Caring for Moth Orchids

DO's

• Water throughout the year and feed at every second or third watering.
• Grow in warm room indoors, away from direct sun, such as in the shade on a north-facing windowsill or in the center of a room.
• Repot occaionally after flowering to remove old, decaying compost.
• Gently wipe the leaves with a damp cloth to remove any dust that has settled on them.
  

DON'Ts

• Do not grow in full sun.
• Do not spray the leaves too heavily; water lodging in the crown can cause rot. Do not over water.
• Do not put outdoors, even in summer.
• Do not allow to get too cold - below 64F on a winter's night.
• Do not allow to get to hot - over 80F.
• Do not divide the plant when repotting

Repotting Moth Orchids

1. Remove the plant from its pot, shake out the old comost and gently tease it out from between the roots.
2. Cut back any dead roots and trim the live ones with a pair of pruning shears or a sharp craft knife.
3. Plance the plant in the center of the pot with its aerial roots above the compost. Pack the compost around the lant so that it is firm and upright.
4. A well-potted plant will soon start to grow again. It will produce new leaves and roots and a flower spike with several developing buds.

Note: Most plants can be repotted in the same size pot or one only slightly larger. Do not be tempted to use a pot that is too large, since that can lead to overwatering - with dire consequences. A newly repotted plant will need less frequent watering that one that has become pot-bound. When repotting, you will need plenty of space to work and some old newspapers to work on.

Keep the air moist by standing the plants on a bed or pebbles placed at the bottom of a large container and adding water to just reach the top of the pebbles.

Display Moth Orchard

Phalaenopsis blooms look stunning floating above a leafy fern base.