Orchids in which pots to grow orchids at home

Orchids are flowers that are extremely beautiful, but very demanding in terms of maintenance. This is especially true for orchids in pots, which many people like to grow at home.

However, even a pot needs to be chosen correctly for orchids so that they delight you with their flowering. Today we will tell you what the pots for these flowers should be and how to properly care for them at home. You will also see photos of orchids grown on balconies or window sills in flowerpots.

What should be the pot?

Orchids are among those types of flowers that do not grow in the ground, but attach to other plants. therefore pots for them should be selected so that they serve as a stand and support... If you choose it wrong, the root system will rot, and accordingly, the flower will die.

In natural conditions, orchids are fixed on tree trunks, so their root system allows them to do so. At home, this function is shifted to pots. They must have such a shape and structure so that the plant develops well., did not dry out and was not exposed to the negative effects of dry indoor air.

An orchid pot must be chosen from materials such as:

• glass;
• plastic;
• ceramics.

Also, the following conditions are put forward for pots for growing orchids:

• they must have a water drain;
• the presence of good aeration so that air flows to the rhizome;
• the volume of the pot and the size of the flower must match;
• the roots in the pot should be free and not touch the walls;
• the material of the container must maintain the optimum temperature and not overheat the flower;
• the container should be transparent so that the root system of the flower has access to sunlight.

Description of pots with photos

Below is a description of pots made of different materials. Some are shown in the photo.

Plastic containers for orchids

The most popular are plastic structures. The advantages of plastic are obvious:

• favorable cost;
• durable plastic;
• easy to clean;
• durable;
• transparent and transmits sunlight well.

Also, this characteristic is good in that you can look at the root system of the orchid, and prevent it from starting to rot. In plastic pots, you can make additional holes on the walls or bottom for drainage.

Glass constructions

Many people prefer to use glass-based pots for growing orchids. They are also transparent and transmit light well. Compared to plastic containers, they have an external appeal and perfectly decorate the interior.... But they also have a minus - it is the impossibility of making holes for drainage.

It is better to use glass containers for experienced flower lovers, but for beginners it is recommended to take plastic flowerpots.This is because the substrate in a glass container dries out unevenly, and the roots can rot. BUT poor air exchange can cause algae to appear on the walls of the vessel... And only an experienced gardener can prevent this. Features of ceramic pots

But ceramic orchid pots are not particularly suitable. Very often, the roots of a flower grow to their walls, and this is very traumatic for them. And what toCeramics are often heavily covered with a glazed layer, causing clogging of porestherefore, the plant has no access to air. But if you settled on a ceramic pot, then take a planter for orchids, and put a plastic container inside.

The cost of finished pots depends on the following factors:

• material of manufacture;
• decor;
• form.

The cheapest are plastic pots, the most expensive are ceramic pots.

DIY orchid pot

You can also make a pot for growing orchids yourself. To do this, you need to prepare a plastic base, for example, a food container. Choose the form yourself, but ohThe volume of the structure must match the size of the flower... In the bottom of the container, you need to make a large number of through holes with a knife, screwdriver or drill, it is also advisable to make them in the side walls of a homemade pot. From the inside in the middle of the container, install a shampoo stopper so that the flower cannot fit snugly to the bottom of the container and breathe better.

Preparing a substrate for a home orchid

You can buy ready-made orchid substrate from your specialist retailer. Or you can do it yourself according to the instructions:

• prepare pine bark by separating it from the trees;
• boil it for 20 minutes;
• dry;
• grind to the size you need.

If you soak such pieces of bark in fertilizer for a flower, it will bloom especially profusely. For this purpose, we put the substrate under oppression and fill it with ready-made dressing. After a few hours, the bark must be removed and dried.... Then the plant can be transplanted.

Orchid

When you are just starting to grow orchids in pots, it is better to buy special soil mixtures for them at specialized retail outlets. The packages always say which varieties they are suitable for, you should always pay attention to this.

Well, for those who have been growing these flowers for more than a year, it will be interesting to try to prepare the soil on their own based on a substrate with the addition of dry moss and earth from the garden.

Orchid transplant

Sometimes it becomes necessary to transplant these flowers. In this case, you need to follow these rules:

• prepare a new flowerpot, which should be 2 cm larger in diameter than the previous one;
• carefully remove the flower from the pot, taking care of the safety of its roots;
• carefully select the old substrate from the rhizome and discard it;
• look at the root system, take away rotten, old and damaged roots;
• those that remain are washed with warm running water;
• fill the new pot with a third of the substrate;
• we install a flower in it and straighten its roots;
• the free space is filled with a substrate by means of a wooden stick.

After transplanting, the orchid can be watered only after five days, and fed only after a month.

Home orchid care rules

Remember to replant a flower only when you really need it. Moreover, it can be transplanted even during flowering. The orchid can be rearranged from one place to another, so that she herself chooses the one that is most comfortable for her..

Lighting

How you follow the rules for lighting a flower depends on how it will bloom and whether it blooms at all. If the orchid if there is not enough light, then she will have little nutrition for a full vegetation cycle, and if it is too intense, the flower will simply burn out.

Therefore, it is very important to find a "golden mean" in this regard. If there is little light for the flower, then its leaves will acquire a dark green tint, and if there are too many, then they will either turn yellow or become covered with brown or dry spots.

Watering rules

Successful growth and flowering of orchids also depend on proper watering. In many ways, it all depends on the type of plant. Most orchids naturally are not in water and their roots cannot tolerate stagnant moisture. and saline solutions.

Some varieties need the soil to be slightly moist, while others are such that the substrate for them must dry out between waterings.

Watering intensity also depends on the following factors:

• dry air;
• temperature;
• lighting intensity;
• pot size;
• vegetation phase.

It is worth noting that orchids tolerate a lack of moisture more easily than an excess of it. They love intensive watering only during active growth, with the ejection of peduncles and flowering. And here it is necessary to reduce their number in the period after flowering and in winterwhen there is little light and the room is cool.

For watering orchids, you need to use only settled water, as an option - boiled or filtered. After the plant has faded, at the bottom you need to count two vines or three buds, and cut off the rest.

When the last flower is dropped, the plant must be given rest: transfer it to a semi-dark place and keep at a temperature of 24 degrees. During this period, you can not change the location of the plant and water it.... Spraying of roots is sometimes allowed.

What should be the temperature for orchids?

Most varieties of these flowers feel great at home with temperatures ranging from 18 to 27 during the day and 13 to 24 at night, respectively.

Very it is important to observe the difference in night and day temperatures for successful flowering. If the heating does not allow you to feel it, then it is necessary that the plant be cooler at night than during the day, such conditions must be created independently.

Moving orchids to cooler areas at night can create new flower stalks faster.

In most cases, orchids are quite normal to perceive minor temperature fluctuations. But remember that when the temperature decreases, watering should be reduced, and with an increase - accordingly, increase.

Now you know what a pot should be for growing a beautiful and healthy orchid at home, and what you need to do for this in terms of care. If follow all the rules and recommendations, the flower will delight you with its beauty.

Rate the article:

(6 votes, average: 4.5 out of 5)

Among the thousands of orchid varieties, only a small part settle on the ground, the rest prefer to climb tree trunks, rocky ledges with the help of powerful roots and settle down in places where there is practically no soil. Therefore, pots for orchids grown at home are very different from the usual flower containers.

What should guide a florist when choosing a container for tropical beauties? How to find a suitable pot?

What kind of pot is needed for an orchid?

Epiphytes and lithophytes are plants that do not tolerate waterlogging of the roots. And when choosing a pot for an orchid, it is important to build on this basic, but not the only requirement.

Specialized containers for a plant of this family should provide:

• good moisture outflow;
• active aeration of the root system and substrate inside the pot;
• safe extraction of juicy, long rhizomes, which often diverge far beyond the container;
• temperature regime acceptable for the orchid.

Among orchids, there are species in which the roots not only absorb nutrients and moisture, but also actively participate in the process of photosynthesis.

What kind of orchid pot is needed in this case? Strange as it may sound for novice lovers of this culture, for such orchids it is necessary to purchase a completely transparent container.

How to choose an orchid pot made of clay, colored or clear plastic? Epiphytic plants do not need a large volume of substrate, therefore a large pot is not needed. The main thing that:

• there were drainage holes on the bottom and bottom of the walls;
• the height of the container was equal to the width of the neck;
• the volume corresponded to the size of the root system.

Most often, you can see an indoor orchid in a pot, as in the photo, made of plastic or ceramic. There are also breathable baskets for free root growth.

It is better to refuse a glass pot. It can injure not only the flower, but also the person, and besides, it does not allow the roots to breathe. It is better to use such a container as a spectacular planter for an orchid planted in transparent plastic.

Plastic Orchid Pots

This is the most common and preferred orchid pot. Plastic containers do not allow the root system to dry out, they are easy to maintain and can serve more than one plant.

In addition, the design of such an orchid pot provides several holes for draining excess moisture, which means that there is no need to worry about moisture retention in the substrate. If the existing drainage holes are not enough, the grower can independently, without the risk of destroying the container, make new ones.

Plastic easily tolerates being on a brightly lit windowsill and in the shade, reliably protecting the flower's root system from hypothermia or overheating.

Sometimes, when transplanting, orchid lovers are faced with a situation where the overgrown roots through the drainage holes have come out, and it will not be possible to remove the leaf rosette without damaging the pot or plant. In this case, the plastic can be easily cut with household scissors without damaging the roots at all, which is impossible if a ceramic or glass orchid pot is used.

Transparent pots are available for species whose roots are involved in the process of photosynthesis. However, such containers are convenient to use not only for planting phalaenopsis and similar plants. You can clearly see through the plastic:

• how the root system develops;
• how moisture is consumed;
• how the substrate dries.

Therefore, such containers can be recommended for flower growers without much experience in keeping orchids. For a room orchid in a pot, as in the photo, it is easy and interesting to observe. Even the slightest damage to the roots or signs of overflow will not be hidden from a careful look.

Clay Orchid Pots

A significant advantage of pots for orchids made of doused or unglazed ceramics is their excellent permeability to moisture and air. Irrigation moisture does not accumulate in one place, but effectively spreads throughout the earthen coma, the roots do not dry out for a long time and do not overheat.

But with a lot of advantages, this type of container also has disadvantages:

• rhizomes firmly adhere to the porous surface of the ceramic, which is fraught with injury to the flower during reproduction and transplantation:
• the porosity of the pot decreases over time from salts penetrating into the material, which negatively affect both the clay and the condition of the orchid roots.

When planning to use a clay container, a florist must know how to properly plant an orchid in a pot.

Before planting the plant, clay orchid pots are disinfected, properly warmed up in the oven, and then soaked in clean irrigation water for a couple of hours. If a previously used vessel is used, it is useful to immerse it in acidified water. This will help get rid of any salt stains on the ceramics.

Video about the selection of a pot for an orchid

Elegant, fragile exotic orchids attract attention with their beauty and leave no one indifferent. Taking care of them is not as difficult as it might seem to many. Most importantly, you need to choose the right orchid pot.

Orchids, types of orchids

All these flowers can be conventionally divided into two groups (species). The first type is the most common - these are epiphytic orchids. Under normal natural conditions, they grow directly on trees, branches of fallen trees and stumps. The second type includes lithophous orchids. They prefer to sit on rocks and stones, i.e.in any terrain with rocks and stones.

The most common, favorite and widely grown gardeners include the following types of orchids: Dendrobium (Cypride's slipper, the most cultivated), Cattleya, Phalaenopsis, Polistachia (one of the oldest), Papiopedilum (growing in the Himalayas), Aerides, Beallaria, Cambria, Milton Wanda, Ludisia and many others.

Most of them are excellently grown in indoor conditions, subject to certain special conditions for caring for these delicate and amazingly beautiful plants. Choosing the right container for the flower is especially important. What are the best orchid pots?

How to choose a pot?

To make the place of residence at home for an orchid comfortable and convenient, this must be done according to all the rules. First of all, in order to determine which pots are needed for orchids, you need to remember in which places this flower grows in nature in order to organize for it the conditions as close as possible to them at home.

Orchids usually cling to a variety of supports created by nature itself - the trunks of various trees and rocky rocks. Their roots are well ventilated (the process of photosynthesis takes place in them). In this regard, the orchid will be comfortable in a transparent and maximum air and water permeable pot.

Orchid pots. What are the best orchid pots?

Today, ceramic pots are very popular. But they are not suitable for orchids, since ceramics are very poorly permeable to air and water stagnates in it. In addition, in such pots it is not visible what the state of the root system is, and this is the first necessity when growing an orchid.

There are several options. Each grower must decide for himself which pots are needed for orchids.

Glassware can be used.

Orchids are very convenient to grow in transparent plastic pots.

An ideal option for these delicate plants is a wicker planter, especially if it is made with natural materials.

There are also plastic blocks (new items). They are equipped with lattice walls, convenient for orchids.

Plastic pots

The best of all options is to use clear plastic pots. Why?

First, as many holes can be made in it for ventilation of the roots. This is necessary to prevent an excess of moisture (otherwise rotting of the roots occurs) and for the supply of oxygen to the roots.

Secondly, such material perfectly transmits sunlight, which is necessary for the process of photosynthesis in the roots.

Thirdly - affordability for all growers and a variety of shapes and colors for matching to the interior design of the room.

Glass pots

Glass pots look more impressive. But they are also more expensive. And the penetration of sunlight into them is better.

However, there is a significant drawback in them - the impossibility, if necessary, to make additional holes for the optimal ventilation option. Thus, in such pots, it is difficult to provide the orchid with an optimal moisture supply.

In which pot is it better to plant orchids after processing? Probably transparent plastic.

Orchid processing rules

If you find an answer to the question of what pots are needed for orchids, you can safely start transplanting and planting a flower.

When transplanting a flower as it grows into a new pot, some rules must be followed:

1. To simplify the removal of the flower from the pot, the dishes must be crumpled to facilitate the removal of the plant from the container without any damage to it. If it is impossible to do this in this way, it is better to take out the flower by cutting or breaking the pot. It is better to get rid of the old substrate and container.

2. Carry out a careful cleansing of the roots. The condition of the roots can tell a lot about the health of a flower. If the roots are dense and strongly intertwined, then the orchid is in perfect order. True, it is not easy to separate the substrate and untangle the fragile ball of roots.This will take a lot of time and patience. With a small number of roots, it is worth considering: this means that the flower may be sick or weak.

3. Carry out the processing of the roots. Cut off rotten and dry pieces, remove ingrown bark. This can be done quickly and easily if the orchid roots are immersed in warm water with potassium permanganate for 20 minutes. Cleaning can be done without removing the roots from the water. If it is impossible to remove all the bark, you can leave it to prevent damage to the entire root system. Tools (knife or blade) must be disinfected with alcohol. Also process the cut sites (activated carbon, garlic solution and alcohol-free antiseptics).

4. Removal of old leaves and dry peduncles. The most convenient way to do this is to cut the leaves along the lobar vein and gently pull the tips in opposite directions. Remove dry peduncles, leaving a small penny about 1 cm in size. All sections also need to be disinfected (here you can use iodine with brilliant green).

Drying and planting

Drying the plant takes at least 2 hours to heal all wounds. Before drying, wipe off excess moisture on roots and branches with a paper towel.
Before transplanting into a new soil, you need to decide which pots are needed for orchids.

At the bottom of the pot, put a little drainage, also disinfected. Set the flower exactly in the middle. It is not recommended to bury it deeply.
Cover the upper roots lightly with bark.

In any case, when growing this beautiful exotic flower, you must always remember the peculiarities of its growth in its natural environment.

When choosing a flower pot for common indoor plants, the only things we consider are size and taste preferences. This principle does not work with orchids. There are many opinions about what pots for orchids should be, sometimes they differ, as they depend on personal experience of growing exotic plants. We propose to understand this issue, relying not only on floriculture practice, but also on knowledge of the physiology of epiphytes.

Do epiphytes need dishes?

At home, it is almost impossible to recreate conditions that mimic the growing environment, so plants have to adapt. Before choosing one or another pot for an orchid, you need to realize that this is an element of adaptation.

Firstly, it serves as a support function, supporting and directing the growth of the plant. The roots stick to the substrate and the walls of the vessel in the same way as to the trunk of a tree.

Secondly, the capacity, holding withubstraat, protects the roots from drying out, provides them with a supply of food. You can do without it only in greenhouse conditions with high levels of humidity and professional care.

What are the criteria for choosing a capacity?

There are different approaches to choosing orchid crockery. Someone prefers to do without it at all, placing epiphytes on blocks, while others agitate for keeping plants in a closed system. Which pot to choose for the phalaenopsis orchid can be seen in numerous photos of a blooming beauty. The choice should be guided by the following criteria.

1. In order for the roots of epiphytes to breathe, the substrate must be breathable, and the vessel must contain the required number of drainage holes.
2. The transparency of the material is important not so much for physiological reasons as for ease of maintenance. It allows you to dose watering, control the condition of the roots, and by their appearance determine the phase of plant development.
3. What kind of pot you need depends on the type of orchid. Phalaenopsis is planted in transparent vessels, a glass pot is better for vanda, ordinary ceramic ones for epiphytes with pseudobulbs.
4. Phalaenopsis loves dishes according to the size of the root system. If the roots are healthy, the next container is taken one size larger, with a margin for growth.Sick plants with damaged roots must be planted back to back - excess substrate can lead to stagnation of moisture.

Advice! To provide additional aeration of the roots, it is recommended to add holes in the lower part and along the side surface in plastic containers. They are burned with a soldering iron, a hot rod, and drilled.

The choice of pots, their pros and cons

There is always a choice in which pot to plant your orchid. There is no strict binding of the material to the species of orchids, each has its own pros and cons. Quite often in the photo you can see phalaenopsis in traditional transparent plastic, glass, ceramic pots and even in wicker baskets.

Plastic

Transparent plastic pots are a classic for orchids, they have many advantages.

• Thanks to the transparency of the material, the entire root system is at a glance.
• The roots do not adhere to the smooth surface of the walls.
• The material is warm, excludes hypothermia of the roots.
• They retain moisture better.

The disadvantages of this type of tableware include the airtightness of plastic, instability, and ordinary appearance. The last two shortcomings can be easily corrected by choosing a beautiful planter.

Phalaenopsis, cambria, dendrobiums, and sometimes wanda are planted in transparent flowerpots.

Unfired clay

Clay pots are less common, but are used to plant Phalaenopsis orchids. They have a lot of advantages.

• Environmentally friendly, porous material breathes, the substrate dries well, moisture does not stagnate.
• It retains and distributes moisture well throughout the entire volume of the substrate, then slowly releases it.
• The earthenware is stable, so there is no need to be afraid that the flower will tip over.

Clay also has disadvantages. Heating up in the sun or from a hot radiator, it provokes intensive evaporation of moisture, which leads to hypothermia of the roots. The rough surface of the walls is an ideal attachment, the roots stick to it tightly.

Advice! If you like clay, it is better to choose vessels in light (white) colors. They heat up less, therefore, the risk of hypothermia of the plant is reduced.

Ceramics

An adequate substitute for pottery is ceramics. In addition to all the above advantages, it retains moisture well, thanks to the glaze, its walls are smooth, the roots do not grow. But if clay and transparent pots are warm, ceramic ones, on the contrary, are cold. In winter, it is better not to keep them on the windowsills, otherwise stress to the plant is guaranteed.

Note! Chinese ceramic vessels for orchids look original in the photo. This is an openwork vase with legs, more like a basket. The roots breathe well in it, although the substrate dries out faster. Ideal cookware for cold-loving species.

Glass

The most controversial question is whether it is possible to plant an orchid in a closed glass vessel without drainage holes. Proponents of growing orchids in a closed system claim that this method helps out if the apartment has very low humidity. Waterlogging of the roots prevents the use of a thick drainage layer.

In our opinion, a vanda can be planted in a glass pot, it is good as a planter. The planting vessel must have drainage holes, otherwise the risk of ruining the plant is disproportionately high.

Wicker baskets

If you are unsure which pots will be best for your plants, you can try growing orchids in epiphyte baskets. They are made from wood, bamboo, plastic. This is a compromise between natural and indoor conditions. In the basket there will never be overheating or hypothermia of the roots, stagnation of moisture, it provides good aeration. But you will have to water the plants more often with this method of planting.

The baskets can also be used as decorative planters.

• How to care for a potted indoor orchid after flowering
• How to deal with a mealybug (felt) on a room orchid
• The main ways of breeding orchids at home