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* 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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