How to properly grow and care for an orchid?

Plants in pots refresh the interior of an apartment or house. It is difficult to imagine housing without small islands of greenery on the windowsill. Especially pleasing to the eye are exotic flowers that remind of hot countries. Caring for an orchid at home requires special skills, since it is quite moody. However, the result will exceed all expectations and will pay off the effort spent - the plant blooms for a long time and at this moment resembles an exquisite bouquet.

Features of the life of the orchid in its natural habitat

Orchids grow on all continents except the snowy Arctic and Antarctic. Most of their varieties are found in the tropics. These flowers love warmth and moisture.

Mentions about orchids can be found:

• among the ancient Greek scientists who considered the plant to be medicinal;
• the Indians who brewed aromatic drinks from their pistil;
• among the peoples of Southeast Asia, who with their help drove away evil spirits from the dwelling.

There are over 35,000 orchid species. The color of the flowers ranges from white to purple and black.

Orchids are also divided into groups:

• terrestrial plants;
• underground;
• living on the branches of trees.

The most popular in flower shops is the Phalaenopsis orchid. In the wild, it grows in China, Malaysia, the Philippines, in the foothills of the Himalayas and even in Australia.

It belongs to a group of plants that live in trees. Most of their roots float in the air, receiving moisture from it. Sometimes tuber-like bulges form on them, in which nutrients accumulate.

Rules for caring for a flower at home

It should be remembered that Phalaenopsis was brought from warm countries, and therefore requires warmth and well-humidified air. This orchid clings to trees and grows in the shade of their crown, which hides the leaves of the plant from direct sunlight.

It is necessary to stick a strong long stick into the pot, which will serve as a support. Orchid land cannot be used. Special soil for this flower is sold in stores.

Proper care of orchids at home is not difficult, you just need to follow the basic rules.

Correct lighting

As already mentioned, it is better not to put the flower in the bright sun in summer. It will scorch the delicate leaves. The light should be diffused, so for the plant it is better to choose window sills facing east or west.

In winter and autumn, when the day is short and it gets dark early outside the window, special lighting is needed, otherwise the leaves of the flower will begin to turn yellow, and the buds will not bloom.

A tropical day lasts more than half a day, so you need to think about how to make up for the lack of sunlight. For one flower, a 40 W light bulb is enough, set so that enough light falls on the leaves and inflorescences.

Temperature

At home, orchid care is simple in terms of temperature. The apartment is always warm enough, but there are two dangerous factors.

1. Air conditioner. It dramatically dries the air and after using it, it is required to additionally spray the plant. In no case should the orchid be placed under the stream of a running air conditioner.
2. Draft. The flower does not like hypothermia, so the plant should be removed from the windowsill at the time of airing the room.

If the orchid stops blooming, it needs a little stress. By reducing the daytime temperature to +12 ° C, and lowering the nighttime temperature by a couple more degrees, you can achieve the laying of the kidneys. Noticing them, you should not abruptly interrupt the previous regime.

It is necessary to switch to normal room temperature gradually so that the buds are fixed and soon turn into buds.

Air humidity

The tropical climate is characterized by high levels of humidity. The usual rate is 60 to 70%. In apartments and houses, it is much lower, especially during the heating season.

Frequent spraying from a spray bottle will help to maintain a suitable microclimate for the orchid. Moreover, the water should be at room temperature and well settled. Moisten the leaves and stem, avoiding inflorescences, should be at least 3-4 times a week.

If the air is too dry, you can buy a humidifier and put it in the room where the plant is located. The device will benefit not only him, but also the people living in the apartment.

Regularity of watering

Caring for orchids at home involves a number of tricks. The flower can be planted not in a standard clay pot, but in a transparent plastic pot, through the walls of which the root system is visible. It is easy to make several cuts in it and do not water the soil from above, but put it in a bowl of water for 5 minutes. So the roots will absorb the required amount of moisture, and no excess of it will be created.

If the walls of the pot are opaque, water the orchid as soon as the top layer of the earth feels dry to the touch. It is important not to flood the flower. In their natural environment, the roots take the required amount of moisture from the bark of trees when it rains.

If too much water accumulates in the pot, the roots of the flower begin to rot, which leads to yellowing of the leaves and the dropping of flowers.

Many people succeed in dealing with this problem. The orchid must be carefully removed from the ground, inspected the root system and cut off the rotten parts. It is better to replace the soil with a new one, because the old remains excessively moist and can negate all efforts to treat the flower.

In the cold season, watering of the orchid should be reduced, and in the summer, on the contrary, the condition of the soil should be checked more often. If the orchid lacks moisture, all its leaves will thin out, and the lower ones will turn yellow and fall off.When the regime is restored, it will quickly come to life, but it is better not to allow such a situation.

Soil requirements

If the indoor orchid belongs to a group of terrestrial plants, such as Cymbidium, then caring for it at home will be somewhat different than for Phalaenopsis. The composition of the soil for different species of these plants differs markedly.

Flowers growing on trees do not require soil containing nutrients, but the soil must allow excess moisture to evaporate quickly.

The best option is to buy orchid soil in the store and add several components to it:

• pieces of expanded clay or foam;
• sphagnum moss;
• oak or pine bark;
• husk from seeds;
• charcoal;
• perlite.

All these elements will loosen the soil and increase the flow of air to the roots, which is of great importance for Phalaenopsis. You should not mindlessly mix all the ingredients in the hope that the orchid will immediately begin to bloom magnificently.

The key to finding the right soil is to experiment with different proportions of additives. The healthy appearance of the flower will show that the correct composition has been chosen.

Elements require thorough water and thermal cleaning. First, they are washed, and the moss is soaked for a day to get rid of insects. Then the additives that can be processed at high temperatures are dried in the oven. These actions will rid the roots of the plant of the fungus that multiplies in moist soil.

Cymbidium living on earth will need nutritional supplements in addition to regular soil. Leaves of non-poisonous plants and a mixture of peat with charcoal are suitable in this capacity.

Top dressing and fertilization

Growing an orchid at home in a limited amount of soil requires special care. Cymbidium should be fed from time to time to create a comfortable growth environment.

Standard houseplant nutrients are not suitable for orchids. They need soluble mineral fertilizers containing phosphorus, nitrogen and iron. They promote leaf growth and flowering and give the plant immunity against pests.

Some orchid owners also use organic additives like banana peels. However, it is difficult to calculate the required amount of such feeding. Its excess causes the process of rotting of the plant root system.

It is safer to dwell on ready-made fertilizers, among which the stick for orchids is in demand and has positive reviews. It, impregnated with mineral additives, is inserted between the soil and the wall of the pot. When watering, it gradually dissolves, nourishing the flower.

Plant transplant

Any orchid requires a transplant every two years. During this period, the components included in the soil are destroyed, making it difficult to ventilate the roots. In addition, the plant can outgrow its pot, and then its roots will begin to protrude outward. This leads to a lack of mineral salts even with regular soil replenishment.

The orchid is carefully removed from the pot, shaking off the roots from the adhering lumps of soil. It is undesirable to transplant a flowering plant, but the process will not do much harm to it. Next, the flower is moved to a larger pot with fresh moistened soil.

The main problems when growing an orchid

The plant can get sick even with strict adherence to the conditions for its cultivation. Orchid care for beginners necessarily includes the study of manuals and instructions. They contain advice from experienced florists and information about the characteristics of the flower.

As already mentioned, the flooding of the roots leads to their deterioration and leaf fall. The appearance of yellow spots on greenery can be provoked by direct sunlight. With improper processing of the components of the soil, a fungus develops in it, leading to the destruction of the root system. Sluggish leaves indicate a lack of moisture and too dry air.

Orchids are quite unpretentious, it is not difficult to care for them if you know the basic rules and take into account the specifics of the climate in which these flowers grow in nature.

Conclusion

Scientists conducting experiments to study the vital activity of flowers believe that they communicate with each other by impulses and feel the thoughts of the owner.

It sounds a bit weird, but how else can you explain the reason why rarely a flowering plant blooms on its owner's birthday or other memorable date? It, like any living creature, feels the love directed at it and tries to please the person caring about it with juicy green leaves and bright inflorescences.

Well-groomed orchids growing on the windowsill demonstrate the care and responsibility of the owner and decorate any room.

A tropical plant like the orchid has long been an excellent decoration for homes and apartments. It is also widely used in the interior design of offices and shopping centers. There are flower growers who successfully grow dozens of various orchids (and even more) in their apartment. It is very easy to understand such flower growers, because a blooming orchid looks very impressive. Each of the varieties of this flower has something unique, original. Bushes can vary both in color and size, and in shape. And when a florist acquires a new orchid, he is convinced that it is more beautiful than all those in his collection. But this is until he has another copy.

The main problems in growing orchids

Despite the fact that you are the owner of only one orchid bush so far, you need to know how to care for it so that it does not die, but pleases you with its flowering for a long time. It should be remembered that if you provide such an epiphyte with proper care, then there will be much fewer problems in the process of growing it.

At the same time, do not forget that problems with such a plant most often arise only from the fact that the grower does not adhere to the rules of caring for it.

Orchid leaves turn yellow

Most often, flower growers note that the leaves of such a flower begin to turn yellow. It should be remembered that for each of the plants at a certain time, the leaves change their color to yellow and begin to dry out, which is an absolutely natural process. Examine the bush. In the event that the old leaf plates, which are usually located at the very bottom, become yellow, then you should not worry. Thus, the orchid is renewed. Only after the leaf is completely dry, it will need to be carefully removed.

However, in the case when the yellowing touched the young leaves, we can say that the plant is painful. As a rule, it gets sick due to improper watering:

1. If the soil is waterlogged, then rot can quickly appear on the root system, which will lead to yellowing of the foliage.
2. In the event that the earthen lump is overdried, then the leaf plates of the orchid will begin to fade. In this case, the same result will be if the room has excessively low air humidity, and the grower does not regularly spray the foliage from the sprayer.
3. In winter, the leaves of the bush may begin to turn yellow due to the fact that a draft affects it. Also at this time it is not recommended to keep the orchid near a window or in a room where it is relatively cold. Leaves turn yellow due to strong cooling or freezing.
4. If in the summertime direct sunlight falls on the foliage, they can burn them. As a result, yellow or brownish spots remain on the surface of the leaf plates.

Orchid root problems

If the orchid is not looked after as it should be, then problems with its root system may well begin. Examine the roots.If they became slimy and became lighter in color or darkened (became dark brown), then this instance was watered incorrectly.

In the event that you think that the plant should receive as much moisture as in the wild during rainstorms, then you should remember a few important facts. The fact is that after the downpour has passed, all the water is absorbed into the soil or flows down from the bark of trees, but does not stay in it for a long time. Therefore, the roots of the orchid absorb as much water as they need. That is, the roots are not constantly in the water. If, in room conditions, such an epiphyte is watered "from the heart", then the water will stagnate in the substrate, from which the roots will begin to rot. In the event that you find clear signs that the flower has suffered from abundant watering, then urgent measures must be taken. Experts advise to transplant this flower into a new substrate, while you should carefully examine the root system and cut off all rotten and diseased roots.

Also, do not forget that this tropical plant needs moisture. In this regard, try not to forget regularly, or rather, every morning to spray its foliage from a spray bottle. To do this, it is necessary to use lukewarm water, which must be filtered or defended.

Orchid does not bloom

It is not so rare that flower growers note that their "beauty" for some reason does not want to bloom. In most cases, there is such a situation when flowering has already been observed several times, but when the next period of dormancy has ended, the orchid for some reason does not release a peduncle.

Most often, this problem occurs when the flower does not have enough light. As a rule, it is in the winter time that the illumination is rather scarce. At this time of the year, most orchid species have a dormant period, which explains the lack of flowering. Phalaenopsis are recommended to provide supplementary lighting using artificial lighting. In this case, they will continue to bloom further.

Carefully cut off the peduncle after flowering, it will be possible only after it is completely dry. However, if it does not dry out and at the same time has a green or pale brown color, then most likely, after some time, young flower buds will form on it.

What to do when this epiphyte does not want to bloom anymore? Such a plant needs stress. In order for the buds to be laid in room conditions, orchids need a temperature not higher than 10-12 degrees, and at this time it must be watered rather poorly. However, it is by no means possible to drastically lower the air temperature and reduce watering. This should be done gradually. It should be remembered that this plant in such a period needs a difference between night and day temperatures. So, in the daytime you need warmth, while at night it should be 10-12 degrees cooler. The result of this plant maintenance should be the laying of a flower bud.

If you take care of the orchid in this way for 4-6 weeks, then in most cases your efforts will be crowned with success. As a rule, during this time, the budding should have already occurred. In the event that the buds still did not appear, it is necessary to carefully remove the flower from dormancy. This requires a gradual increase in temperature. You need to water the orchid more and more often.

In the event that this epiphyte has not bloomed after 6-12 months, then you should not worry too much about this, because a young peduncle can form in about 24 months.

Orchid pests and diseases

Such flowers are quite resistant to diseases and pests, but problems still happen. Most often, rot appears on the plant. It is formed due to waterlogging of the soil and the plant itself.So, if you break the watering regime and make it more abundant or frequent, and also significantly increase the number of sprays, this can lead to rotting of the root system, as well as leaf plates (especially their bases) and bulbs. In this case, the plant is not easy to cure. The affected area must be carefully cut out with a very sharp disinfected knife along with a part of healthy tissue. Then it is necessary to process the cut with a special solution with bactericidal properties, which can be bought quite easily. The substrate and container should be replaced, while the pot, if desired, can be boiled well.

Of the harmful insects, mealybugs and spider mites most often start on the orchid. If there are not enough of them, then you can try to get rid of them with a solution of soap, which you need to wipe the leaf plates 2 times with an interval of 7 days. If the infection is very strong, then you need treatment with Aktar or Fitoverm.

Proper home care for orchids

Illumination

For such a plant, illumination plays an important role. Light is needed diffused and there should be a lot of it. In this regard, the flower should be placed on the lightest window (except for the southern one). However, it must be remembered that it must be protected from direct sunlight.

How to water

Despite the fact that such plants are tropical, too frequent and abundant watering can greatly harm them. In the wild, most species of such plants do not grow on soil, but on trees, clinging to their bark with their roots. Such epiphytes take moisture from the bark, which flows down after rain, but does not accumulate. In this regard, such flowers should be watered sparingly. Between waterings, the substrate should dry out well, and care must be taken to ensure that the roots are not constantly in the water. You can often moisten the leaves from the spray bottle, but make sure that the liquid does not end up on the flowers, as in this case specks will appear on them and they will turn dark. Orchids such as Phalaenopsis, Cymbidium, Odontoglossum Pafiopedilum need more abundant watering. With extreme caution you need to water Dendrobium, Cattleya and Oncidium. Make sure the substrate is dry before watering them.

In summer, watering should be more abundant than in winter. With the onset of spring, when a period of intensive growth begins, the orchid should be gradually watered more and more abundantly.

You can use only watering through the pallet or alternate it with the usual one. So, you need to collect water in a container and put a pot in it. When the substrate is saturated with moisture, then the pot must be pulled out and at the same time wait until excess water flows out through the drainage holes.

It is also sometimes possible to completely submerge the pot under water, as a result of which the substrate and root system can be thoroughly rinsed out. After removing the pot from the liquid, wait until all excess is drained.

Spraying orchid

Such plants love high air humidity. To moisten the foliage, as well as for watering, you need lukewarm, well-settled water. Make sure that the humidity is not below 60 percent. If the air is much drier, then you will have to get a humidifier. And with moderate humidity, the orchid will have enough systematic spraying.

These flowers need fresh air. In this regard, systematic ventilation is needed. Remember that in this case it is imperative to remove the flower away from the window, as it does not tolerate a draft. Also keep the plant away from the airflow from the air conditioner while it is running. When the room is ventilated, remember to moisten the foliage of the flower with a sprayer.

Growing an orchid is easy. The main thing is to adhere to certain rules of care and pay more attention to this plant.

The exotic beauty and sophistication of orchids amazes people even far from floriculture. Is it difficult to tame a tropical beauty, and how to care for an orchid so that it delights with both luscious greenery and luxurious inflorescences?

Many indoor florists who have not previously grown these unusual plants may get the wrong idea about caring for an orchid as overly painstaking and time-consuming. But getting to know the flowers better, it turns out that keeping an orchid of one of the common types in the room is not so difficult.

How to care for an orchid at home, what conditions are required for an exotic culture that has fallen into a room pot?

Orchid keeping conditions

Properly organized care implies the creation of conditions close to natural. An orchid will preserve health and decorativeness for a long time if:

• all the flower's needs for food, lighting and watering are taken into account and provided;
• the plant is satisfied with the temperature and humidity conditions, the composition of the soil and the applied top dressing.

When choosing a flower for home growing, you need to remember that orchids have many varieties that differ in appearance, conditions of natural growth, and needs.

Without disregarding this fact, it is possible to significantly simplify the care of orchids for beginners and for those who already know a lot about the maintenance of this culture of flower growers.

Most of the plants found in interiors are epiphytes that came from the tropics. They are easy to recognize by their juicy airy rhizomes, which not only provide the flower with moisture and nutrition, but also take part in the process of photosynthesis. There are orchids that are used to living on rocks, where the soil layer, like on trees, is extremely small.

For such plants, air humidity and looseness of the substrate are important. But soil species, in addition to the usual care of the orchid, also need nutrient soil.

Lighting features

See also: how to properly care for the Phalaenopsis orchid

In the tropics, where the vast majority of indoor species come from, orchids grow in conditions of long daylight hours and moderately bright, diffused lighting. The same conditions are recreated in a situation when the orchid is looked after at home.

The optimal duration of daylight hours for actively growing and flowering orchids is 13-15 hours, practically not decreasing in winter. Therefore, additional lighting will not be superfluous when caring for an orchid.

You should not put pots on the southern windows without pre-thought out shading. Bright sunlight can leave brown or yellow marks on the foliage, and the buds will completely fall off under direct hot rays. The best location is the east or west side. On the northern windows, illumination will be required even in the summer.

If the place for the plant is chosen incorrectly, even with proper home care, orchids, as in the photo, turn yellow, their leaves lose their elasticity, dry, flowering becomes rare or does not occur at all.

Moisture in the air: the key to successful home orchid care

High humidity is extremely important for the successful cultivation of a tropical plant. And if in the summer it is quite possible to reach the desired 60-70%, then in the winter the grower will have to try.

How to properly care for an orchid with heating devices running, mercilessly drying the air in the room? To maintain such air humidity, electric humidifiers and household products are used.

The container in which the flowers are grown can be placed on the moist moss placed in a shallow pan. If there is no sphagnum at hand that retains moisture for a long time, expanded clay is used in the same way. Plants feel best in a florarium or a room greenhouse, separated from the rest of the room by plastic or glass.

When a florist in care uses foliar spraying, this should be done regularly and carefully, trying not to get on the flowers.It is highly undesirable to allow the orchid to cool down while it is still wet, as this will lead to the development of fungus on succulent leaves and aerial roots.

It is necessary to irrigate the flower in the morning with water at room temperature, until the foliage has dried out, the pot is protected in every possible way from cold air and drafts.

Watering when caring for an orchid in a pot

Studying information on how to care for an orchid at home, a novice florist should not ignore such a question as watering these natives of the tropics.

The appearance of a plant alone can tell a lot about its preferences and needs. Powerful aerial and underground rhizomes are designed to extract and store moisture. In addition, the flower can save some amount of nutrients and water in the leaves, which are noticeably thickened in some species.

All orchids are moisture-loving and require abundant watering, in which the soil clod or loose coarse-grained substrate poured into a pot is completely wet.

But how to care for an orchid at different times of the year? Does the frequency of watering change, and how do you know about the "thirst" of a flower in a mixture of bark, expanded clay, pieces of foam plastic and other materials that have little resemblance to traditional soil?

The watering schedule, like other orchid care procedures, must be adjusted when the season changes. During the warmer months, the potted orchid receives water more often than in the winter. But it is better to underfill the plant than to fill it.

Thick leaves and roots will help the orchid survive a short-term drought, but excess moisture, and especially its stagnation, is a sure step towards root decay.

Tropical guests at home are planted in transparent plastic pots or containers with special slots. This makes it possible to monitor the state of the root system, the rhizomes themselves participate in photosynthesis and more easily consume nutrients and moisture. But how to care for an orchid in a pot of such an unusual design?

There are no peculiarities of caring for an orchid here, except that you have to water the flower in a solid container from above, and it is convenient to immerse the pots with slots in prepared water for 4-6 minutes. During this time, the substrate will be saturated with moisture, and the excess will drain freely.

In summer, the substrate is moistened 2-3 times a week, when the surface of the soil is dry to the touch. In the cold season, the frequency of watering is sharply reduced.

The need for water is recognized by the rhizomes that have lost their elasticity, slightly wrinkled and drooping leaves. A healthy plant recovers quickly after moistening the soil.

But the sluggish foliage of regularly watered orchids should alert the grower. Perhaps the roots were once flooded and are now in need of reorganization.

Feeding indoor orchids

Like other indoor crops forced to grow in a limited amount of substrate, orchids need regular feeding. But you shouldn't fertilize these plants too often. It is optimal if specialized liquid formulations are applied no more than twice a month and only during the period of active growth and flowering.

The increased salt content in the soil negatively affects the condition of the plant. How to care for an orchid if traces of salinity appear on the surface of the filler in the pot? It is better not to fight this phenomenon, but to prevent its occurrence. Therefore, feeding is alternated with rinsing the root system, for which the pot is immersed in warm soft water for several minutes.

If the fertilizing included in the care of the orchid is excessive, the flower tolerates temperature changes worse, and is also more often affected by pests and fungi.

Orchid care after flowering

The wilting of flowers on an orchid is a sure sign that the plant is preparing for a dormant period. It will not lose foliage, but there will be much less development and nutrition until the future appearance of buds. How to care for an orchid at this time?

First of all, it is worth paying attention to the peduncle left without bright corollas. As long as it retains its green color and juiciness, it is left.

In some cases, on the same peduncle, the buds are re-formed, and daughter plants, tiny rosettes are also formed, which, when their own roots are formed, are cut off and planted in a separate pot, in a loose substrate for orchids. But signs of wilting of the peduncle suggest that it is time to cut it out.

If the indoor orchid has bloomed for a long time and abundantly, it is not correct to allow the re-emergence of buds, as is the case with certain plant varieties. This will only further weaken the flower.

In order for the culture to quickly and well restore its strength, after flowering, the care of the orchid includes feeding or transplanting a flower. However, the latter procedure can be stressful for the plant, since the roots not only tightly wrap around the substrate, but also penetrate the holes and go outside the pot.

A video about caring for an orchid at home will explain all the intricacies of handling a spectacular tropical flower. Subject to the rules that are simple, even for a beginner, the indoor collection will be replenished with an amazingly beautiful plant, which, feeling cared for, will respond with a long bright flowering.

Proper care of an orchid - video

Hard to believe, but orchids are not much younger than ferns. They existed 130 million years ago. Perhaps no flower has overgrown with so many legends as the orchid. In one of them, it is said that the beautiful Aphrodite, running through the forest, lost her shoe, and in this place an equally beautiful flower, an orchid, grew.

Another tells about a broken rainbow, from the fragments of which orchids grew.

For a long time it was believed that breeding them is possible only in greenhouses. Now indoor plant lovers proudly showcase their collections of orchids grown on the windowsills of city apartments.

Orchid - flower description

Pseudobulb

It is a seal on the stem that contains a supply of water. It is located almost at the root, it is from there that peduncles and leaves come. In shape, pseudobulbs are spherical, ovoid and cylindrical.

Leaves

Collected in a basal rosette, dense, green, oblong, at the same time wide enough.

Roots

They have a flattened shape, using which they stick to any plant.

Growing features

For a long time, the orchid was considered a difficult flower to grow at home. Now the situation has changed. The orchid is now a completely home flower. For successful cultivation, a little experience and practical knowledge are enough.

Planting an orchid at home

An orchid bought in a store does not always need to be transplanted, but only in a few cases:

• the flower does not keep in the pot, reasons: the leaves have grown on one side - you need not just transplant the orchid, but make the pot heavier or choose a heavy glass pots;
• if there was sphagnum moss in the shipping pot;
• if another pot is prepared for the orchid.
• there is little soil in the container, and the flower sways - fill up the substrate or transplant the orchid;
• root problems are visible through the transparent walls - the orchid must be urgently removed, bad roots removed, the cuts should be sprinkled with charcoal and replanted; if there are few healthy roots left, then the peduncle will have to be cut, otherwise the plant will die, the roots will not be able to fully provide it with nutrition;

Planting methods

The orchid is planted in a transparent pot, because its roots participate in photosynthesis on a par with leaves. There should be many holes at the bottom for water intake and excess drainage. The orchid pot can be plastic or glass. For step-by-step instructions on how to plant, see the Orchid Transplant section below.

Optimal planting time

The best time to plant is spring.

Soil for planting

Orchids are not suitable for ordinary soil: their roots are used to receiving a lot of air, at home most of them grow on trees.It is better to buy a ready-made orchid substrate. Then the plant is guaranteed normal air permeability. If this is not possible, you can mix pine bark chopped into small pieces (pieces about 1-2 cm in size) with garden soil.

The bark must be boiled within an hour. Crushed charcoal is added to the mixture.

Features of orchid care

In the process of caring for a plant, there are three main components: light, watering, temperature.

Location and lighting for the plant

Properly organized lighting is the key to successful orchid breeding. They need a lot of light, but it should be diffused, soft. In summer, sunlight is filtered using curtains or special filters that are glued to the window.

In the fall, you can let the sun's rays into the room: they will no longer be able to burn the delicate leaves of the flower. In winter, it is not only necessary to remove everything that interferes with natural light, but also to supplement it with artificial light. Daylight hours for orchids lasts up to 12 hours.

It is desirable that orchids stand on the southern windowsill, especially from autumn to spring, but they do well in the southeast and southwest, although there will be a problem of additional lighting. With good artificial light, some types of orchids feel comfortable on northern windowsills. Orchids can be taken outside, but do not forget to shade in time and do not expose to a draft.

Air humidity

Plants need high humidity. It is useful to spray regularly, increase the humidity in different ways, but only in a warm room. With cold content and high humidity, the orchid can rot the roots. Under any conditions it is necessary to provide care for orchid leaves by carefully wiping them with a damp cloth and spraying them.

When growing miniature orchids, the problem with moisture is solved simply. It is convenient to grow them in an aquarium. At the same time, watering is minimized: they have enough moisture in the environment for a long time and its supply in pseudobulbs.

Temperature regime for orchids

To choose a temperature for orchids, you need to know that different types of plants prefer different temperatures. You can distinguish:

Heat-loving

They need high temperatures, reaching 30-32 degrees in summer and not falling below 20. In winter, they grow at 15-18 degrees, but the difference between day and night temperatures should not be more than 3-4 degrees. These orchids are native to tropical forests: they are mainly phalaenopsis, dendrobiums, and some varieties of Cattleya.

Growing at medium temperature

In summer they will be satisfied with a temperature of 18-25 degrees, in winter 12-15. These orchids were once brought to Europe from the tropics, but from the mountains and foothills, hence the low growth temperatures. These are miltonia and odontoglossums.

Cool temperature lovers

In summer, such orchids will grow successfully at a temperature of 18-22 degrees, and in winter, 10-13 is enough. They are from highlands and subtropical regions. Australian dendrobiums, almost all papiopedilums.

But most orchid owners bought them in a store or received them as a gift, again the donor bought them, as a rule, at the nearest flower kiosk. They themselves and their ancestors were raised in Europe, most likely in Holland, and will feel great at temperatures of 20-27 degrees in summer and 15-18 in winter.

Orchids get sick stuffy in rooms: the room should be regularly ventilated. But you can't make drafts.

How to water properly

To organize the correct watering, you need to have a good idea of ​​the conditions under which the orchids grew in nature. And bring watering as close to natural as possible:

• all orchid plants are epiphytes, therefore, they can easily endure a short break in watering, but this should not be allowed often: the leaves of the orchid will begin to wrinkle;
• some orchids (phalaenopsis, cymbidium, pafiopedilum) like the substrate to be constantly slightly moist; others (oncidium, dendrobium, cattleya) require the soil to dry out first;
• the water should be soft and warm; ideal rain or melted heated; tap can be boiled;
• it is better not to water the plant from above, but put it directly in a pot in a bowl of water and leave for a few minutes, then take it out, let the water drain.

Fertilizing and fertilizing a flower

Ideally, you don't need to fertilize your orchid. She has enough supply of nutrients available in the substrate. But then the flower should be transplanted regularly every two years.

If there was no transplant, then it is better to add top dressing. You cannot take any fertilizer for flowers. They only need special ones for orchids. It is necessary to strictly observe the proportions named in the instructions. Fertilizers are applied during the flowering period once a week.

Pruning orchids

Orchids are pruned after flowering.

Pruning methods

After the orchid blooms along the main axis, you can cut the peduncle, leaving up to 5 buds from the leaf outlet. Then peduncles from the buds below the cut can develop, and flowering will continue. When the plant has completely faded, all peduncles are cut off.

Orchid transplant

The flower is transplanted every two years to replenish the nutrients in the substrate. If the pot has become small, then it is transplanted more often. The plant is transplanted in the spring, but this cannot be done if the orchid has released a peduncle. It may not bloom.

Transplant methods

Transplantation raises many questions for novice florists. Here you need to follow a certain algorithm:

• carefully separate the walls of the pot and the root ball with a sharp narrow knife (the roots can grow into the pot);
• clean up old soil and cut off dead and rotten roots;
• pour a little soil into a new planter;
• install the plant in a pots, trying to keep it in the middle;
• gently spread the roots, they are brittle;
• first, little by little fill the voids between the roots, then the entire pot to the very edge, shaking it from time to time so that the substrate fills everything evenly;
• lightly crush the soil from above with something flat, for example, a spoon;
• After transplanting, the orchid is placed in a warm place and watered little by little.

Orchid propagation

It is not difficult to reproduce it at home if you have certain knowledge.

Reproduction methods

There are two main ways: by seed and vegetative propagation. When propagating by seeds, you may not get a plant that is the same as the parent.

Division

This method works if the plant is large. Then the rhizome itself disintegrates during transplantation. It can also be divided:

• the orchid is taken out of the container and the roots are thoroughly cleaned from the soil;
• with a knife, which has been previously disinfected over an open fire, divide the rhizome between pseudobulbs;
• the sections are powdered with charcoal;
• flowers are planted in pots according to the method already described.

It is better to do this in the spring.

Propagation by cuttings

Not all species can be divided this way, but some, for example, Vanda, succeed.

The apical shoot is separated with a sterile knife, the cut site is dipped in crushed coal and planted in a pot.

Reproduction by children (stem offspring)

Many flowers, for example, phalaenopsis and dendrobium, give side shoots, babies. If such a baby has formed, then it should be protected, sprayed often and patiently wait for it to give roots. Then it is separated and planted in a container, sprinkling the cut with coal.

The appearance of such a baby can be provoked. This requires: high room temperature and nitrogen fertilization.

Reproduction by layering (pseudobulbs)

The pseudobulb is carefully separated and, after coal treatment, is planted in the ground. Further care is watering.

Seed propagation

Orchid seeds are very small, this is the main difficulty of such reproduction. It is used only by those who are engaged in selection.The seeds are placed in an artificial nutrient medium under sterile conditions so that molds do not develop, and germinate within 3-9 months. Then they are planted in a substrate and wait another 2-3 years until the plant can be transplanted. Orchids grown from seeds bloom only after 3-4 years.

Orchid bloom

They buy a blooming orchid in the store. Therefore, each owner faces two acute questions: is it possible to make it bloom for a long time and how to force it to bloom again if it faded quickly.

When the orchid blooms

They bloom when they reach the age of 1.5-2.5 years.

In order for the orchid to please with flowering, it is necessary to create certain conditions for it:

• provide a long daylight hours, the orchid must lay the required number of buds and form peduncles, this is a long process;
• be sure to need drops in day and night temperatures, during this period they can reach 5-7 degrees.

But if the orchid does not want to bloom, you can try to force it by arranging extreme conditions of detention:

• keep it for 15-20 days at a temperature of 15-17 degrees;
• significantly reduce watering during this period.

In different types of orchids, flowers differ markedly both in shape and in shades of color. But there is also something in common: the lower petal resembles a lip in shape, there are two sepals on its sides, two side petals rise above them, and the upper sepal completes all this.

Orchid care during flowering

An orchid, depending on the species and how many buds were laid in preparation for flowering, can bloom from 2 to 10 months. During this period, watering is doubled, the air temperature should be at least 20-25 degrees.

Orchid care after flowering

First of all, the peduncle is cut to give the opportunity to form a new one. The orchid can be fed, followed by the usual care.

Pest disease problems

Diseases:

• anthracnose - manifests itself as brown spots with dots on the leaves; it is treated with preparations containing copper;
• fusarium - rotting spots appear on the leaves, this happens due to excess moisture — they are transferred to a dry room and watering is stopped;
• rust - rust spots on the bottom of the sheet — cannot be treated; the plant is destroyed so that others do not get infected;
• black rot - sprouts and leaves die off, the reason is in a too cold room - it is better to destroy the plant so as not to infect the rest.

Pests:

• aphid - destroyed by a mixture of milk and water in equal proportions;
• soft mite - the affected areas in the form of rosettes are cut out and sprinkled along the edge with ash;
• spider mite - the whole plant, window and windowsill are thoroughly washed with soap;
• scabbards - live in growths and bumps, get rid of them with the help of soap suds;
• thrips - translucent bugs living at the bottom of the leaf, cut out the affected areas.

If such methods do not help, then they turn to chemicals and process the plant according to the instructions.

Popular species (varieties)

• Phalaenopsis orchid—The most widespread species in indoor floriculture, there are many hybrids on sale that successfully grow in the house;
• Dendrobium nobile orchid - there are many varieties, they all bloom in spring, the most popular is the white orchid, such plants, which have a pure white color, come from Thailand;
• Cambria orchid- an artificially bred plant, it blooms for a long time, grows well on the windowsill;
• Ludisia orchid—A plant with very beautiful leaves, grows indoors only with very high humidity;
• Miltonia orchid- Difficult cultivar to breed, but with very beautiful fragrant flowers, similar in shape to pansies;
• Cymbidium orchid- very large plants, now miniature varieties have been developed that are so easy to care for that they are offered to novice growers;
• Cattleya Orchid- a species with spectacular waxy flowers, hybrids of which grow successfully in rooms;
• Wanda orchid - successfully grows indoors up to a meter;
• Oncidium - flowers resemble butterflies, grows in the house, but with strict adherence to the rules of care.

Useful tips (note to the florist)

• If the bathroom has a large enough window, then this is the optimal place for the orchid.
• It is better to buy orchids in spring or summer.
• If the flower has given aerial roots, then they must be sprayed.
• After the orchid has faded, it must be rearranged to a new place.

Answers to readers' questions

What is the lifespan of a plant?

Each species has its own lifespan. At home, orchids live from 3 to 10 years.

Can this plant be kept at home?

This flower will be a decoration for any home.

Is this flower poisonous?

This houseplant is not poisonous.

Why isn't the orchid blooming?

No preparatory measures were taken.

Why do the leaves turn yellow (dry)?

The reason is most often in excess or lack of moisture.

How does the plant overwinter?

Winters in a cool room with an average temperature of 15 to 18 degrees and limited watering.