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Phalaenopsis Orchid Care - Melbourne

Hi all,

I've had so much trouble with Phalaenopsis Orchids and their upkeep for the past year. I live in Melbourne and it's considerably colder than the more humid states such as QLD or even NSW.

Living in such a cooler climate, I was told to remove the sphagnum moss that majority of orchids are packed in from Thailand. I replanted my orchids in Orchiata bark but since they stopped flowering after Summer 2015 (and having pruned the stems) they've stopped growing entirely (and also have gnats?!).

I'd love to hear of any suggestions for Orchid upkeep in areas of cooler climates.

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Comments

Jason

Hi @PocketRocket,

Welcome to Workshop. It's great to have you join the community. I hope you find this a really useful place for learning and sharing.

I'm sure one of the Workshop community will be able to assist you with your orchids.

Jason

Kermit

@PocketRocket

Do you keep them inside or outside?

I would imagine they would need to stay indoors from late Autumn to at least early Spring in a spot where they can get some indirect sunlight.

pjensen

My partner and I keep Cooktown orchids in our sunroom where they are thriving. One of our orchids even threw up 2 extra stems so that we now have a quadruple stem plant.

Our sunroom faces west, catches the afternoon sun and is quite warm all year round. We have removed some of the spagnum moss and potted the plants in clear pots specifically designed for orchids - these pots expose the roots to sunlight. The plants don't need much water but they love a light spritz about once a week.

Hope this helps! Will post some pictures next time I'm home.

PocketRocket

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/470#Comment_470

@Kermit I keep them indoors 90% in our back bathroom as the window is frosted so it remains sunny in there but not in direct light.

@pjensen We also have them in clear pots but my housemates insist on keeping them in a solid coloured pot as it looks nicer. Our house faces South unfortunately and we don't have any rooms that get substantially warm unless it's a 34C degree day.

After pruning down the stems, the roots have remained a silvery green but at the top of the stems they've turned brown and have showed no signs of sprouting new ones. Another leaf has started to grow though if that's anything?

Jason

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/471#Comment_471

Many thanks for sharing your experiences @pjensen. It's great to have you as part of the Workshop community. Let me extend a very warm welcome.

I look forward to seeing more of your posts soon.

Jason

Isobel

I would love to see some photos of everyone's orchids. I've had mixed success growing orchids in the past. Always keen to hear more tips from those who have had success.

Isobel

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/671#Comment_671

Really pleased with these! Would still love to see pictures of other orchids that you have grown.

robchin

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/63089#Comment_63089

Hi Pocket Rocket. One of the best tips I've ever had on growing Phals is to water them with 3 ice-blocks once a week - less frequently in the cooler weather. This waters them slowly and no leaking out the bottom. Most people over water them. Also they do need some cold weather to re-initiate flowering but only cut back the flowering stem once it has dried out and gone brown. Some varieties will re-bloom on the same stem so don't be too hasty. Because they flower a lot they are hungry so feed them. I know a bloke that reccomends putting liquid fertiliser in the above-mentioned ice blocks but I'd be scared that I'd use the ice blocks in a G&T

Jason

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/94046#Comment_94046

Hi everyone.

I attended a garden workshop today at the Box Hill Bunnings store. The always-knowledgable Ming had some great tips for growing Phalaenopsis Orchids in Melbourne. He said a lot of problems are caused by over watering them, so suggested using a mist bottle to spray them lightly once a day. It's obviously a problem in Melbourne that our summers have a dry heat rather than the humidity that orchids are used to, so the spraying helps keep them moist without over watering. In winter they need very little water at all and obviously to be kept as warm as possible. Anything less than 12-15 degrees and they will suffer. He also showed us dedicated orchid pots which have a lot of holes in the bottom - orchids like air flow.

Hope that's helpful.

Jason

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/63089#Comment_63089

Here's one we've grown in Melbourne.

Jason

Jan1

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/113567#Comment_113567

After having no luck in growing phalaenopsis orchids in orchid mix, I have been trying full water culture but again I am failing to grow healthy plants. I am in melbourne and would appreciate any advice to help my orchids thrive.

Jason

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/124489#Comment_124489

Hi @Jan1,

Many thanks for joining in the discussion. I have tagged @PocketRocket, @robchin, @Isobel and @pjensen for you and hope that they or other Workshop community members might be able to share some tips for growing orchids with you. You might like to share a few photos of your plants and tell us a bit more about their condition so that members can provide some more specific help and troubleshooting.

Let me also extend a very warm welcome to the Workshop community. I'm sure that you will find plenty of great advice and inspiration for your projects from our community members. I'm also looking forward to reading more about your projects and plans around the house and garden.

Please let me know if you ever need any assistance getting the most from the site.

Jason

robchin

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/124489#Comment_124489

Hi Jan1.

Orchids are a great source of income for retailers - not only because they are beautiful and make great presents but because people have a tendancy to kill them. I'm no expert but there are a few simple tricks:

1) Don't over water them. A trick I learnt from a grower is to use the 3 ice-block trick. Once a week - place 3 ice-blocks on them. No other water required. Ice melts slowly - plants take water in

2) Not too much direct light - filtered light is best

3) Not near aircon outlets or heating ducts

4) Feed regularly with specialist Orchid food - liquid is best (read the instructions)

5) If you have to repot - use specialist Orchid mix (available from wherever you get good potting mix from)

If they flower - don't cut the flowering stem back. They may flower again if you are lucky or look after it well

Hope that helps.

PS Jason - I suspect that flower of yours is a Cymbidium orchid not a Phalaenopsis.

Jason

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/131709#Comment_131709

Thanks for the growing tips @robchin, I'm sure that @Jan1 appreciates the advice.

Jason

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/136117#Comment_136117

Visitors to this popular discussion should also note that Bunnings has an article on How to care for orchids.

I hope you find the advice useful. Please share photos of your orchids, your growing tips and your orchid questions by replying below.

Jason

Old-gal24

I know this is a very old post. But did you ever get your Orchids issues sorted? When I started learning and researching about Phalaenopsis Orchids, because I had been given them as gifts and didn't want to just dispose of them, so I went online and researched and found a lady on utube who really knew her stuff. THE FIRST BIG NO NO!! AND I stress NO no! is PUTTING ICE ON THE PLANT INSTEAD OF WATER.. Not good, it freezes the roots which permanently damages them. Putting your plant on a tray with pebbles so the plant is never sitting directly in water is the best way to water @robchin

So if your still having issues or have given up on Phalaenopsis Orchids. I did that many years ago @PocketRocket then I moved houseThis one is approx 4 years old and has been flowering this time for 3 -4 monthsMy Orchids peeping out the window and took a few of my non productive Orchids with me and be bugged if they flowered. I was in shock, but discovered where I had them prior to my move, they just didn't get anywhere enough light/sun or indirect light. Phalaenopsis Orchids need to have a climate that drops at least 10 - 15 degrees of a night. You can create your own environment to help them if your keen to grow them in Melbourne.

Cheers

Old gal

Rach23

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/7441#Comment_7441

I got given a phal orchid earlier this year. Phal orchids and I don’t mix well as they die 🤣

This time I did something crazy and put them in a plastic bag, misted them with liquid fertiliser, and then hung them on my clothes line (they get the morning sun). It’s been a few months and miraculously it’s still alive as I see green leaves through the plastic bag.

These are now the longest phal orchids have ever survived in my house. Should I try to bring inside the house or wait until I see a flower stem before I take off the clothes line. I assume it’s getting enough water as there is condensation in the bag.

EricL

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/77771#Comment_77771

Hello @Rach23

Let me tag @Old-gal24 to make them aware of your questions. Since we are heading into warmer weather, I suggest finding another spot for your orchid away from direct sunlight. Keep the bag on as this is controlling the temperature inside and creating a mini greenhouse effect. If you get cold temperatures in the evening, I strongly recommend bringing the plant inside to prevent it from getting cold.

My number one tip is to use rainwater gathered in a bucket and not mixed in with anything else. This was my grandfather's secret ingredient when taking care of orchids. He had such a large collection, and I should have really paid more attention when he was maintaining them. I also suggest leaving buckets of tap water out in direct sunlight. The UV rays will actually remove the bleach in the tap water through photodegradation. This will make it much safer to use on plants.

Let me call on our experienced members @Noelle and @mich1972 for their recommendations.

If you have any other questions we can help with, please let us know.

Eric

Noelle

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/102953#Comment_102953

Hi @Rach23

In Melbourne over summer, bring the phalaenopsis inside and keep it in a well-lit position (not in direct sun through glass, though). Have it in a room with a temperature where you feel comfortable - pleasant day and night and neither hot nor cold. Keep the plant out of the direct air stream from air conditioners. Inside, you can remove its plastic bag covering but since it will enjoy humidity, place a saucer of water next to the plant pot but don't ever stand the pot directly in water.

I'm not so sure you need to worry too much about using only rain water (or water from which any fluoride/chlorine has been allowed to evaporate) since the plant has come from a commercial nursery where it has probably been on a diet of "town water" all its life. It isn't what's in the water that's important, it's more about the temperature. Tepid water (body temperature) is preferable to cold water straight from the tap.

Old-gal24

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/77771#Comment_77771

Hello @Rach23

I can't help but feel half of the issues folks have with Phalaenopsis Orchid is the medium they come in. I had PO for years before doing some research on the PO. Then I got brave and re-potted all of my PO's into a nice Orchid bark mix. Partly made up and partly purchased bag of Orchid bark. I keep ALL of my Phalaenopsis Orchid on a tray of pebbles which is watered till the water comes through as they seem to love a really good drenching once a week in the warmer months. BUT ensure you leave them to drain after giving them a really good water. After they have drained I put them on the the tray of pebbles which is full of water. NOT enough water that the bottom of the pot is soaking in it. Just enough so it creates it's own humidity/environment. I also keep min Phalaenopsis Orchid in a very bright sunny spot without direct sunlight as they will burn.

Prior to doing that my PO's never flowered after the initial flowers that came on them died off. I moved house and had a brighter spot to keep mine in and WOW the difference it made. I went from NO flowers to Flowering most of the year.

The only different things were:

Good watering & draining Loads of sunlight, Potting them into a different soil (bark Orchid mix) medium and regular fertilising. And my biggest game changer keeping my Phalaenopsis Orchid on a plant saucer filled with pebbles and water. I also use rain water, but that is not a major deal if you leave your town water in a bucket for a few days most of the chemicals will have dissipated and much the same as rain water..

Good luck

This old gal

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