How I care for phalaenopsis in winter without fertilizing so that they bloom and be healthy

Fiery fireworks, fellow flower growers!

I will share with you my care for the phalaenopsis orchid at home during the cold seasons. I have been growing them for more than 5 years and have developed my own rules for the winter maintenance of this indoor plant. Thanks to them, my phalaenopsis grow leaves and release flower arrows, and the roots remain intact and do not rot.

The first priority is to keep the phalaenopsis alive and with healthy roots.. It is in winter that orchids disappear more often than at other times of the year. From October to March, the most unfavorable conditions for a tropical plant develop:

• Due to the low activity of the sun, phalaenopsis stops its development, and the leaves evaporate less moisture.
• Cold comes from the window. I have good plastic windows. But, if you touch the pot, then its surface will be cool.

Due to the combination of high humidity and low temperature, roots can rot.

Therefore, in winter, you need to revise the orchid watering schedule. In summer, the soil in the pot should always be slightly damp, and in winter, the bark should be allowed to dry out. But do not bring it to complete dryness.

I focus primarily on the condition of the ground. If it has dried out from above by 2 cm, and the pot has become light by weight, then I soak it, as always, for 1 hour in warm water. After the "bath" it is important to ensure that no water remains in the leaf axils: if necessary, get wet and dry in a warm room. And only then return to the windowsill.

I believe that there is no need to feed Phalaenopsis from October to April. Due to low light, all life processes in the plant slow down. And nutrition is not included in the plans of the orchid. The minerals of the cell sap are enough for her, and she will receive organic matter from the wet bark.

Whether phalaenopsis will bloom in winter or not depends on the lighting. If I want the orchid to shoot a flower arrow, I move the pot to the south window. The rest always feel good in the east - there is their permanent residence. You can count on winter bloom if the phalaenopsis is already ready for it (it has enough roots and leaves) and often blooms at other times of the year.