not begin. Spraying also helps for these purposes, but it is better not to spray the freshly purchased orchid. But you can wipe the leaves with a moistened cotton wool.

First watering

It is important not to water the orchid after purchase, for at least a week, or even 10 days. Such a large gap is caused by the fact that it is impossible to know when phalaenopsis was last watered in the store. And overflow for this type of orchid is much more dangerous than drought.

Water in the future you need warm and soft water. Usually the flower is soaked for half an hour in a container of water, imitating tropical rain. To learn how to water the Phalaenopsis orchid often at home, click here.

ATTENTION: When watering, water should not reach the growth point. If this happens, immediately wipe off moisture, otherwise phalaenopsis will rot.

We talked more about how and what to water Phalaenopsis during flowering and after transplantation in a separate article.

Watch the video about the first watering of an orchid after a transplant:

What to do next?

Most likely, the purchased phalaenopsis is either already blooming, or will soon bloom. While there is flowering, it is enough to keep the plant in partial shade and water it once every 3-4 days.

After flowering, the arrow must be cut off. The pot is again rearranged to the light, watering a little cut. Fertilize phalaenopsis in the spring (you can find out what fertilizers are needed for the phalaenopsis orchid and how to apply them correctly here).

What problems are possible?

Sometimes it happens that everything is done correctly, but phalaenopsis still does not grow and weakens. Most often this is due to overflow in the store. If the leaves wither and dry, you don’t need to think that this is due to a lack of moisture.

An overdried orchid is completely restored after the first watering. But to save the flooded phalaenopsis is more difficult.

In this situation, it is urgent to stop watering and try to transplant the plant in order to save at least part of the root system.

Another common problem is infection with a worm (lumps of cotton wool appear on the leaves) or a spider mite (spider web on the underside of the leaf). Need treatment with a remedy for the corresponding type of pests.

Conclusion

Now you know how to care for freshly bought phalaenopsis, and are able to cope with all the surprises and troubles. With proper care, the orchid will grow, blossom and delight you for many years! Now, thanks to our step-by-step instructions, you know what to do next when you bought Phalaenopsis.