Orchid is an extremely beautiful, but moody flower. Usually amateur gardeners acquire an already flowering plant, pleasing others with their appearance, but often after flowering they don’t know how to handle it properly. Improper care can lead to illness or even death of the plant. Inexperienced orchid owners have many questions regarding plant care. The most common of them: "How to feed an orchid?"
All procedures for flower care, according to experts, are quite simple and require neither special skills nor funds. But do not buy an orchid until you receive the necessary information on care. Experts recommend that you first thoroughly familiarize yourself with how to properly take care of the new inhabitant of the home flower garden.
Care Features
Although caring for an orchid is not particularly difficult, experts recommend observing all its rules and performing the necessary procedures in a complex, otherwise the efforts will be futile. When handling an orchid, remember:
- The plant does not tolerate even minor movements, which are stress for him. Some gardeners manage to “trick” the pet: since the orchid reacts to a position relative to the light source, the flower is moved so that its location in relation to it remains unchanged.
- Specialists recommend paying special attention to the roots of the plant, because they are directly involved in photosynthesis. In order to ensure the influx of a sufficient amount of light to the roots, it is recommended to plant orchids in special transparent pots in the summer (always with smooth walls so that the roots do not grow to them).
- In winter, it should provide compensation for the lack of light for the plant using special lamps. Particularly necessary is light support for an orchid that bloomed in the cold season.
- To stimulate the formation of buds, flower growers are advised to recreate the necessary temperature difference. It is recommended to lower it to 4-5 ° C with the help of special devices sold in flower shops.
Sometimes beginners are surprised that the ideal conditions created for the plant do not give the proper results - the orchid does not bloom. This is explained by the fact that the flower, most likely, directed all forces to growth. In this case, it is recommended to apply the creation of a stressful situation for him, that is, to accelerate the flowering by reducing watering or moving the orchid to a cooler place.
The key to success in caring for an orchid, experienced gardeners consider humidification. There is no need for special devices for this procedure. It is enough to spray the space near the flower with a spray gun. You can also put a small container of water next to it.
During irrigation, water should be poured directly onto the roots of the flower. Watering is recommended several times a week, but not plentifully. You just need to monitor the condition of the earth: it should not dry out, but it should not be too wet. When watering and humidifying the air, it is necessary to ensure that moisture does not flow down the leaves into the core of the flower.
Often, beginners ask the question: is it necessary to feed the orchid? Experts believe that it is necessary to fertilize the orchid, but you should do it correctly.
About the importance of top dressing
Experts consider feeding orchids using fertilizers a necessary component of the plant care process. The nutrients contained in the substrate are usually drawn out by the root system. In addition, they are washed during irrigation, flowing out through drainage holes with water located in a pot or planting container. Therefore, plants that are grown at home, including orchids, need periodic feeding with a variety of mineral and organic fertilizers. The instruction explaining how to feed an orchid is quite simple. The most important thing: for feeding orchids, it is recommended to use nutrients with a minimum nitrogen content, since it inhibits the development of flower buds.
Golden feed rules
- It is strictly forbidden to feed orchids during and immediately after transplantation!
- Fertilize the plant during its growing season.
- To flower growers, who asked what and how to feed a flowering orchid, experts explain that it is forbidden to feed the plant during the period of active flowering. Violation of this rule may cause a reduction in flowering time.
- You can not fertilize orchids not only during flowering, but also weakened by insect pests or patients.
- Feeding should not burn the root system of the plant.
- Optimal is considered to be feeding immediately after watering.
- In spring and autumn, orchids should be fertilized no more than 1 time in 2 weeks. In summer and winter - 1 time per month.
How to feed an orchid at home?
Orchid owners should focus on those fertilizers that are rich in potassium or phosphorus. These substances stimulate the nucleation of buds and are guaranteed to provide the appearance of healthy flowers. Those who are interested in how to feed an orchid at home should remember that fertilizers must meet several basic requirements:
- indicators of acidity (pH) should be from 5 to 7;
- the concentration of dressing for orchids in relation to fertilizers for other indoor flowers should be small;
- fertilizers must necessarily contain substances that prevent the deposition of trace elements and salts;
- fertilizers must certainly contain the necessary vitamins and high-quality amino acids, providing the optimal degree of assimilation of nutrients by the plant;
- top dressing should provide stimulation of the immune system of indoor plants.
Most often, flower growers involved in the cultivation of indoor plants such as orchids prefer high-quality mineral fertilizers. Organic substances are usually used in connection with an overabundance of nitrogenous compounds, as well as in the presence of difficulties in carrying out their correct dosage.
How can I feed an orchid?
To feed indoor orchids, it is recommended to use fertilizers containing special marks on the package. Usually on them is marked "For orchids." For gardeners who are interested in how to feed an orchid, experts explain that fertilizers designed for other indoor plants have a slightly different nutrient composition. In addition, their dosages are higher than those required for feeding orchids. The main components of fertilizers are potash, nitrogen and phosphorus and components. The manufacturer always indicates the quantitative content of these substances in the letters NPK
For beginners who are interested in how to feed the orchid so that it blooms, it should be remembered that stimulating the flowering of orchids is best done with fertilizers with NPK equal to 4: 6: 6. To increase the green mass of plants, substances with an NPK of 4: 3: 3 should be used.
The arsenal of experienced gardeners, as a rule, contains varieties of top dressing, among which there is a composition with a high level of nitrogen content necessary for growing leaves, as well as top dressing containing a high level of phosphorus, allowing the plant to grow peduncles to improve the flowering process. Experts strongly recommend feeding the orchid during its growing season.
Top dressings
Those who are interested in how to feed an orchid at home should consider that the following concentrated fertilizers are the best fertilizer for orchids: Ideal, Rainbow, Bona Forte, Garden of Miracles, Oasis. An effective root top dressing or foliar top dressing in the form of spraying is provided by any of the listed means. Experts recommend strictly adhering to the instructions for the use of such drugs. Extremely dangerous for any type of orchid is a high concentration of fertilizers in the substrate.
About root top dressing
The root dressing method is intended for high-quality replenishment of micronutrients and macronutrients in orchids. Before feeding, the root system of the flower is recommended to be thoroughly moistened. In clean tap water of warm temperature, the fertilizer is diluted to obtain a concentration solution indicated on the label. It is recommended to slowly immerse the flower pot with the plant in a container with clean water, while pouring it on top of the resulting solution. In this position, the plant is left for 20 minutes. Excess solution flows into the pan.
About foliar top dressing
The foliar feeding method is recommended to be used during the period of active plant growth. In addition, experts recommend it to be used also in the presence of significant signs of chlorosis, which is the result of a lack of trace elements. Foliar top dressing is also used for damage to the root system. Leaf dressing of orchids is carried out in the morning or in cloudy weather. This is necessary to avoid direct sunlight on the leaves of the flower. Thorough spraying of plants provides irrigation with fertilizers of aerial roots and leaves on both sides. Flower buds are recommended to protect from the ingress of a solution. Otherwise, there may be a threat of decay and even death on the flower growth points. After top dressing, the plant must be carefully inspected and dried.
Other recommendations
For flower growers who are interested in how to feed an orchid, experts recommend reducing the concentration of the feeding solution indicated by the manufacturer in the instructions by ten times. About 1 ml of liquid fertilizer or in the same amount of the following mineral mixtures must be dissolved per 1 liter of water:
- "Agricola". It is a mineral fertilizer specially designed for feeding orchids. The introduction of funds improves the appearance of plants and contributes to its qualitative growth. The advantages of fertilizer are ease of dosing, as well as the ability to ensure its high-quality dissolution in water.
- "Dr. Foley." The drug for foliar top dressing. It is convenient to use, contains vitamins, essential acids and trace elements.
- "Brexil Combi." It is a cocktail of trace elements necessary in the presence of a lack of iron-containing substances in the plant.
- "Bona Forte." A popular liquid complex fertilizer. The composition of the drug contains a complex of substances necessary for proper nutrition of the flower. The tool is conveniently divorced, it is affordable.
- "Bow." Fertilizer (sticks) developed in the Netherlands. It is recommended to use for feeding 2 times a month. The drug is convenient to use and affordable.
- Fasco fertilizer , like Fasco Flower Happiness soil, is specially designed for orchid cultivation. The active substances that make up Fasco contribute to the growth of green mass. Soil “Flower happiness” is also very convenient. Its composition is as close to ideal as possible.
Artificial feeding is not vital to ensure the growth and development of orchids. The plant is able to independently receive a significant amount of trace elements from the environment. However, experts recommend regularly and properly fertilizing the orchid to accelerate its growth and improve flowering.