How to Grow Spathoglottis Orchids

Transplanting Spathoglottis Orchids

• 1

  Buy starter spathoglottis orchids from a local nursery or home and garden store. Choose starter orchids with healthy, green leaves and flower buds.

• 2

  Prepare 12-by-12-inch clay flowerpots for planting. Place a 1-inch layer of clay pot fragments in the bottom of each container to help drainage. Place a thin terry cloth over shards to keep soil from filtering into and blocking the drainage layer. Prepare one pot per starter orchid.

• 3

  Remove each starter orchid carefully from its existing pot, breaking or damaging as few of the plant’s roots as possible. Brush soil gently off of the orchids’ roots.

• 4

  Test each orchid’s depth in the pot before adding soil. Place the orchid upright in the pot with the rhizome just below the container’s rim. Mark the side of the pot to indicate where you’ll set the rhizome.

• 5

  Add potting soil with compost or leaf mold to the marked line inside the pot. Do not press down on the soil because spathoglottis orchids need a loose growing medium.

• 6

  Set each orchid upright on the soil. Add soil to partly cover the rhizome. Do not bury the rhizome or it will rot. Three-quarters of the rhizome should be above the soil.

• 7

  Stake orchids to keep them steady until they establish their roots in the soil.

• 8

  Water orchids deeply to settle their roots into the soil.

Spathoglottis Care

• 9

  Place spathoglottis orchids in a spot with bright but indirect light. Direct sunlight scorches the orchids’ delicate leaves.

• 10

  Water spathoglottis orchids only when the top 1 inch of soil dries. Water thoroughly, until water drains from the pot’s bottom.

• 11

  Humidify the air around spathoglottis orchids. Mist plants daily. Place a humidifier near the orchids. A pebble tray filled with water and placed underneath orchid pots also keeps air moist.

• 12

  Feed spathoglottis orchids every two to three months with a slow-release fertilizer containing equal parts nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. University of Florida plant scientists recommend sprinkling fertilizer on top of the soil.

• 13

  Keep spathoglottis orchids in warm temperatures. If the temperature falls below 60 degrees Fahrenheit, spathoglottis orchids stop growing and flowering. Below 40 degrees Fahrenheit, plants lose leaves and go dormant. Do not leave orchids outside in cold weather.