How to Grow Zygopetalum Mackayi

Plant a Zygopetalum mackayi seedling in a well-draining soil or medium, such as fir bark. Start with a pot that is just wide enough to accommodate the seedling’s root system, but slightly deeper than the root system, since the roots will grow extensively in early development.

Keep your orchid in a room with bright but indirect light. While these orchids do require bright light, too much light can cause their leaves to yellow. If in its first year your Zygopetalum doesn’t bloom, it may be because it isn’t receiving enough light. Adjust the light accordingly in order to grow healthy, light green leaves and lush flowers.

Maintain 80 percent humidity for the orchid throughout the growing season, and drop the humidity in the room to approximately 75 percent during the winter. In the summer the temperature of the room should be between 69 and 73 degrees F, with nighttime temperatures between 56 and 58 degrees F. Winter temperatures can decrease up to 10 degrees F without damaging the orchid. Any sustained temperatures above 73 degrees F can damage the orchid.

Water the orchid regularly so that the planting medium and roots are continuously moist, but not soaked. In the fall, reduce the frequency of watering, only watering the orchid when the medium starts to dry out.

Feed your orchid once a week during active growing season, which is between the spring and early fall. Use a well-balanced fertilizer diluted to one-quarter strength. In the fall, you can still fertilize once every few weeks, but switch to a low nitrogen and high phosphorous fertilizer in order to stimulate flowering the following spring.

Repot the orchid into a larger pot whenever new root growth is apparent. You may need to repot the orchid once a year in the first few years, then every other year after.