How to Grow and Care for Orchids

When to Plant Orchids

Moth orchids are houseplants and can be brought home any time of year. Repot them every one to two years in spring, after flowering, using fresh orchid bark.

How to Plant Orchids

Place Moth Orchid indoors in bright, indirect light, such as near an east-facing window. Use a pot with drainage holes and a commercial bark-based orchid mix that lets air reach the roots. Gently spread the roots in the pot and work the mix around them, keeping the crown, where the leaves join, above the mix. Water thoroughly at planting to settle the bark around the roots, then let excess water drain completely. Keep water from collecting between the leaves at the crown.

Orchid Care

Keep Moth Orchid in bright, indirect indoor light, protected from harsh direct sun. Water when the potting mix has dried somewhat, thoroughly wetting the mix with lukewarm water and letting excess water drain completely. Empty saucers or decorative outer pots so roots do not stand in water. A loose, bark-based orchid mix with excellent drainage is suitable. Feed actively growing or flowering plants with an orchid fertilizer every third or fourth watering, following label directions. Suspend feeding during cooler conditions with reduced indoor light. After flowering, remove flower stalks once they are fully brown and dry, cutting near the base. Leave healthy roots that extend outside the pot intact. Check regularly for scale insects and mealybugs.

Fertilizing Orchids

Moth Orchid benefits from regular, light fertilization during active growth and flowering. Apply an orchid fertilizer every third or fourth watering, following label directions for the amount. Avoid overfeeding, which can encourage lush leaves at the expense of flowers. Skip fertilization during cooler, lower-light winter conditions.

Pruning Orchids

Pruning Moth Orchid is usually limited to cleanup, because green flower stalks may produce more buds after the flowers fade. Leave these stalks intact; once they turn brown and die, cut them near the base where they meet the leaves, using a sharp, sterile blade. Remove old, yellowed leaves at the base, but leave healthy roots intact, including those growing outside the container.

Orchid Pests and Diseases

Inspect Moth Orchid regularly for mealybugs, which form white cottony clusters in leaf crevices and on flower spikes, and scale insects, which appear as attached oval bumps on leaves and flower stems. Remove small infestations gently by hand or with a soft toothbrush, and recheck hidden areas for surviving pests. If pests persist, use insecticidal soap or horticultural oil labeled for orchids and the target pest, following all label directions exactly, including application timing, rate, protective measures, pollinator precautions and repeat treatments. Bacterial brown spot can begin as water-soaked leaf spots that enlarge, darken and become sunken; promptly isolate affected plants, avoid splashing water between plants and disinfect tools before removing diseased tissue. Botrytis petal blight causes small brown or black flower spots that can enlarge, sometimes developing gray mold under damp conditions. Remove affected flowers promptly, keep flowers and foliage dry, clear away fallen plant debris and improve air circulation to reduce disease spread.