On which window is it better to grow orchids (phalaenopsis)?
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Orchids grow in the jungle, on trees, and are nourished by their aerial roots. Therefore, when growing an orchid at home, keep in mind that the window should not go out into direct sunlight (since the plant can get burned), but also not be in absolute shade (the flower blooms worse, it can rot and wither). It is also worth preparing a well-ventilated root substance and not letting water stagnate. Faded sticks cannot be cut green, they can bloom again.
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Orchids can grow on any windows except the northern ones - although cold varieties are grown on the northern windows, in general, it is more up to you to choose a place for an orchid, but ... it is better to grow orchids on the eastern and western windows.
It is known that an orchid, with an excess or lack of light, can change the color of the leaves, the usual color of the leaves, it is medium green, neither light nor dark.
If - the south window, first of all you need to make a curtain in order to avoid burns later, a slightly diffused light will do, but ... not direct sunlight, and also do not forget about humidifying the air around the plant, orchids do not tolerate - if the room is dry air.
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Orchids love diffused light. But direct sunlight is destructive for them. Therefore, orchids should not be placed on the south side (if there is no other option, then you need to shade the window).
The orchid is in good health and blooms on the eastern windows. In the morning, she receives a sufficient amount of light.
If the window is large, and there is no shadow outside the window, you can even put the orchid on the northern windows.
Western windows are also suitable for growing orchids.
On the example of phalaenopsis.
The orchid has a reputation for being capricious, demanding and very difficult to care for. In fact, this is not the case.
Growing an orchid in an apartment is no more difficult than other indoor plants.
Orchids grow well and bloom beautifully in an apartment on any light windowsill.
To better understand the features of caring for an orchid, you need to know
how they live in natural conditions.
There are thousands of orchid species in nature.
Orchids are found almost everywhere, with the exception of deserts and polar ice.
In Russia, everyone can meet a real orchid in the forest - this is the orchis and the two-leaved one.
But the most beautiful orchids live in tropical and subtropical forests, in conditions of constantly high temperatures and heavy rainfall.
Many of the orchids are epiphytes, the so-called "children of the air" (we are talking about them today) do not grow on the ground, but on the trunks and branches of trees.
The plant is provided with moisture and nutrients by numerous aerial roots by which they are attached to the bark of trees.
Orchid roots absorb rainwater from the air and precipitation, and nutrients are obtained from rotted plant residues that have accumulated in the bark.
In addition, the roots of such orchids, like the leaves, participate in photosynthesis, and turn green in the light.
And in order for the orchids to be comfortable in the apartment, you need to provide the roots of the plants
air circulation,
special watering
and a special substrate.
Despite the seeming difficulties, keeping an orchid at home is quite easy.
Phalaenopsis, which I will use as an example, refers to hybrid orchids that are adapted to be kept at home.
Phalaenopsis is called a "beginner's orchid" and it is no more difficult to care for it than for violets.
How do I choose a healthy plant?Buying flowering plants - you immediately see both the color and shape of the flowers - it's great.
Examine the selected flower carefully.
In a healthy plant, flower petals should be fresh, bright and firm.
Take a close look at the leaves, if they are bright green or reddish green, then the plant is healthy. The leaves should not have brown or dry spots, yellowness, cobwebs or mold.
The most important thing is to get a good look at the roots of the phalaenopsis.
According to the state of the root system, one can conclude about the state of the flower.
Due to the fact that phalaenopsis are often sold in transparent pots, it is not difficult to see and carefully examine the roots.
Healthy roots should be whitish green, fleshy and firm.
If the substrate is dry, the roots will be light, silvery.
If wet, the roots are green.
Orchid roots crawling out of the top of the pot are a sign of plant health for many species.
To help the orchid move home from the store during the cold season, you need to protect the tropical flower. Wrap the plant with paper, newspaper, or carefully place the plant pot in a plastic bag. And do not leave the southern guest in the car for more than 20 minutes.
At home, place the flower in a place protected from direct sunlight with good ventilation for several days to help it survive the acclimatization.
In the life of a flower there were greenhouses, roads, shops ... Now he is finally at home :-)
Choosing a place for the orchid.Felenopsis will gladly grow on any bright window.
To find the best place, let's remember that orchids in the wild grow on trees and the sun's rays only hit them through the foliage of the trees.
Therefore, orchids prefer diffused light.
Ideal is east and west window, since it is about here that there is relatively good lighting in the winter and not such a scorching sun in the summer.
Phalaenopsis grows well on
southwest or southeast windows ... With this orientation, the plant can be placed both on the windowsill and on a flower stand, table or bedside table located next to the window, at a distance of no more than one meter from the window.
The orchid can grow on south window... But then in the summer you need to shade the flower, scatter direct sunlight. Shading can be removed in August-September, depending on the weather.
On the north window the orchid needs to be placed only on the windowsill, but here the phalaenopsis will grow well. In winter, on cloudy days, backlighting is desirable on the northern windows so that the daylight hours are at least 12 hours.
It is enough to use such lamps every day from 18:00 to 22:00 hours.
In a word: In the winter and autumn, orchids are best kept on the south and west windows, and in the spring and summer - on the east and light north windows.
If you notice that the leaves of your phalaenopsis have changed color, turned dark green, while they were light green or green-red, this means that the plant does not have enough light.
A sign of excess light is yellowing of the leaves and the appearance of brown or dry spots on them.
And one more note: phalaenopsis gradually leans towards the light, therefore, so that it does not lose its decorative effect, does not fall out of the pot or topple over, turn it periodically.
How to properly water an orchid.Three important rules:
1. Water should be done when the substrate is completely dry.
2. Water the orchids with warm water (room temperature).
3. Watering and spraying should be done in the morning or afternoon, so that the plant has time to dry out before night.
At night at low temperatures, the plant should be dry.
There are three ways to water:
1. Sprinkling
2.Dive
3.Using a watering can
1. Sprinkling.Closest to natural.
When the substrate is completely dry, we take the pot with the plant and carry it into the bath. We make a gentle stream of warm water and water the orchid on top until the substrate is completely wet.
2.Immersion.In the bathroom, we collect a basin / bucket of warm water and put the plant in a pot in this container for 10-15 minutes so that the substrate is completely wet.
3. From the watering can you can water, but then carefully watch that the entire substrate gets wet evenly. To do this, water not on one side, but around the entire perimeter of the pot.
With any method of irrigation, you must let the water drain freely!
To do this, place the plant pot on a wire rack and leave it for 20-30 minutes.
During this time, all excess moisture will be released, and the phalaenopsis will have time to dry.
In the case of watering from a watering can, be sure to pour excess moisture from the pan.
After watering, be sure to inspect the growth point, if water has accumulated in it, blot the moisture with a napkin. There is only one growth point (leaf funnel) in phalaenopsis, this is its heart and without it the plant will not be able to live and develop further.
During flowering, in the phase of active growth, the orchid requires frequent watering,
during the dormant period, when the plant has bloomed, phalaenopsis need to be watered less often.
Orient yourself like this, if the apartment is hot - water and spray more often, if it's cool - you need to water less often.
The plant will indicate a lack of moisture with shriveled withered leaves,
and waterlogging - with soggy, darkened and decaying roots.
Always remember that the roots need light and air, and the roots should never be in water.
If you are in doubt, water the orchid today or tomorrow, it is better to do it tomorrow.
If condensation continues to accumulate on the inside of the pot, it is too early to water.
The optimum moisture content for phalaenopsis is 60% - 80%.
Low air humidity in winter, when central heating is turned on in the apartment, is a weak point when keeping not only phalaenopsis, but also other plants.
How to increase the humidity in the apartment:-spraying of plants.
- pour expanded clay or small pebbles into the pallet, pour a little water and put a pot with phalaenopsis on top. The water evaporating from the pan will raise the moisture around the plant. In this case, the pots should never stand in the water!
- In winter, try to isolate the orchid from the hot and dry air from the battery.
Transfer The plant purchased now does not need a transplant.
But if you really want to transplant an orchid now, get ready first.
You need a pot and substrate for orchids.
In a blooming state, an orchid can only be overloaded.
Pot.
Specialized pots for orchids are sold with many holes for draining water.
Most often it is a plastic transparent pot.
Why plastic? We remember that the roots of phalaenopsis need air circulation. In the wild, orchid roots hang freely from tree branches, breathe freely, and are unlimited. To allow air circulation in the pot, make ventilation holes in the sides of the pot. In a plastic pot, this can be easily done with a screwdriver or soldering iron.
Why transparent? In a transparent pot, it is convenient to assess the state of the flower's root system. And, if problems are found, it may be rotten root areas, timely resuscitation measures should be taken.
Where can I get a transparent plastic pot?
Buckets of food, such as kebabs, will do.
To hide the unsightlyness of such a pot, place it in a decorative planter. Orchids look great in a variety of wicker, wood and bamboo baskets.
I do not recommend using ceramic utensils, as it will be difficult for the next transplant to separate the roots from the walls of the pot without damaging them.
Substrate.
The substrate for epiphytes consists entirely of bark, natural fibers, coal, moss, granular clay, cork, coarse sand with the addition of perlite or vermiculite. The main task of the substrate and containers for epiphytes:
- keep the plant upright
- keep a minimum of moisture around the roots
- it is easy to pass air to the roots of the plant.
That is why the substrate for epiphytes usually does not contain garden soil at all.
When should you replant your orchid?The signal that the orchid needs a transplant is the green part of the plant that has grown beyond the borders of the pot in width (the root system does not protrude above the surface of the pot!). The transplant should be carried out after the plant has bloomed. Usually, phalaenopsis has to be transplanted no more than once every two to three years.
How it's done:1. Carefully remove the orchid from the pot, being careful not to damage the roots (you may need to cut the pot to do this).
2. Pick out all the old substrate from the roots.
3. Cut off any dried or rotten roots with clean, sharp scissors. Sprinkle the cut points with crushed coal.
4. Take a pot 1 size larger than the previous one. Pour drainage (expanded clay) and some suitable new substrate on the bottom of the prepared pot. You can also put large, heavy stones at the bottom of the pot, with it the plastic container will be much more stable.
5. Place the plant in a pot and cover with new substrate. When falling asleep, shake the pot a little so that the mixture settles down better.
The soil mixture should freely fill the space between the roots of the orchid, lightly press down on the substrate, but do not over-compact it. Do not cover the root collar with the substrate, it should be open and located slightly below the level of the sides of the pot. Water the plant lightly and place in the shade for a few days to get used to it.
When the orchid has faded, you do not need to trim the flower arrow. Leave the decision to the phalaenopsis itself. If the peduncle does not dry out, then the next flowering will again be on this arrow. Only if the peduncle is completely dry can you cut it off.
Fertilizer.You can fertilize with a special fertilizer for orchids, with a predominance of nitrogen.
Ideally, once every two weeks.
There are opinions that "Kemira-Lux" with a concentration 2 times lower than for ordinary indoor plants, is also suitable for fertilization.
It is best to dissolve the fertilizer in immersion water.
Immediately after buying a new plant, it is not necessary to fertilize it; in the process of pre-sale preparation, the producers took care of this.
Diseases.An orchid can get sick from improper watering. Excessive watering at high or low temperatures leads to the development of fungal diseases such as rot, which can easily lead to the death of the entire plant.
Remember: After watering from the shower or after spraying, be sure to blot any water that gets into the leaf funnel. And never water or spray the plant overnight.
Phalaenopsis in indoor conditions, with proper care, lives for more than 7 years.
Phalaenopsis is one of those orchids that do not have a distinct dormant period. Therefore, under favorable conditions, phalaenopsis can bloom almost all year round.
All photos from the network
I hope I convinced you that to grow an orchid at home,
no harder than other indoor plants :-)
Many flower growers do not think about which window sill is best to place an orchid. But it depends on the correct choice of place how well it will grow and bloom.
Orchids are able to tell attentive flower growers how they feel on a particular window. For example, if you rearrange an orchid from the north to the east window, it can react to changes by releasing several peduncles at once or start blooming 2-3 times a year.
North window
For tropical plants, this arrangement is, of course, the most unfortunate. On the windowsill of the north window, they will miss the light both winter and summer... However, it so happens that all the windows in the house face the north side. What to do then? In this case, the only way out can be found in the creation of artificial lighting.
West window
Although the west window is lighter than the north window, this orchid placement option is also considered not very good, since in summer the sun falls on the windowsills of western-oriented windows only 3-4 hours a day. What can we say about winter: at this time it is dark here all day and night.
East window
If your windows face east, then the orchid will be comfortable here. in summer time... Direct sunlight looks into such windows from 8 to 12 in the morning. In winter on the eastern window, the epiphytes are sometimes a little dark.
Orchids on the window
South window
The location of the orchid on the south window is considered the most successful option. It is here that she receives the most light in winter. And even if you keep it without additional lighting, the plant still grows new leaves and flower stalks appear. However, in spring-summer period be careful. If the orchid is exposed to direct sunlight, it can burn the leaves. Therefore, it is advisable to shade the plant in hot weather. It should be remembered that such a nuisance often happens with those orchids in which the substrate constantly dries out. It must be kept moist all the time, then the risk of burns is significantly reduced. Bright sun rays are also dangerous because they heat the pot, which leads to the malfunctioning of the roots.
When choosing a place for orchids, it is worth first observing how the sun's rays move around the room during the day. This should help you with your choice.
The health and beauty of the Phalaenopsis orchid is directly influenced by lighting. I already wrote about this HERE. Since in the natural conditions of the tropics, the level of illumination practically does not change, then the plants themselves are in continuous growth: they constantly grow roots, leaves and peduncles.
In the conditions of apartments, Phalaenopsis go into hibernation in winter. This is due to a decrease in the level of illumination. In order for your beauties to enjoy flowering all year round, it is important to create optimal conditions. So, let's talk today about the location of the plant: on which window is it better to put the Phalaenopsis orchid?
West window.
Ideal for keeping Phalaenopsis in winter and summer. In summer, direct sunlight hits the western window only after lunch, so the plant does not burn. In winter, there is enough light on this window.
South window.
In winter, a great place for the Phalaenopsis orchid. But in summer it's dangerous. Direct sunlight at midday can cause severe burns on plant leaves. Sometimes such exposure to ultraviolet radiation is detrimental to the orchid. And the potted substrate dries out very quickly.
Under the scorching sun, orchid leaves quickly evaporate the liquid and signal the roots to absorb the liquid abundantly. If there is nothing to absorb, and the soil has dried out long ago, then the sheet collapses. Hence the burn.
Also, from the abundance of ultraviolet radiation on the leaves of the orchid, a purple tint, sometimes yellow spots, may appear. This is from overheating. Move the beauty to a darker place and water in time.
North window.
Not suitable for growing orchids, as it is dark in summer and winter. It is possible to put orchids on northern windows, but for their good and healthy growth it is necessary to provide additional lighting, for example, to install phytolamps.
East window.
There is enough light in the summer, but in the winter it will be dark for Phalaenopsis. Use phytolamps for year-round growth and flowering.
