How to Care for the Popular Moth Orchid

Expose moth orchids to a minimum of four hours of bright, but indirect, sunlight per day. Place the orchid within 3 to 4 feet of a sunny window that faces south, west or east. Avoid placing moth orchids near sources of extreme heat or cold, such as heaters, air conditioners or drafts.

Simulate the orchid's native climate in your home. Maintain an indoor temperature that is above 60 degrees F and no greater than 82 degrees F. Provide regular supplemental humidity for your moth orchid to help keep it healthy and beautiful. Move the orchid into the bathroom while you shower or run a cool-mist humidifier in the same room.

Water moth orchids once a week, but beware of over-watering, which can invite root rot and other botanical diseases. Just Add Ice Orchids suggests trying an ice-cube watering method to eliminate the stress associated with knowing how much water to provide. Arrange three ice cubes on the surface of the potting mix in the orchid's planting container; note that each ice cube should yield approximately 1/4 cup of water when melted.

Follow a regular fertilization schedule for your moth orchid to ensure healthy foliage and flower development. Feed the orchid once a month from March through August using a water-soluble 20-20-20 fertilizer product. Help moth orchids set their buds for the following growing season by applying a single application of a high-phosphorus fertilizer in mid-November. Consult the application instructions included with your fertilizer products.

Re-pot moth orchids every one to two growing seasons to replace the potting mix, divide the plant and check for unhealthy roots. Wait until the orchid has finished its blooming cycle, remove it from the planting container and hold the roots under room temperature running water to rinse off the potting mix. Divide the plant, if desired, by using a sharpened and sterilized knife to cut between the root clumps. Use the same knife to remove any roots that are brown or mushy. Re-pot the moth orchid in fresh orchid potting mix.