Question
Hi I would really like to grow a Phalaenopsis again as I used to have them back home in Singapore and I miss them! However, the weather here in Sydney Australia is very dry and it is cold as well (early autumn). As orchids here are rather expensive, I don't want to buy one only to have it die on me due to the cold. I am also thinking of growing it in my room, however it is rather drafty here as it is facing the sea. Any advise on how I can keep the place warm and humid?

Answer
Hi Catt,

You can grow phalaenopsis orchids there in Sydney, but it may take just a little bit of work compared to Singapore.  

Grow them where they will receive bright but indirect sunlight, temperatures between 17 to 30 C, humidity above 50%, some light air movement.  If you can give phals. these things, they should do fine.  Water when the potting media becomes barely moist and feed them some orchid fertilizer but at about 1/2 the amount suggested on the container.  

Is there an area in your room that is not directly in the path of the sea drafts?  If keeping them warm and humid is a problem, you could try building a small greenhouse for them.  One cheap (I like that word - grin) way to do this is to get a large plastic storage bin with a lid, place the lid on the table or floor and put small pebbles in the lid then place the pots on top of the pebbles and place the bin on top of them.  To add some humidity is fairly simple too, put some water in the lid and as the water evaporates it will increase the humidity, just make sure the bottom of the pots are not sitting in water or you may end up with rotten roots.  

By the way, Australia is home to several hundred Dendrobium species along with 3 Cymbidium species.  Also, there are many Sarchochilus orchid species.  And, if you have the time, there are several orchid societies in Sydney that might interest you.  If you'd like some information about them, write back and I'll send the info.  

Hope this helped.  

Jim Kawasaki
San Jose, Ca.