* Spraying orchids with water may help remove dust and grime for
the leaves, and you may enjoy it, but does little to increase
humidity.
* Your bathrooms is not as humid
as you might think. If your bathroom has bright
light , then by all means grow some phalaenopsis orchids there as
the occasionally higher humidity can
only help.
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Phalaenopsis roots are thick and fleshy, absorbing
moisture directly from humid air . If the air is too dry, your plants will lose
water from the leaves faster than they can replace it
from the roots. As a result, the plant wilts. Most epiphytic tropical orchids are
from humid areas, often thriving in 50% to 90%
humidity.
Therefore,
for indoor growers relative humidity is probably the most
difficult factor to control as humidity levels in homes tend to be quite low,
especially when homes are heated in winter
Try to aim for a humidity of 50% for your phalaenopsis
orchids. If you have a greenhouse or dedicated basement grow room, you can use a
microfogger or humidifier to do so easily. If you are an indoor or windowsill
grower, where the area is not enclosed, there area few tricks:
-Group your orchid plants together so that they create a
more humid microclimate around themselves. The more plants you have the better this
works(a good excuse to buy more orchids)!
-Use humidity grow trays
-this will also collect run-off water when you water your plants. As the
water evaporates from the trays, it provide humidity around your
plants.
-You can also sit your orchid pots in a
shallow pebble-filled trays or pot saucers filled with water-just be sure
pots are not actually sitting in the water as orchids do not like 'wet feet.'
-Always run a humidifier near your plants in winter when the air is notoriously
dry.
AIR MOVEMENT Air movement is important
in orchid cultivation. In the wild, epiphytic orchids, including phals, grow in
trees where there is constant air movement. This air movement keeps plants
cool, especially during hot weather. When your collection grows to a dozen plants ,
run a small fan near them to keep the foliage moving, especially in winter when
windows are closed and the air is stagnant. The rest of the time, when windows
are open and there is plenty of fresh air, your orchids should do
fine.
Whenever the room you are growing orchids in feels closed
or stuffy, chances are the air circulation is poor. If the air is light buoyant and
moving, the environment will also feel more pleasant to you.
Always make sure your fan is running when humidity is
high, both in winter and summer. This will greatly reduce the incidence of
fungal and bacterial infections which can quickly take hold and destroy a
collection of phals in a matter of days.
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