How to care for and grow orchids at home?

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 transplanted; 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, care for orchid leaves must be ensured by carefully wiping them with a damp cloth and spraying.

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, one must 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 point 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

The store is buying a blooming orchid. 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 with ash along the edge;
• 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 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;
• Orchid wanda - 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.

Phalaenopsis will become a real decoration for your home. Growing orchids at home is carried out according to specific rules, which will be described in detail in this article.

What type to choose for the house

You can grow a variety of orchids at home. However, it is important to choose the right variety so that you do not have problems with flower care in the future. After all, each type of plant has its own set of requirements for growing conditions. If everything is organized correctly, then caring for orchids in a flowerpot will be simple.

For growing orchids at home, the following varieties are suitable:

• Phalaenopsis. It is Phalaenopsis that is grown more often at home than other types of plants. This flower is distinguished by long flowering, and its flowers can have a wide variety of colors. Growing any phalaenopsis at home will be within the power of even a beginner;
• Dendrobium. Orchids of this species grow in the cool. The flowering period is more than one month;
• Cattleya. Growing conditions for this variety require a warm, but not hot, microclimate. The formation of rather large flowers is characteristic;
• Wanda. It is a heat-loving plant that has a powerful root system. As they develop, the flowers become brighter;
• Zygopetalum. This variety is characterized by the formation of fragrant inflorescences.

There should be no problems with the orchids listed above at home. However, in order to get them to bloom for a long time, you need to know the types of orchids and the secrets of growing each individual variety.

Soil and capacity

To understand how to grow your favorite orchid in a house or apartment, you need to know the specifics of choosing a container and soil for planting a flower.

Growing plants is carried out in a pot, which must meet the following requirements:

• able to support the flower in an upright position;
• provides oxygen and moisture to the roots;
• promotes effective drying of the substrate.

Plastic pots, wire pots and nets have the right characteristics. The Phalaenopsis orchid and its other varieties are most often planted in pots with transparent walls so that the roots can participate in the process of photosynthesis.

In order to grow orchids at home, you need to choose the right substrate. These indoor flowers are planted on a special substrate, in which there is no earth at all. It may include the following components:

• pine bark;
• peat;
• fern;
• charcoal;
• leafy land;
• pine bark;
• sphagnum.

The ratio of the components of the substrate is determined depending on which plant variety is planned to be grown in houses or apartments. The substrate can be prepared by hand. But many growers go to specialized stores to buy soil. There, the seller will tell you how to grow 100 or more specimens from one orchid by buying only one flower. To do this, you just need to know how a particular orchid is grown.

Comfortable conditions

Caring for Phalaenopsis at home involves observing certain parameters of temperature, humidity and illumination. Let's consider in more detail what kind of care and what parameters should be observed when growing these flowers. The secrets of growing orchids will be available to you too.

Lighting and temperature

Phalaenopsis loves partial shade. When placing a flowerpot on a windowsill, avoid direct sunlight. Artificial lighting for orchids is allowed. To do this, you can use special phytolamps, which are designed for additional illumination of indoor plants. This indoor orchid lamp is sold in specialized stores.

Additional illumination should give white light. It is this kind of light that is needed in order for the indoor species to grow and bloom. The backlight is often used in winter, when the daylight hours are the shortest. In the cold season, flowers should be illuminated for at least 12 hours. For this, a phytolamp for indoor orchids is placed above the pot.

In addition to the light regime, a certain temperature is needed for orchids. These indoor plants are better tolerated at elevated temperatures. The optimum temperature for keeping colors is in the range of + 28-30 degrees.

For any gardener who has grown Phalaenopsis at home, it will be useful to know that to stimulate flowering, the plant must be at a temperature of + 12-15 degrees for several weeks.

Watering

An important point in how to grow orchids in an apartment is compliance with the water regime. Watering the flower is carried out only when the substrate dries up. Regarding how to correctly determine the degree of dryness of the substrate, there are several ways (poke into the ground with your finger or stick, etc.). You need to water the plant only with settled warm water.

Humidity

These plants should grow in a humidity range of 60–80%. In order to achieve this level, the plant is periodically sprayed with water and also ventilated. Ventilation is essential for cold-hardy species.

How to care for a particular species, you can find out from the seller, who will tell you all the wisdom of its breeding. Experienced growers can also give advice on breeding.

Pests and diseases

For many flower lovers who grew in the conditions of the Phalaenopsis apartment, the flowers were often invaded by parasites or pathogens. Such a situation is possible if planting and care were improperly organized for them (plants).

Plants most often suffer from the following parasites:

• shield. When it appears on the plant, mucus and dark spots are formed;
• worm.When infected, the leaves turn yellow, which then fall off;
• whitefly. The insect feeds on plant sap. As a result, the flower may die.

These indoor flowers most often affect the following ailments:

• anthracnose. The appearance of brown spots is characteristic;
• powdery mildew. A white bloom forms on the flower.

How to grow Phalaenopsis without diseases and pests? You just need to properly organize the care for the plant. This is easy to do, because you only need to create the correct water and temperature conditions, as well as lighting.

Transplant secrets

An orchid in its cultivation includes a mandatory transplant, which is carried out every two years. More frequent transplants are carried out only when necessary (for example, a large number of parasites in a pot).

The transplant should be done in the spring or summer. This procedure consists of the following steps:

• the plant is well watered in a day;
• then the flower is taken out of the pot and placed in water to soak off the roots of the substrate;
• further all rotten roots are removed;
• the plant is placed in a selected pot and covered with new soil;
• watering is carried out after 1-2 days.

The secret of a successful flower transplant lies in the fulfillment of these points.

Now you know the secrets of growing and caring for indoor orchids.

Video "Growing an orchid at home"

This video will show you how to grow a blooming orchid at home.

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? Electric humidifiers and household products are used to maintain such air humidity.

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 while 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

Orchids are the largest among unisex families, which are represented by 750 genera and 25,000 species. They grow in almost all places suitable for plant habitat. As well as a huge number of subspecies, orchids differ in a wide variety of sizes. Among them there are miniature plants, no larger than moss, but they can reach up to two meters in size. In nature, orchids lead an amazing way of life, some of them grow on trees, using their trunk as a support, others grow on steep rocks, clinging to the roots of the roughness of stones, and creep into crevices where moisture accumulates. There are species that grow underground and are pollinated by insects.

Many legends are associated with these beautiful plants.

Orchid how to care at home photo

Growing orchids at home is not difficult, you just have to adhere to a few strict rules. Humidity is the main condition for proper maintenance

Humidity for orchids is perhaps the most basic and important condition.High humidity and regular ventilation in the room are necessary for the comfortable growth of orchids. It is with the maintenance of optimal air humidity that the difficulty of growing is associated, since even constant spraying does not sufficiently increase the value of humidity in the room, especially during the heating season. It is best to do this in the morning or afternoon. One of the options for maintaining moisture is to plant flowers in greenhouses, greenhouses, or place pots next to the aquarium. You can place flowers on a tray filled with pebbles and water, but in such a way that the bottom of the pot does not come into contact with water. Plants are planted in plastic or earthenware dishes with large drainage holes at the bottom.

Water quality plays an important role in watering and spraying orchids. For these purposes, the water must be soft to prevent the deposition of salts on the leaves and roots of plants. Under natural conditions, the source of moisture is rain, where rainwater is an ultra-weak acid solution. But in our conditions, it is impossible to obtain pure rainwater without chemical impurities, therefore, it is possible to artificially reduce the hardness of the water. For example, using various drugs or lemon juice. It's important to know that iron-rich water is just as bad for orchids. Household water filters do a good job of cleaning liquid from salt, iron and other impurities.

Watering and feeding orchids

Orchids are the type of plant that is better to dry out than overflow. Since the roots of orchids are initially accustomed to a lack of moisture, excessive moisture in the substrate provokes the process of root decay. To avoid this, the substrate must be well dried between waterings. This also applies to those types of orchids, the roots of which are constantly in the water. You can water the flowers by watering the top layer of the substrate with a stream of water until water flows out of the bottom and side holes in the pot. However, care must be taken so that water does not get on the plant and flowers, and also avoid moisture getting to the growing point (Phalaenopsis are especially sensitive to this). There is another way of watering orchids, this is by immersing the pot with the plant in a vessel of water. This method is especially relevant for plants planted in baskets. The amount of water for irrigation should always be the same. It should be borne in mind that for most species, a dormant period should be observed, during which watering should be reduced to a minimum. Top dressing should be done together with watering.

Lighting for orchids

Lighting for orchids is also of great importance, since these plants are very light-loving, but they do not tolerate direct sunlight.

You can arrange flowers on a light, warm window and additionally illuminate them with fluorescent lamps located at a distance of 30-50 cm. Orchid "day" should last up to 11-12 hours.

How to transplant an orchid at home

As for the transplant of orchids. Orchids do not like transplanting, so it should be carried out no more than once a year. The reason for transplanting can be the overgrowth of the plant or the complete decomposition of the substrate. Do not do this if the plant is dormant. This can be determined by the color of the roots.

Before transplanting a plant, the substrate in which the flower is located must be moistened, this will facilitate the work, and the roots will be least injured. After removing the old substrate, rinsing and drying the roots, you should very carefully examine them for decay. Dry and rotten parts of the roots should be cut off to living tissue and then be sure to disinfect with crushed coal. Next, place the flower in a clean pot and cover with fresh substrate. The surface of the substrate will need to be covered with moss. The transplanted plant should not be watered, you can spray it and put it in a dark place.The plant adaptation time is about two weeks.

Orchid transplant utensils

The most common orchid planting utensils are clear plastic or earthen pots and baskets. Some types of epiphytes are planted on a block. This planting maximally mimics the growth of a plant in natural conditions. A piece of ordinary pine bark can be used as a block. An orchid is planted on a block either completely without a substrate, attaching the plant with copper wire, or using moss, sphagnum as a substrate, which prevents the roots from drying out. This method is used when growing seedlings or miniature orchid species.

Plastic pots are especially common because their transparent walls allow you to control the condition of the root system, less salt is deposited on the walls, and when the temperature drops, the likelihood of hypothermia is less.

The advantages of clay pots include the fact that they have good moisture and air permeability. This is especially important for orchids, since it provides the roots not only with additional ventilation of the air, but also an even distribution of moisture. The disadvantage of these pots is the roughness of the inner surface, since the roots of orchids grow to the walls and during transplantation it is almost impossible to separate them from the walls without causing harm. When the temperature drops, there is a possibility of mold formation on the inner walls of the pot. Before the first use, the pot should be carefully processed. Soak in water, or heat in the oven for two hours heated to 200 degrees.

Basket planting is the most decorative way to plant orchids. Baskets can be made of any material, wood, plastic, iron. The bamboo basket is considered the most convenient to maintain and care for, since it is from such a basket that orchids are easiest to transplant with minimal root deformation. If desired, the basket can be hung and decorated. It should be noted that the substrate dries out very quickly with this planting method, therefore, this planting method should be used only if it is really necessary.

Choosing a substrate for orchids

Epiphytic can be grown in any substrate with good air permeability and ability to retain moisture. The number of components in the substrate can be different, the main thing is that all other conditions are selected correctly.

One of the components of the substrate is the bark. It can also be used as a stand-alone substrate. Almost any bark can be used for cultivation - spruce, birch, larch bark. But pine bark is more widespread. Good air permeability of the bark promotes the evaporation of excess moisture not absorbed by the roots, thereby protecting them from decay. But pine bark contains a small amount of nutrients, so it is most often used as a structuring component of the substrate. The bark can be bought in shops specializing in the sale of flowers, or collected in forests, parks. But in this case, the bark should be well treated and disinfected before use.

Moss. Its main purpose is to store moisture for transferring it to plant roots. One of the most common mosses is sphagnum moss. It is used as a constituent part of the substrate, due to its bactericidal properties, good moisture capacity. In addition, it acts as a kind of barrier for the salts present in tap water and reduces the hardness of the water. Sphagnum is especially indispensable for growing young plants and their reanimation. In this case, you can use both live moss and dried.In any case, before using it, it must be pretreated with either hot water or preparations in order to exclude rapid decomposition, reproduction of midges and an increase in the period of use. You can store moss in the refrigerator by placing it in a plastic bag. Just like bark, moss can be bought at a store or picked by yourself in humid areas. Grows in swampy areas and is light green in color.

The most popular orchid genus is Phalaenopsis, due to its unpretentiousness and lush bloom. Phalaenopsis is home to South China, Philippines, Indonesia. When buying Phalaenopsis in a flower shop, you knowingly buy a flower adapted to your home conditions. They can be in color from white to purple-red, pink, speckled and veined. Caring for them does not require much effort. It is these flowers that are artificially adapted to grow in warm rooms. For them, the main condition is the room temperature, which should not fall below 16 degrees. To increase the number of flowers on a peduncle, it is necessary to cut off the already deprived of flowers panicle above the sleeping eye. Then, within 90 days, a new peduncle should appear. By maintaining optimal conditions, Phalaenopsis can be made to bloom all year round.

Growing an orchid at home video