How to Care for Taisuco Stripes

Fill the saucer that goes with the orchid pot with pebbles. This will form an area to collect water and enhance humidity levels around the orchid. Remove the orchid from the nursery pot and check the roots. Prune out any dark colored or damaged roots. Orchids are prone to rot on roots and this needs to be removed.

Put orchid bark halfway in the pot. Place the Taisuco orchid in the bark medium and fill the rest of the way with bark. Place the pot in the sink and water until the water flows out of the drainage holes.

Place the pot in a window with indirect sunlight. Put the saucer underneath and fill it with water. Keep water in the saucer to evaporate and provide extra moisture to the air around the orchid.

Feed the Taisuco Stripes weekly. Orchids need plenty of food but in small does. The saying is "fertilize weekly, weakly." Use a high nitrogen water soluble fertilizer weekly three times per month in water that has been diluted half way. Follow the package instructions for amount and dilution information.

Keep the plant in a warm location. Taisuco can tolerate temperatures at 55 degrees Fahrenheit, but daytime temperatures should be 60 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit. The best nighttime temperatures hover around 55 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit.

Water when the pot feels light. When watering, allow the water to flood out of the bottom of the orchid to help remove excess salts that build up when you fertilize a lot. Taisuco orchids should not be allowed to completely dry out but the soil should be barely damp before you water. Use a finger slipped into the side of the pot to check the soil moisture. It will feel cool if it is just barely damp.

Cut out the spent flower stems and repot the plant at least every two years. Use a medium to large orchid bark and repot when you see new growth come up at the base of the plant.