ORCHIDS: Careful nuturing needed for blooming

Q:My fertilizer regime is minimal. I feed when they look like they need it and rarely in the summer. I apply the foliar type because it's easier than dragging a hose around. Will I get blooms? -- Mary W.

Answer: By the time orchids look like they need help, it's often too late. These tropical beauties are very slow growing, taking an average of five years to bloom from germination. Attention to the seven basic requirements -- air circulation, fertilizer, humidity, light, potting medium, temperature and water -- will ensure robust foliage and healthy roots.

The season in which most foliar growth occurs is summer and fertilizer should be heaviest then. Spring and fall require only moderate nutrition. In winter, the plants need very little fertilizer.

Orchids take in most of their nourishment through their roots and very little through their leaves. Fertilizer programs are most effective when a powdered or liquid concentrate is mixed with the water used to hydrate the potting media. Time-release pellets sprinkled on top of the potting medium can be successful, but the timing of the initial application and the selection of the proper formulation are critical. Foliar-only fertilizer will not give satisfactory results.

Q:Two of my Phalaenopsis have brown scale. I am currently using insecticidal soap and rubbing alcohol on a cotton ball to clean the leaves. Any other suggestions? -- Joyce J.

Answer: The leaves of moth orchids are tender and attract a number of vicious pests. Aside from brown scale, other unwanted guests could include mealy bugs, multiple species of mites and slugs. If flowers are present, additional party crashers such as aphids and thrips may arrive to dine on the delicate petals.

Only extreme infestations are fatal. The bugs suck the life out of the plant, leaving the foliage limp and discolored. Close examination of the greenery using a magnifying lens reveals thousands of tiny holes where the insects have been. There is usually a sticky substance where the juices from the plant were secreted.

Sometimes a thorough washing is advised. Taking the plant outside and hosing the leaves and roots down with water gets rid of the worst offenders. Then a regular spray program can be implemented. Most infestations are minor and can be controlled easily.

Brown scale is challenging to control because each critter has an armored shell that protects it from common insecticides. It is best to loosen the insect from the leaf prior to spraying using a damp cotton ball and nimble fingers. Insecticidal soap or rubbing alcohol (70 percent isopropyl) is effective. Weekly applications for a month are required due to the fast life cycle.

Q:I vacation in South Carolina, where Spanish moss hangs from the trees. I have heard that this moss, when wrapped around the base of an orchid, interferes with the orchid's ability to breathe. -- Carolyn M.

Answer: The floral industry uses Spanish moss for a wide variety of decorative purposes. Clumps of the fluffy, gray, stringy leaves cover the tops of unsightly plant containers and soften the look. One might find related natural items, curly willow and raffia, in the same arrangement.

Surprisingly, Spanish moss is not a moss but rather a bromeliad. Though it may find itself as top dressing for a lucky orchid and share the same space, there is plenty of air to go around.