Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Text by Yin-Tung Wang, PhD, Matthew Blanchard, Roberto Lopez and Erik Runkle, PhD/Photographs by Yin-Tung Wang, PhD
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OPPOSITE ABOVE This Doritaenopsis constant fertility of 100 ppm nitrogen from
hybrid (Phal. Buddha’s Treasure × Dor. Scotts 15-5-15 Cal Mag.
pulcherrima) inherits the flowering habit of ABOVE Phalaenopsis can be grown in
Dor. (syn. Phalaenopsis) pulcherrima and these media components: 1. fresh Douglas
flowers in late spring. It should be grown in fir bark, 2. aged Monterey pine bark,
light intensities higher than what normally 3. perlite, 4. coarse peat, 5. pumice and
are used for phalaenopsis hybrids. 6. a mixture of fresh fir bark, perlite,
OPPOSITE Phalaenopsis planted in a mix coarse peat and dust sphagnum moss.
of coarse perlite, coarse sphagnum peat LEFT A phalaenopsis plug grown in
and fir bark (left) and aged Monterey pine sphagnum moss showing white, healthy
bark (right). Plants were provided with a roots (Texas A&M University).
lematic when stressed, partially The imported aged bark obtained plug trays with sphagnum moss as the
desiccated, bare-root phalaenopsis are from the Monterey pine, grown in New sole growing medium. Taiwan is the
newly planted. When bark starts to Zealand for lumber, has been used by leading exporter of phalaenopsis and
hold more water and nutrients after an increasing number of orchid growers nearly all are produced in sphagnum
repeated watering and fertilization, it in the United States. Our preliminary moss. Although moss from New
decomposes quickly and ties up some research found that aged Monterey Zealand is of higher quality, many
of the nutrients. In fact, research has pine bark holds more moisture and growers use Chilean moss because it
shown there may be no detectable nutrients and maintains a higher pH is less expensive. Moss has a low pH
amount of nitrate-nitrogen in a bark than fir bark, resulting in better plant and absorbs large quantities of water
medium. Fir bark particles do not have growth. In addition, this aged pine bark and mineral nutrients. Thus, growers
much capillary action and do not readily does not decompose as quickly. must pay close attention to watering
transfer moisture from the bottom of the Sphagnum Moss Pure sphagnum and fertility, especially those located
pot toward the surface. A medium of fir moss is probably the single best in more temperate climates where pots
bark alone can hold too much water in material for growing young phala- lose water less rapidly. In addition,
the lower portion of the pot once it begins enopsis in warm (tropical and sub- inexperienced consumers often over-
to degrade, which can lead to severe tropical) conditions. Most growers water plants sold in sphagnum, leading
root rot and poor plant performance. transplant plantlets from flasks into to root rot and plant decline. For these
reasons, many growers in northern excessive water and have inadequate have adequate support for flowers. In
climates avoid using a sphagnum moss- aeration. If a bark mix is used, do not addition, the container should be filled
based medium. After a few months’ tap the pots while planting. Tapping with medium until the mix is ½ to ¾ inch
growing phalaenopsis in sphagnum will cause the smaller and finer particles (1.2 to 1.8 cm) below the top of the pot.
moss, the root zone pH is often around to drop to the lower portion of the pot, This helps facilitate rooting into the
3, but, it does not appear to adversely which could cause more water to stay medium, not over the rim. It also makes
affect the plants’ growth and flowering. where it dries the slowest. watering the pots easier.
TRANSPLANTING Phalaenopsis When planting bare-root plants in Phalaenopsis roots that are ex-
are often imported into the United sphagnum moss, thoroughly soak the posed to light have chloroplasts and
States as large bare-root plants, and moss in water and squeeze the water perform photosynthesis. A majority of
thus immediate transplanting is nec- out before planting. Depending on the phalaenopsis growers in Taiwan and
essary. Some domestic nurseries also climatic conditions, plants may not the Netherlands, and increasingly
sell plants as bare-root specimens. need a second irrigation until seven to growers in the United States, use clear
Regardless of the medium components, 14 days later. During this period, a light pots that allow light to penetrate the
transplanting requires attention to sprinkling helps recovery. The sprink- pots. Root photosynthesis likely
detail and is laborious. Roots should ling should not be heavy enough to contributes little to total plant
be spread out in pots before medium is wet the moss. photosynthesis. However, because
added. It is important to fill all spaces It is also important to ensure that phalaenopsis roots avoid darkness,
among roots with medium so no large plants are positioned in the container roots of plants grown in clear pots
air pockets remain in the pot. A stick is at the correct level. Plants that are generally stay inside the pot better
sometimes used to carefully push down planted too deep may have more than the roots of plants grown in
and compact the medium to hold the disease problems and could rot, and opaque pots. Roots of plants grown in
plant in place. However, if the medium those planted too shallow may not root bark-based media tend to grow out of
is compacted too much, it could hold into the medium properly and may not their pots quickly, whereas those