The number of orchid species is very large, but there are rules that apply to almost all of their varieties. Consider the main features of caring for orchids in a modern apartment.
Content:
- Introduction
- Purchase
- Primary adaptation of orchids after purchase
- Transportation
- Quarantine
- flower transplant
- Choice of lighting
- Ambient temperature for orchids
- thermophilic
- Medium temperature plants
- Plants that prefer cold temperatures
- Watering orchids
- Care during flowering
- Block breeding of orchids
- Reproduction of orchids
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Introduction
The orchid was cultivated about three thousand years ago in Southeast Asia. The ancient Japanese and Chinese used it as a medicinal plant. This flower came to Europe at the end of the 18th century. For two hundred years, the number of species of orchids has exceeded 30 thousand.
Nowadays, thanks to the work of many breeders and botanists, it is possible to grow and care for an orchid at home. You should not start growing this flower at home without familiarizing yourself with the basics of its cultivation, since the plant will most likely die.
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A plant such as an orchid requires the creation of special conditions for its maintenance. But, if everything is done correctly, there should be no problems with it. Proper care of a flower implies knowledge of its lifestyle and some features.
Abundance of choice
It is desirable to carry out the purchase in the warm season - in spring, summer or early autumn. Before purchasing a plant, you need to carefully examine its root system: orchids are almost always sold in transparent pots, so there will be no problems with this. At this stage, a simple visual inspection and mechanical verification of the strength of the roots is sufficient.
Visually, the roots should be uniform, without cracks and dried areas. The strength of the roots is tested by gently rocking the potted plant. If the plant is held poorly, its roots are weak; a strong root system does not cause the stem to wiggle.
The root system of a healthy plant
Leaves should not have yellow patches. It is better not to buy plants with a large number of yellow leaves: this indicates a disease of the plant or its malnutrition. It will be possible to go out, but this will require a significant investment of time.
An equally important issue is the shape of the leaves and their mechanical properties. In a healthy orchid, the leaves should have more or less the same length/width ratio and be firm and resilient. If some of the leaves are noticeably thinner or wider, and some of them are sluggish, this means that the plant has recently been ill and is not worth buying.
In some cases, in order to give the plants a more spectacular appearance, they are specially overfed with nitrogenous fertilizers when they are sold. This gives them a very cheerful look, however, this plant will most likely not bloom in the next few years. If the leaves have a pronounced glossy sheen, this is a fairly accurate indicator of the recent application of a large amount of nitrogenous fertilizers.
Also, you should not buy orchids with leaves that have a large number of the following unpleasant signs:
- mechanical damage
- spots of different colors on the leaves
- dents and wet areas
Some orchids have a so-called pseudobulb (bulb on the stem). In no case should it be wrinkled or lethargic.
Pseudobulbs
Naturally, the plant should not have any pests or traces of their vital activity.
In addition, you should pay attention to some additional nuances:
- The pot must have a tag with an exact indication of the species / subspecies of the plant or its hybrid. Orchids can vary greatly in terms of conditions, so you need to know exactly the name of the flower that is being purchased.
- If the orchid is sold with props, they must be clean, free of any traces of fungus or mold.
- If a blooming orchid is purchased, not only the leaves and roots, but also the flower of the plant should be examined for pests.
- It is advisable to find out when orchids were purchased for sale, since it is risky to purchase a plant that has been living in a store for more than a month. Who knows how they took care of him? Problems that have arisen with improper care will not be immediately noticeable, since the appearance is not always a guarantee of his health.
It may seem that there are too many rules for buying, however, it is better to approach the issue of acquiring it seriously. I would not want to spend a lot of effort and time because of one small mistake, without achieving its flowering.
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Primary adaptation of orchids after purchase
purple orchid
Caring for orchids is not an easy task, so once you have one in your home, you should take a number of measures to increase its survival. This is necessary so that the plant can recover as quickly as possible after transportation and adapt to new conditions. Houseplants can affect each other in different ways, therefore, it is necessary to ensure that neither existing houseplants harm the orchid, nor vice versa.
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Transportation of the plant should be taken care of before buying it. An orchid can hardly be called a compact plant, so it will be problematic to transport it, unlike violets, for which a small bag is enough. You should not transport it by public transport, it is better to use a private car or taxi.
Prepared flowers for transportation
It is necessary to transport the plant by holding it in your hands, and not putting it, for example, in the trunk; so when you go shopping for a flower, ask someone to help you. To avoid mechanical damage to the leaves, it is advisable to wrap them with thick paper. If transport is carried out at low temperatures, the plant should also be packed from above and below.
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Quarantine
This procedure is necessary in order to timely identify possible pests that, both can be brought with an orchid, and are on your home plants. For this purpose, the purchased orchid is placed in a kind of "quarantine" for 2-2.5 weeks. This does not mean at all that it needs to be covered with a cap or film - just put it in some separate place, isolated from other colors.
An empty window sill (not on the sunny side) or a separate piece of furniture can act as such a place. The distance to the nearest plants should be at least 2 meters. The ideal option would be to place the flower in a separate room.
The plant must be left alone for a while:
- do not allow him to stay under the direct rays of the sun;
- do not feed;
- do not water.
Plant in quarantine on a shaded windowsill
As the quarantine draws to a close, you need to begin to attach the orchid to the light, exposing it for more and more time on the windowsill illuminated by the sun. On the first day - for an hour, on the second - for two, and so on. It is advisable to start watering at the end of the first week of quarantine, but it should not be plentiful - just lightly moisten the roots with warm water.
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The plant is not recommended to be transplanted immediately after purchase or at the end of quarantine. The substrate in which the orchid is initially located allows you to postpone this procedure for several months. However, if the flower was purchased planted in peat moss (sphagnum), it must be transplanted.
In addition, a transplant is performed if one of the following reasons occurs:
- There is little room for roots in the pot;
- Many roots are intertwined and interfere with each other; dead roots appear;
- The substrate is excessively saline;
- There is mechanical damage to the pot or roots;
- The surface of the substrate was covered with a coating.
Transplantation is carried out as follows:
- The orchid is removed from the container, and this is done in such a way as to minimally injure the root system.
- The old substrate is carefully cleaned.
- Rotten and dry roots should be cut with scissors at a right angle; after that, the remaining root system is washed with running warm water.
- At the bottom, a fresh substrate is poured into a new container and an orchid is placed in it.
Root pruning during transplantation
Next, you should fill the entire space between the roots with a new substrate, and its level relative to the stem must be brought to the same level as it was in the previous container. The transplanted orchid is watered with a small amount of water and placed in a shaded place for 3-4 days.
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Not only the vegetation of orchids, but also their flowering depends on proper lighting. With sufficient light, flowering intervals of 2 to 6 months can be achieved with regular repetitions every year. If the lighting is not enough for the flower, then it will not only not bloom, but may even die.
Lighting when caring for orchids at home should meet the following criteria:
- Scattered light must be used. Point sources, even in large quantities, are not very useful for orchids;
- The use of direct sunlight is undesirable. In this case, the plant may get burned, especially in the summer;
- When using natural light, the plant needs to be darkened. For this purpose, frosted glass, translucent plastic or a special mesh are ideal;
- They like long daylight hours - from 10 to 12 hours. If the geographical position does not allow them to be illuminated naturally during such a time, artificial lighting is necessary. The best option is to use diffused light from fluorescent lamps;
- In autumn, when the sun is no longer able to burn the plant, shading is not used. As a rule, it is during this period that orchids begin to slow down their life rhythm and go into a state of rest.
An example of artificial lighting
Additional lighting for orchids
A detailed description of all the subtleties of this issue
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Florists have an informal classification of orchids depending on the temperature that these plants prefer. Proper care requires strict adherence to the temperature regime for each of the groups. When combining several types of plants in one place, the temperature factor must be taken into account.
In order for the plant to grow, temperature fluctuations within 5 ° C from the recommended range are allowed. However, optimal vegetation and successful, long flowering are possible only at natural temperatures for this species.
In this case, options are possible when plants of the same temperature group will require different conditions, for example, in illumination. In this case, more light-loving plants should be placed closer to light sources. You also need to consider the size of the leaves of some species so that they do not create excessive shade for other plants.
Comfortable conditions - the key to abundant flowering
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These orchids are native to the tropics or jungle. The temperature for their successful development should be between 15°C and 33°C during the day and between 15°C and 28°C during the night. At the same time, daily temperature fluctuations should not exceed 5°C. Such plants are recommended to be placed on the southern windowsills, providing for the scattering of light, or any other protection from ultraviolet radiation.
These types include:
Thermophilic, Phalaenopsis
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These orchids grow in the colder part of the tropics and subtropics, as well as in mountainous tropical regions. They do well at temperatures of 18-22°C during the day and 12°C to 15°C at night. Plants of this type are sensitive to direct sunlight, so they are best placed near western windows.
Among medium-temperature plants, the following popular species can be listed:
Medium temperature odontoglossum
Plants that prefer cold temperatures
Grow in the subtropics or highlands. The temperature during the day is 15-18°C, at night - 12-15°C. Caring for such orchids is not very difficult, however, some species require a specialized approach, since they have a temperature limit not on the lower, but on the upper value: at temperatures above 18 ° C, they begin to fade. Plants of this group do not like bright light, they grow well and develop at a distance of about a meter from the eastern, northern or western windows.
Characteristic representatives:
Lelia, cold-loving orchid
Watering orchids
Orchid roots do not tolerate stagnant water. Some orchids (such as Phalaenopsis and Paphiopedilium) require a dry substrate and only water when it dries out. Others, such as dendrobiums, need moist soil. In any case, the orchid tolerates drought more easily than waterlogging.
All orchids, without exception, need intensive watering only during flowering. Excessive moisture of the roots in another period leads to their decay. On the other hand, leaving plants without moisture is undesirable - its leaves may wrinkle and begin to dry out.
It is necessary to water with soft water. Settled rainwater is best suited for this purpose. But, it is possible to water with ordinary boiled water. During the summer, water once every 2-3 days.
In winter, the frequency of watering decreases - once every 6-7 days. In any case, the criterion for the start of irrigation is the drying of the topsoil.
Plants are watered as follows: a pot with a plant is either placed for 5-10 minutes in a container (basin or bucket) with warm water or simply watered with a watering can with a fine mesh. After watering, it is necessary to put the pot on a special grid so that the water is completely drained through the drainage holes.
Watering by immersing it in a basin
How to water orchids?
All the subtleties and secrets in one video
Care during flowering
Flowering requires a slight improvement in the conditions of orchids. This is because the plant needs more energy to produce flowers. Features of caring for orchids during their flowering are as follows:
- enhanced watering; it is recommended to water the plant with a warm shower or a watering can with a fine mesh with a water temperature of at least 35 ° C; after watering, the growing point of the flower must be cleared of water to prevent it from rotting;
- the temperature of the content of the orchid during flowering rises by 5 ° C;
- the plant needs feeding; the fertilizer used must exactly match the plant; "Overfeeding" is unacceptable, follow the instructions exactly.
And one more tip: when flowering, it is not recommended to move the orchid from place to place.
Phalaenopsis buds.
After flowering, it is necessary to cut the peduncle (by the time it dries completely) to the very base.
Block breeding of orchids
In nature, most orchids are epiphytes, that is, they do not grow on their own, but are attached to other plants, which are called phorophytes. At the same time, orchids do not parasitize on phorophytes, but use them exclusively as supports.
Many flower growers strive to bring home conditions for keeping orchids as close as possible to their natural conditions by placing them on materials that mimic forophytes. This technique has become increasingly popular in recent years.
Since growing trees at home is a rather problematic task (especially if you use it only as a support for an orchid), then any materials to which a plant can be attached can be used as a support. It can be a snag, some kind of thick branch, or just a large piece of bark; pine or oak bark, part of a cork tree, tree fern, etc. can be used. The size of the block is selected depending on the variety and its dimensions.
On a hanging rope
This method of growing orchids has many advantages.. In particular, the roots of the plant dry out after several tens of minutes after watering, which reduces the likelihood of their decay. It is equally important that the roots can receive a sufficient amount of air, and indeed, are in almost natural conditions, which has a positive effect on the appearance of plants.
On the other hand, it should be understood that with such a cultivation of orchids, the humidity level in the room where they are kept must be high enough, since complete drying is harmful to the roots. Therefore, it is necessary either to grow orchids in a place where high humidity will not spoil the room, or to organize a kind of greenhouse with an isolated atmosphere for the plants.
A compromise option in this situation would be the use of sphagnum as a kind of "gasket" located between the orchid and the block. From the outside, the roots can be covered with bark or coconut fiber to retain the required amount of moisture.
In order for water not to condense and stagnate on the leaves and flowers of the plant due to high humidity, when block breeding, the leaves are placed down. The orchid itself is attached to the block with a fishing line or a thin coarse mesh.
Orchid on a block made from a piece of bark. Leaves point down
Stimulation of flowering in orchids
Achieving flowering in an orchid is a very difficult task. Flower buds are formed about once every two months, but the mechanism of their “activation” does not always work. And the point here is not only in the special conditions of detention or care for him.
Sometimes it turns out to be a very bleak picture: for several years, almost ideal conditions have been created for the flower, it feels great, there are no pests on it, and so on, but at the same time it does not bloom. Or her flowering is not going at all as planned (small or sluggish buds and flowers, a stop in bud development, and so on). This leads to despair of many flower growers, and they forever refuse to breed orchids.
It is especially unpleasant that the reason for the lack of flowering may not be obvious and is hidden in the distant past of the plant (for example, hypothermia or a fungal infection). It is quite possible that the plant may never bloom, no matter what measures are taken.
These methods are not applicable to all plants and not at all times. Flowering stimulation is only possible for mature and non-diseased plants that have at least a month passed since the end of their previous flowering, "hibernation" or quarantine. Let us consider in more detail what methods are used to stimulate flowering:
Stimulation by temperature change
A similar method is suitable for all epiphytes; consider its application on the example of plants of the middle temperature range, as the most common. The sequence of actions in this case will be as follows:
- As soon as the warm season is established (with a night temperature of at least + 16 ° C), the orchid is taken out for the night to fresh air in the garden. Residents of cities can be taken out to an unglazed balcony (if the latter is glazed, open a window or window and put it closer to them).
- During the day, the plant is brought into the room. This method allows you to achieve the maximum temperature gradient for the flower during the day. If there is no desire to expose the flower to such an “extreme”, you can leave it on the balcony or in the garden around the clock; the only thing to worry about is the lack of direct sunlight.
This mode will allow the plant to receive a lot of light and heat during the day, and cool well during the night.. The result of this will be the enrichment of the plant with carbon dioxide, from which it can make sufficient reserves to build flower stalks. The duration of such procedures should be about 10-15 days.
Taking orchids outdoors to stimulate flowering
Such stimulation of flowering can be applied throughout the summer and the first weeks of autumn. However, summer or autumn procedures can be longer - from 20 to 25 days. However, in summer the temperature gradient is very small, and in autumn the intensity of sunlight is low, so it is best to "accelerate" the orchid in this way in the spring.
Stimulation by changing the amount of moisture
This method can be applied to all orchids that do not have periods of "hibernation". In addition, the application of this method can be carried out at any time of the year, at any illumination and at almost any temperature (the exception is high temperatures, more than + 30 ° C, since it is better not to experiment with irrigation under them).
Its duration is somewhat longer than the previously discussed temperature change stimulation (about a month), but the success rate is much higher. Using this method, it is almost always possible to awaken the flower buds of an orchid. Its mechanism is as follows:
- It is necessary to increase the interval between watering. For example, if watering was carried out once every four days, start watering the plant once every eight days.
- Stop all methods of supplying moisture to the plant, except for watering the roots. Air humidification, spraying of roots and leaves, etc. should be canceled. You should not fear for the fate of the plant - orchids are often subject to drought in natural conditions.
- Also, for the duration of such stimulation, the use of any top dressing and various stimulants or hormones should be excluded.
- After waiting for the appearance of peduncles, they switch to the usual watering mode.
Ideally, the peduncle on the plant appears in about a month; if everything is completely running - in a half.
After carrying out such a procedure, it is not recommended to fertilize the plant during flowering. In the event of the appearance of a peduncle in winter, care should be taken to ensure sufficient illumination of the orchid. In this case, it is not necessary to illuminate the entire plant, it is enough that the light falls only on the top of the peduncle.
Reproduction of orchids
Despite the exotic nature of the plant and the relatively difficult care of orchids, it can be very successfully propagated at home. Even though orchids produce many seeds, their main mode of propagation is vegetative. There are several ways to reproduce orchids in this way:
There are not many flowers
With the help of offspring of the stem
With a sufficient content of nitrogen, which stimulates the vegetation of plants, additional lateral shoots, the so-called "children", begin to form in it. As the roots appear in the children, they can be separated and planted separately. Before that, each shoot should be treated with charcoal powder.
Newborn "baby"
With the help of cuttings
Grown up extra shoot, ready to plant
The method is more complicated, but allows breeding without waiting for the appearance of additional shoots. In this case, a shoot is taken from 10 to 15 cm long and cut off with a knife. Before this, the knife should be disinfected.
The cut on the plant should then be sprinkled with charcoal. The cutting must be planted in a nutrient substrate or soil cut down. Further, caring for it is similar to caring for an ordinary orchid. As a rule, more than 80% of the cuttings root well and survive.
Cutting cutting.
By dividing the root
One of the most common methods, suitable for all orchids without exception. The main thing is that the rhizome is sufficiently developed. It consists in dividing the rhizome into 2 (or more) parts, each of which must have at least one pseudobulb (thickened part of the stem).
Slices are sprinkled with charcoal, and the plants are seated each in their own pot. Flowers should be watered daily until new shoots appear on them. After that, you can proceed to the normal mode of watering.
Root split
VIDEO: Orchid propagation: A detailed description of this issue
Reproduction of orchids
Detailed description of this issue
A capricious plant, but still I found a way to care for them. The wife loves when they bloom, but she does not have a “light” hand - she cannot bring them to flowering.
Many people say and recommend planting them in oak or birch bark - but then their flowering period is reduced. It is definitely not worth planting houses on the windowsill in the ground. I take the usual large sawdust from a beech tree, put the parostok in a flowerpot and fall asleep with sawdust. After sawdust costs me every half a year.
Orchids fascinate with their appearance immediately and do not give rest. Personally, when I pass by flower shops, I am afraid not to resist and buy another beauty. My orchid blooms once a year, but for a long time - about 5 months. I would say that these flowers are not particularly whimsical, but they need to find the right place and water. Watering is best done in a pan, without falling on the leaves, and rarely. The orchid is prone to root rot, it is very difficult to cure them later, so it is better to prevent it. I also use different top dressings for this species, both on the roots and leaves. And I try not to disturb her often)
I really love orchids, but something just doesn’t take root with me, one only grows and blooms all the time, most likely it has a very strong root system. I already understood that this is a very important factor for the normal development of the orchid. After all, I had a sad experience when an orchid had bad roots and my orchids disappeared, I could not save. It is also very important not to flood orchids, because it is deadly for them. A very useful article where there are ways to check an orchid before buying, as well as basic care and reproduction. I want to try to cut the cutting and root it.
I agree with Yuri that it is better to plant in sawdust, but do not forget about watering, I water according to the schedule - stably once a week - I pour plenty of water in any weather, even when it is +30 outside. Also, besides this, you should not keep the orchid in a narrow and low pot - this will lead to the death of the root or the absence of flowers. The bigger the pot, the more blooms and the seedling grows higher. Very strong roots - they need space.
I, too, previously thought that the orchid should not be disturbed once again, but that I watered it often, which was less common - the result was the same: it bloomed, and after flowering it “bent” and had to be thrown away.
By chance, going to the anniversary of the mother-in-law, at the last moment we changed our minds about buying a bouquet of roses, but decided on an orchid, and while my husband was paying for the order, I witnessed how orchid cuttings are transplanted in the garden and even put them up for sale! The next day after work, I was already in line for a master class on caring for this majestic flower!
For myself, I found out all those moments that before that seemed inaccessible to me!
Moreover, in addition to planting cuttings, watering, I can properly stimulate the flowering of orchids by playing with the temperature regime. Only if your article says about the result in 10-15 days, I get a little more than 3 weeks.
And I don’t water when I think it’s necessary, but according to the regime and not in a saucer 3 drops of water, but I put it in a basin of water and until the orchid is fed, I don’t take it.
And of course, I used to think that the sun's rays are good for any flower, now I understand that for many this is a disaster!
I want to share my sad story. For some it might be useful. A few years ago I was given an orchid. It bloomed for a very long time, almost without interruption. Survived a transplant. And even the fact that my cats dropped it on the floor and the stem broke. But we have started renovations. I had to move the flower to another window. It's a little cooler in that room. Unfortunately, the result was that the orchid began to wither, all actions did not bring results. Even a return to the windowsill where she used to live. She died. Now, after reading the article, I want to buy an orchid again. I will follow all the rules of care and remember my bad experience.
The first orchid appeared in my house for my birthday - a gift from friends! I was very happy with this flower! Before this event, I was told that it was very difficult to take care of an orchid and I did not risk acquiring it, especially since there was an experience when expensive flowers died from dry air (central heating) and little experience in caring. With the advent of my first beauty - the Phalaenopsis orchid and its long flowering, my collection has reached 13 flowers. They bloom two or three times on their own, there was already an experience of stimulating flowering with the help of a paste. I was also pleased with the appearance of "kids". Of course, on my own, without experience, my beauties could also die, I have always studied the experience of amateur and professional flower growers. This article is just a guide for beginners and orchid lovers. Each stage in the care of a flower is thoroughly considered: from purchase to flowering. Bookmarked the article, thanks.