Well, how have you enjoyed the winter so far? There has been at least a little weather for everyone to hate. Not enough snow for snowmobiling, not enough ice for ice fishing and just enough slop to be miserable. So you are indoors staring at the four walls. We’ll add some color with some more plants that thrive on neglect, orchids and bromeliads. Most people think that orchids are extremely difficult to care for and for some varieties that is true. But there are other varieties that are extremely resilient like Phalaenopsis Orchids. Phalaenopsis orchids are hardy only in USDA zones 10 to 12, and you rarely see them growing outdoors in the continental United States other than in the southern tip of Florida. 

Almost everywhere else, growing them inside is the only way you can create the growing conditions that these orchids require. Even in the summer you would not want to put these orchids outside as the direct sunlight up north would have a tendency to burn the leaves. So up here they are definitely only a houseplant. Good lighting is required to grow Phalaenopsis, but not direct sunlight. During the winter, however, you can place the orchid in a south-facing or east-facing window that gets some direct light. Rotate your orchid from time to time to keep its growth even. A plant with proper lighting will produce light green leaves. Too little light will result in dark green leaves, and too much light will cause a pink or reddish tinge to develop along leaf margins which will eventually turn yellow. So the plant itself will tell you if it is happy or not. Phalaenopsis is considered a “warm houseplant” and prefers temperatures between 75 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit. Still, they can adapt to normal house temperatures of 65 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit. The higher the temperature, the greater the plant’s need for humidity, and the higher the humidity and temperature, the greater the need for airflow to prevent rot, fungus, and disease. Many successful orchid growers run a ceiling fan or stationary fan constantly in rooms where they grow orchids. We have Phalaenopsis orchids in our kitchen at home, and they have been extremely happy with the heat from our pellet stove, but because the stove dries the air we also have an up to five gallon per day humidifier for our house so that the air indoors does not get too dry. 

Have you ever had a problem in winter with a bloody nose just from blowing it? This can be caused by extremely dry air and a whole house humidifier will solve the problem. Orchids also like contrasting night and day temperatures. To induce a flower spike, the plant needs a few cooler nights, with temperatures around 55 F, in order to bloom. Watering is the only tricky part about caring for these orchids. In the wild phalaenopsis orchids would be growing off the side of trees with their leaves arching sideways and the flower spikes hanging downward. When we grow them indoors we have them planted upright with the flower spikes attached to a rod. So during the growing season, summer, water the plant weekly or whenever its exposed roots turn silvery white (about once a week). Run warm water over the plant, bark, and aerial roots three or four times over the course of about 10 minutes, giving the orchid plenty of time for absorption. Then, make sure it’s completely drained before you return it back to its window. Tip your plant sideways a few times to make sure excess water has been drained away. 

Water should never be allowed to rest around the stem of the plant. This will cause the new leaves to rot, and the plant will die. Once the roots have been watered, they should turn from silver to pale green. During the flowering season, you can cut the waterings back to every other week. Phalaenopsis orchids can suffer from root or stem rot, which usually occurs because the growing medium has been overwatered and is too soggy. We have ours planted in some bark chips and long fibered sphagnum moss in a wooden orchid planter, this way the roots can have good aeration. During the growing season, fertilize your orchid with a diluted orchid fertilizer every third or fourth week. Skip feedings during fall, winter, and spring (flowering season), as too much fertilizer will lead to excessive foliage and no blooms. Some growers like to give the plant a “bloom booster” like Foxfarm’s Tiger Bloom in September or October to provoke a flower spike. Well, I have gone on so long about orchids and I have only gone over one variety, but next week I’ll get into bromeliads and talk about some of the other types of orchids. If the weather stays this iffy, I might be talking about houseplants a lot longer.