Orchid is a beautiful exotic plant with unique (both in shape and color) inflorescences. It is believed that the cultivation of such flowers at home is only possible for professionals, since it is quite difficult to take care of an orchid in a pot. But numerous reviews of amateur gardeners indicate the opposite. Indeed, an orchid is a whimsical flower and requires special attention, in comparison with other indoor plants. However, subject to certain recommendations on watering, top dressing and creating the necessary microclimate, even a beginner grower can grow such flowers. Among the huge variety of species and varieties of this plant for growing at home, the most popular are Cattleya, Dendrobium and Phalaenopsis.
What to look for when buying a flower
For beginners who decide to decorate their house with a room orchid, experienced gardeners recommend Phalaenopsis. It is these plants that came to us from the forests of Southeast Asia, the Philippines and Northeast Australia that are the easiest to care for and resistant to disease. Moreover, they have a long flowering period and a wide variety of colors.
Today, shops and greenhouses specializing in the sale of such flowers offer both mature plants and young seedlings. Naturally, an adult orchid that can bloom and multiply will cost more than a seedling that will please you with beautiful inflorescences only after a fairly long time (after several years). And if you get a flower during the flowering period, then all doubts about the color of the plant disappear.
External signs to which you should pay attention when buying:
- A healthy, viable and suitable for subsequent propagation orchid should have elastic and fairly dense leaves of saturated green color (sometimes with a red border). Shriveled sluggish leaves indicate that the plant is seriously ill. Naturally, it is not worth buying it.
- The presence of various points and spots on the leaves indicates that the plant is already subject to the harmful effects of pests, which you will have to deal with subsequently. Therefore, a thorough external examination is one of the prerequisites for the acquisition of a room orchid.
- An equally important role in the selection is played by the state of the root system. It is best to choose plants with well-developed roots of a grayish-greenish hue, which also indicates the overall health of the selected flower.
Important! It must be remembered that even a flower that is quite beautiful in appearance may be sick or damaged by pests. Therefore, when buying, you need to pay attention to the condition of all parts of the plant.
Finally, the flower you liked was bought and carefully delivered home. A reasonable question arises: how to care for an orchid in a pot? Although this plant is considered a very whimsical flower, the following simple recommendations for observing the temperature regime, lighting, necessary humidity, soil composition, reproduction at home, time and transplant features will help you create comfortable conditions for the safe cultivation of these flowers at home.
Temperature mode
Compliance with the temperature regime will provide conditions for the rapid and proper development of the flower. As a rule, the optimal daily temperature for many types of orchids varies from +17 to +26 degrees. In the dark, the ambient temperature should be from +12 to +18 degrees. At night, it is better to rearrange the plant in a cooler place.
On a note! Changing day and night temperatures not only contributes to the normal development of the plant and the germination of new peduncles, but also significantly increases the flowering period.
Almost all varieties of orchids withstand temperature deviations. However, it must be remembered that when it is lowered, watering of plants should be reduced, and vice versa, water procedures should be increased if the air is warmer than the recommended parameters. In any case, the difference between daytime and nighttime temperatures should be at least 4-6 degrees.
Lighting
Like all plants, orchids need light to grow normally. Despite the fact that these flowers are photophilous crops, direct sunlight (both leaves and inflorescences) has a devastating effect on them. This factor must be remembered when you place flower pots, for example, on the windowsill. It is better to place them near windows facing the west or east side of the building.
For normal growth of Phalaenopsis, the light gap should last at least 12-14 hours. How to care for potted orchids for residents of areas where the day (especially in winter) lasts much less? The lack of natural light is perfectly acceptable to compensate for with bright (but scattered) artificial light (for example, using fluorescent or LED lamps). The correct choice of orchid lighting (both in duration and in intensity) will ensure rapid growth and timely onset of flowering. Conversely, a lack of light will lead to a delayed development of the plant and a delay in the appearance of flowers.
Air humidity
Maintaining sufficient humidity is also an important aspect for the normal cultivation of these flowers at home. This indicator is considered optimal at the level of 70-75%. To create a favorable microclimate in hot periods, experts recommend spraying plants with water. However, this must be done very carefully. Irrigate (and even better moisten with a wet swab or napkin) you need only the lower parts of the leaves so that water does not fall on the inflorescences themselves and inside the outlet. During the heating season, regular ventilation will help maintain normal humidity in the room.
Remember: leaving flower pots in the draft is not recommended.
Watering
The fact that the homeland of orchids are areas with a tropical and subtropical climate should not be misleading to beginner growers. For many varieties of this plant, it will be sufficient to carry out water procedures once a week. In particularly hot periods, the interval between watering can be reduced to 4-5 days. Orchid cultivation professionals at home recommend using only filtered and settled boiled water for these purposes. This will avoid the accumulation of undesirable salts in the soil, as well as minerals and bacteria harmful to plants.
Important! It is impossible to water orchids with cold water. The temperature should be slightly higher than room temperature. The optimal method of watering is considered to be the method of immersing the pot in a container filled with water for 15-20 minutes (during this time the substrate will be completely moistened).
After that, install the pot on a stand so that excess water drains through the holes in the bottom. We carry out the next watering only when the substrate in the pot dries. This will be indicated by the absence of drops of condensate on the inner walls of the pot. In any case (if any doubts arise) one must be guided by the principle: underfilling is better than overfilling. Excess moisture can lead to decay of the leaves and roots of the plant (usually midges appearing in pots of orchids eloquently). During the period of active growth, the number of irrigations should be increased. After flowering (during the so-called dormant phase), the amount of moisture can be reduced.
Fertilizer and fertilizing
Almost all types of orchids require the introduction of a sufficient amount of fertilizer into the soil. Moreover, for flowering plants, fertilizing with a high phosphorus content is required, and during the period of active growth, nitrogen-containing fertilizers. For these purposes, only special products intended for orchids are used. Such compositions are produced in two main types:
- Powdery. The drug is dissolved in water in accordance with the attached instructions.
- Liquid. The concentrate is diluted with water in accordance with the recommendations from the manufacturer.
Important! Before using any fertilizer, you must carefully read the instructions. Some formulations are designed to be applied only to a particular orchid variety. Phalaenopsis (and other types of disease-resistant and unpretentious orchids) is enough to feed 1 time every 3-4 weeks.
Soil for growing orchids in a pot
For orchids, you can not use ordinary garden soil or universal soil mixtures intended for indoor plants. For their cultivation, special substrates are used that easily pass air and do not allow excess water to accumulate around the roots. Experienced lovers of flower cultivation make such a soil on their own, for beginner gardeners it is better to purchase the finished mixture in a specialized store. The approximate composition of the substrate in a pot with an orchid: moss, wood bark (usually pine), pebbles, granular clay, cork, charcoal, as well as perlite or vermiculite additives.
The main objective of such a soil is to maintain the flower in an upright position, to maintain the necessary amount of moisture around the root system (in this case, excessive moisture should not be allowed) and to ensure unhindered air flow.
Plant transplant
Experts recommend replanting orchids on average every 2-3 years. This is due to the need to replace the substrate (which becomes unusable under the influence of water and fertilizers), as well as in cases where the roots of an orchid have come out of the pot, or the plant has grown too much and requires a larger pot. It is not recommended to transplant a newly acquired plant: let it grow, get stronger and get used to new environmental conditions.
How to transplant an orchid into a pot:
- Shake the container lightly and gently remove the plant.
- We clean the roots of the old substrate.
- We carefully examine them, remove rotted or dried parts, rub the crushed activated or charcoal into the places of the cuts.
- Let the roots dry for 6-7 hours.
- Disinfect a new pot (for example, with alcohol).
- Pour the substrate to the bottom of the new pot, set the orchid and fill the space around the root system with soil so that the growth point necessarily remains on the surface.
Important! Since planting an orchid in a pot (at first glance) is quite simple, you need to remember that the roots of the plant can be easily injured or broken. Observance of accuracy, patience and caution in the process of transplantation are the guarantee that the plant will delight you for a long time. All tools used to trim damaged roots or dried leaves must be thoroughly disinfected.
In which pots to plant orchids
For orchids, plastic pots are mainly used. To drain excess water when watering plants in the bottom, several holes are made. Excess moisture can lead to rotting of the root system. For beginner gardeners, the answer to the question of which pots to plant orchids in order to ensure their normal development will be clear - transparent. Firstly, it will provide light access to the roots (which favorably affects the general condition of the flower). Secondly, it will allow you to visually observe the development of the root system.
It is not recommended to grow several orchids in one pot. With a disease of one plant, all neighboring flowers will have to be treated. A pest that has settled in such a pot will harm immediately “the whole family”. In addition, during transplantation, difficulties may arise due to the interweaving of the roots of neighboring plants.
On a note! To transplant an overgrown plant, you need to pick up a larger pot than before.
Propagation by root branches
This is the easiest way to propagate orchids at home. In many species of these flowers, a new, young shoot grows next to the main stem (mother). When the sprout has roots (at least one) and a bulb forms, it can be safely separated from the mother plant.
How to plant an orchid (young shoot) in a pot ? This process is in many ways similar to a conventional flower transplant. The difference is that after you have removed the plant from the container and cleaned of residual substrate, it is necessary to carefully cut the young plant along with the root with a sharp knife (of course, sanitized in advance). All places of the cuts must be thoroughly lubricated with crushed coal (activated or wood). After this, you need to let the roots dry, then you can plant the "mother" and "child" in different containers. 2-3 years after the separation process, the shoot will become an adult plant.
How to care for a potted orchid during flowering
As a rule, an orchid begins to bloom at the age of one and a half to three years. After inflorescences appeared on the plant, it is necessary:
- change feeding (special formulations with a high phosphorus content should be used);
- night temperatures must be increased by several degrees compared with the regime that was maintained during the growth period;
- water more abundantly (immediately after the final formation of the buds).
The implementation of these simple recommendations will extend the time during which the orchid will delight you with its inflorescences.
Important! You can not cut the peduncle immediately after the flowering period. Sometimes new buds may appear on it. Only completely dried tops should be removed.