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WATER
These
plants like to be kept moist, but not wet.
However, do not allow them to dry out.
Test for dryness by inserting your finger about an inch
into the potting medium; wait until it feels only slightly
moist before watering again. Water plants thoroughly
early in the day, so that the leaves are dry by
nightfall. Filtered tap water, or rain water, is best. Water
should be tepid, not cold. Watering schedules will vary
considerably depending on light and temperature conditions.
Plants may dry out rapidly in warm dry conditions, needing
water every few days, or may remain moist in cooler seasons
for longer periods of time. Water your plant according to its
need, not your schedule.
Paphiopedilum
Frank Hughes has huge flowers in white and dark pink. This
hybrid can be challenging to bloom.
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FERTILIZER
.
Paphs,
like many orchids, do not like to be over-fed, and will suffer
if excess fertilizer is applied. As a rule of thumb, apply
fertilizer at quarter to half the strength recommended for
indoor tropical plants. For
paphs potted in a bark mix, use an orchid fertilizer with a
higher nitrogen content (such as 30-10-10) or a 'urea-free'
formulation. In both cases, switch to a blossom inducing
fertilizer (such as 10-20-10) once growths mature, or buds are
seen emerging, generally in the cooler months, and continue to
use this during flowering. Alternatively, switch between fertilizers each time you feed.
Fertilize
plants 2-3 times a month during the warmer months and 1-2
times per month during the winter when growth is slower. Paphs
that grow on a limestone substrate in the wild, will also
benefit from a top-dressing of crushed oyster shell or
dolomitic lime
about every six months, as will hybrids derived from
those species.
HUMIDITY
Paphs, like most tropical orchids like humidity, so try to
maintain about 70% humidity, Plants will generally not do well
with less than 50% humidity. Stand plants on water-filled
trays of gravel (making sure plants do not sit in water), and
spray plants with water during warm dry weather in order to
increase humidity.
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| LIGHT
Most paphs are low-light plants, and like a
shady spot where they
receive bright indirect light. They will do
fine in eastern, or shaded western or southern
exposures. As a rule, do not place mottled-leafed
plants in direct sunlight. Let the foliage be your
guide: leaves should be medium green in color with
darker well-defined patterns in the mottled leaf
types. Many of the larger multifloral paphs, usually
with plain green foliage, need considerably brighter
light to bloom, especially during the winter months.
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Mottled foliage
typical of Maudiae type paphiopedilums.
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TEMPERATURE
AND VENTILATION Most
paphs are happy with intermediate to warm temperatures from
75-80 during the day, and around 65-70 at night. A drop in
temperature at night during the cooler months, may help induce
buds. ‘Standard’ or 'complex' paphs enjoy temperatures
about 5 degrees cooler. Make
sure that there is always adequate ventilation and air
circulation, particularly in the winter, or during very humid
conditions, in order to avoid fungal and bacterial disease.
However, do not subject plants to blasts of cold or hot air.
An oscillating fan that moves air constantly at low speed is
extremely beneficial.
Continue
to Part II of this article>
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