An orchid is a tropical plant that is tender, often moody and demanding of growing conditions, and has recently won the love of many gardeners. This is because this indoor representative of the flora can transform the interior of any living room with its bright large and elegant colors.
In order to grow such a miracle at home, you need to know about the features of orchid cultivation. How to care for her at home, you can read in this article. In fact, each type of orchid prefers certain optimal conditions of detention, but there are general rules that must be followed when growing any hybrid. We hope that our tips will be useful for beginner growers.
Amazingly beautiful orchids. How to care for them at home ?
If you are just starting to get acquainted with these beautiful tropical plants, we advise you to purchase the least capricious species in terms of growing: miltonia, phalaenopsis, cattleya, dendrobium or cymbidium. When choosing an instance, pay attention not so much to the appearance of the flower as to the state of its root system. After you have purchased at the flower shop and brought the orchid home, you should choose the most comfortable place for it.
For the vast majority of varieties, the window sill or well-lit place next to the east or west window will be optimal. It is desirable that there is a lot of soft diffused light in the room. However, the orchid does not tolerate bright scorching rays, and also grows poorly in the shade. In the winter season, the plant should be additionally illuminated with special lamps, thereby increasing daylight hours.
Orchids: how to care for them at home. We establish a comfortable temperature and humidity
Most members of the Orchid family prefer an air temperature in the range +20 ... + 25 ° C. They also require a difference of 5 ° C between night and day. These flowers do not like cold; at temperatures below 17 ° C they will not release buds and may even become sick. Since orchids come from the tropics, they feel good in a room with a fairly high humidity (from 50% and above). It is believed that the higher this indicator, the better the plant will grow and bloom.
Indoor orchid phalaenopsis: how to care for her
It does not tolerate dry and hot air coming from central heating radiators, so it is recommended not to put the pot close to the battery. Experienced plant growers increase air humidity in every possible way, including putting a bowl of water next to a flower, and also constantly spraying an orchid from a spray bottle.
Indoor beauties of orchids. How to care at home (watering)
One of the secrets of orchid cultivation is watering. It should be regular and moderate. Excessive watering can seriously damage the plant, contributing to the decay of the roots. Underfilling is not so dangerous, since epiphytes can receive moisture through leaves and aerial roots directly from the air. Nevertheless, you should not test the orchid "for strength", it is advisable to observe the established regime of moistening the substrate.
In summer, the plant is watered more often than in winter. Between humidifications, the substrate must have time to dry. They use warm, clean, soft water. There are two methods of watering: immersion and moistening the substrate from a watering can. If you use the second option, then you should not allow moisture to get into the sinuses of the leaves and peduncles. After wetting the entire substrate, allow excess water to drain through the holes in the pot. Watering by immersion involves placing a flower pot in a container filled with water. After soaking the soil, the orchid is left alone to drain excess fluid. It is advisable to carry out all "water procedures" in the morning, including spraying.
Orchid: how to care? Breeding at home
At home, an orchid can be planted in several ways, namely, cuttings, division of the rhizome and rooting of airborne children. The second option is most convenient. This procedure is performed at the beginning of the spring period and involves pulling an adult strong orchid out of the pot, peeling its roots from the old substrate and dividing them with a sharp knife into several parts. After processing the places of cuts with charcoal, the obtained fragments are planted in new containers.