These epiphytic plants of the orchid family, with 50 million years of evolution, have long since triumphantly entered our homes and apartments under the name orchid. Care and reproduction at home is not as complicated as it seems at first glance. Today's review covers all the important issues related to growing, replanting, watering and fertilizing this wonderful flower.
Orchid is an unusually beautiful flower
How to care for an orchid at home: light, temperature, soil, location
To understand what conditions for growing will be optimal, you need to understand where and how epiphytes grow in nature. Due to its long history, the ancestors of the orchid themselves determined what they needed. All that remains for a person to do is to recreate the appropriate care at home, and the flower will delight the owner with regular colorful blooms as in the photo.
Proper lighting is the key to flowering
If the lighting does not meet the requirements of the plant, then there will be neither flowering nor the rich dark green color of the foliage. When choosing a place to place the pot, be guided by the fact that you need a lot of light, but it should be diffused. An east or west window will do. As a last resort, an indoor flower can be placed not on the windowsill, but on a table near the window. Then the right amount of sunlight will penetrate through the tulle.
ATTENTION!
Direct sunlight is destructive for an orchid!
Away from a light source or in a north-facing window, the leaves will turn pale and yellow. After the winter period, the flower must adapt to bright light and plenty of sunlight. If you have no choice, and the windows face south, place the pot next to the window, with shade during lunch hours. In autumn, flower buds are laid and shoots ripen, so there is no need to darken the flower.
If the daylight hours are less than 10 hours, then the plant needs additional lighting.
ADVICE!
Fluorescent lamps above the plant will provide the required amount of light better than other lamps.
Organization of lighting for orchids
Temperature
Orchids are:
- heat-loving;
- medium temperature;
- cold-loving.
Warm-loving flowers native to coastal rainforests. Here we include Phalaenopsis, Dendrobium, and Cattleya orchid. They require warmth throughout the year. In summer, the temperature around the flower should be in the range from +15 to +32 degrees, in winter it should not fall below +15°C. The daily difference also plays an important role; orchids do not like differences of more than 5 degrees.
Medium-temperature species in their natural environment live in the middle, mountain and tropical zones. These include the Odontoglossum and Miltonia orchids. In summer, during the day they will be quite happy with the range from +18 to +22°C; in winter, the night temperature should not fall below +12°C.
Cold-loving orchids came to us from high mountain regions, as well as from the subtropics. Many species love coolness, for example, Dendrobium, Paphiopedilum, and many Lelias. Their favorite temperature in summer is +22 degrees, in winter - from 12 to 15 degrees Celsius.
Orchids purchased in flower shops will grow quite comfortably in this temperature range: at night - from +12°C to +24°C, and in the daytime, an orchid in a pot prefers + 18...+27°C.
IMPORTANT
The difference between day and night temperatures is a significant factor for flowering!
With proper care, the plant will respond to you with beautiful flowering
How to water an orchid correctly
Both growth and flowering depend on the amount of moisture supplied to the flower. Since orchids are epiphytes, they cannot tolerate stagnant water. The key to understanding the beauty’s drinking regime is knowing the type of orchid. If your apartment is decorated with Phalaenopsis, Paphiopedilum, Odontoglossum, Cymbmdium, then know how to water your orchid: the substrate should always be a little moist. Oncidium, Dendrobium, Cattleya, on the contrary, like the soil to be dry before the next watering.
A short-term drought will not harm the plant, but it must be taken into account that the temperature regime, the total air humidity, and the composition of the soil play a role here.
IMPORTANT
An excess of moisture triggers rotting processes at the roots, and a lack of moisture causes the leaves to wrinkle and die.
Water for irrigation needs to be warm, soft, settled or even melted. Contrary to advice about boiling water, it is better not to do this. Boiled water changes its qualitative composition, and the plant will not receive enough important microelements.
Watering frequency in summer: 3 times a week, the indicator is the dry outer layer of the substrate. In winter: maximum 2 times a week, the guideline will be a slight wrinkling of the pseudobulb.
If your beauty grows in a pot, then watering is done from above. It is better to immerse a long block or basket in warm water for 5 minutes.
NOTE!
Water from pots and other containers must be drained!
Watering an orchid using the immersion method
Transfer
Sympodial orchids (with the exception of Ascocenda, Vanda and Phalaenopsis) produce new shoots every year, the number of which depends on how strong and healthy the plant is. Therefore, after a while the pot will become cramped. Phalaenopsis roots are quite thick and grow quickly, filling the pot. This is why it becomes too crowded after a while, threatening the health and stability of the plant.
“Ready soil” for orchids. Trust but check! IF YOU want to use a ready-made soil, choose one that has a high pine bark content, no soil AND very little compost! To check the composition, take a little mixture into your hands; they should remain clean. IF YOU find small organic particles in it, rinse it in a colander.
Transplantation is necessary:
- when the roots completely fill the pot;
- when the beneficial properties of the substrate are depleted;
- if the orchid is “flooded” with water (due to insufficient drainage) and the roots begin to rot.
Most orchids are replanted every 2-3 years. But paphiopedilum, for example, prefers annual transplantation. It is best to do this after flowering, when young shoots appear. Avoid transplanting in hot weather, as well as in November-December. If your orchid has bloomed during this period, wait until spring. Never replant a plant during flowering, even if it seems to you that it is already cramped in the old pot.
We fertilize and feed
Flower growers feed the flower once every two weeks during the growth period. There are specialized fertilizers for indoor orchids. It's best to read the label carefully and act as directed. A good rule of care would be to wash the substrate monthly with water, since fertilizers increase the concentration of minerals, which the flower does not like. During the dormant period, the plant does not need feeding.
RECOMMENDATION!
You don't have to fertilize if you change the substrate once a year.
Fertilizers for orchids
Feeding and fertilizing the flower
Ideally, there is no need to fertilize the orchid. It has enough nutrients available in the substrate. But then the flower must be replanted regularly every two years.
If there has been no transplantation, then it is better to fertilize. You cannot take any fertilizers for flowers. They only require special ones for orchids. It is necessary to strictly adhere to the proportions named in the instructions. Fertilizers are applied during the flowering period once a week.
Flower after purchase: quarantine
Caring for an orchid at home begins when the flower is brought into the house. The first thing to do is to place the beauty in quarantine. This is done in order to prevent infection of all indoor plants in the event of illness in a new resident.
Quarantine also provides the necessary time for the flower to adapt to new living conditions. At this time, the plant may look dejected, but it is better not to disturb it for two weeks. After this, the flower can be determined for permanent residence and it can be determined whether a transplant is needed.
During quarantine, the flower is kept separately from the rest
Watering: the golden mean
In nature, orchids grow in places with very high humidity. Therefore, at home you need to ensure that the substrate, and therefore the roots, is always saturated with moisture. But remember that overwatering can lead to rotting of the roots. It is generally believed that weekly abundant watering is quite sufficient, with the exception of hot periods (temperatures above 25 C°). Place the pot in a bucket of water for 30 minutes so that the water level is no higher than the rim of the pot. Water should not get on the young shoots of the plant. In addition, you can spray the surface of the substrate, and sometimes the leaves, with a spray bottle if it is very hot. The exception is miltonia; its leaves become stained after water gets on them. Water for irrigation should be at room temperature and without calcium. Only Paphiopedilum likes slightly calcined water.
Air humidity. To maintain the air humidity necessary for orchids at home, you can place a home fountain next to the plant and use a humidifier. Or the simplest option is to place a container of water next to the plant.
Transplanting orchids at home - how and when
Before you start replanting a plant, you need to understand whether it is really necessary. The orchid needs to be replanted:
- if the substrate looks crumpled, the smell of mold and rot comes from the pot;
- the roots may not look green, but brownish-gray;
- if the pot is heavier after watering than before;
- the plant looks depressed.
The best time for replanting is spring and the period of growth of greenery and roots (when the plant has finished flowering).
IMPORTANT
Transplanting during flowering will destroy the plant!
The Phalaenopsis orchid is the most common at home, and its transplantation must be done carefully. If there is no obvious need to replace the substrate, then the correct solution would be to transfer the plant to another pot and fill the voids with new soil. It is important to maintain the level at which the flower grew before.
Transplantation process
How to replant
The plant is removed carefully, without damaging the root system. If necessary, sacrifice the pot and cut it, but keep the root system intact! Damaged old roots, dry and unhealthy, are removed with scissors. The remaining roots are washed with clean warm water. The bottom of the new pot is covered with expanded clay to a depth of 5 cm, fresh substrate is added up to 5 cm and completely dried roots are placed in it.
Now all that remains is to fill the remaining voids with earth and press the substrate a little with your hand. The pot is placed in water for a few minutes to allow the plant to settle in the soil. When all the water has drained, the substrate is added to the desired level.
ADVICE!
After transplantation, it is better to place the flower in the shade for 2-3 days.
The transplantation process must be very gentle
Choosing orchids when purchasing
The importance of studying a variety before purchasing and growing orchids yourself has already been said. Now you need to look at the question of how to choose an orchid when buying , what you should pay attention to.
So, when choosing orchids you should pay attention to four important factors:
- Root system - choose only those specimens that are planted in transparent pots, this will make it easier to determine the condition of the flower. Pay attention to the color of the roots - they should be green or grayish. During the active growth stage, the ends of the roots are always green. This same aspect guarantees the health of the plant. Do a little test - shake the pot in your hands. The plant should not “dangle” in the soil.
- Leaves - should be elastic and dense, green or close to a grassy shade. Some varieties should have a red edge. The surface of the leaves should be smooth. An “accordion” leaf indicates a lack of moisture, and a too dark shade indicates growth in the shadow zone and a lack of sunny color.
- Peduncle - blooming flowers should be even and elastic. It is better to purchase those specimens where, along with the opened flowers, there are also newly developed buds. Otherwise, after purchasing you risk finding yourself without a beautiful inflorescence. When changing its location, the orchid may shed its existing flowers.
- Age – Orchids can be divided into mature specimens and seedlings. The seedling is still at the stage of leaf formation; the absence of a peduncle is noted. It may take several more years before you can enjoy the beauty of flowers. It is better to choose mature individuals, since they can please you with flowers in the near future.
If you do not have certain experience and knowledge about growing orchids from the moment of planting the seedling, it is better to choose already mature specimens in order to carry out all the steps of growing the flower and enjoy its beauty.
How to make an orchid bloom at home
Flowering begins after the plant reaches the age of 1.5−2 years and takes into account the following factors:
- The process is influenced by the length of daylight hours; the formation of buds and the beginning of flowering depend on this.
- Balance of night and day temperatures. The difference should not exceed 5 degrees.
- The impetus for flowering is a two-week stay of the plant at 15-16 degrees.
- The orchid blooms faster if you change the usual watering regime.
The plant blooms for 2-8 months (depending on the species). Watering is increased from the moment of flowering.
Orchid blossom
What to do with an orchid after flowering
Caring for an orchid after flowering involves trimming all faded flower stalks. It is important to wait until the stem is completely ready to remove. Under no circumstances should you cut off a stem that is still green. Pruning is carried out with sharp scissors or pruners, previously disinfected in any way. The cut area is sprinkled with crushed charcoal.
What you shouldn’t do with an orchid after flowering is continue to water and feed as before. Watering is returned to moderate levels, and it is better to reduce fertilizers.
Faded orchid
Planting and care of the shoe
The shoes can withstand frosts down to – 35*C, in the presence of a 5 cm layer of snow or covered with leaves, sawdust, and pine needles. The area for orchids should be shaded, sunshine is allowed until 11 am, then after 3 pm. Under the sun, the shoes dry out. Plants can be planted near bushes or trees, which will cover the flowers with their shadow. Orchids are planted in raised beds. Planted along fences or buildings on the north side.
Shoes are planted in the fall. A hole is dug with a diameter of 60 cm and a depth of 30-40 cm. The mixture is laid out on the bottom of the hole: peat, drainage, sand, bark, shell chips. A plant is placed on top, the roots are covered with soil, watered, and mulched with pine needles, sawdust, and bark. When planting, the buds are placed 1 cm deeper from the ground surface level. Orchids bloom 3 years after planting.
Orchid propagation
The following methods of propagating orchids at home are known:
- children (Phalaenopsis, Dendrobium). The baby with emerging roots is planted in a new container;
- air layering (Epidendrum). The layering is laid on damp moss. When full-fledged roots and a pair of leaves appear, it is separated from the mother plant and planted in a pot;
- dividing the rhizome (the plant must be large);
- stem shoots (Vanda, Epidendrum). Shoots of 10-15 cm are cut, they are immersed in the substrate and cared for as an ordinary plant;
- pseudobulb - it is separated from the plant and placed on damp moss and the temperature is maintained at +20 degrees.
Reproduction by suckers, cuttings, layering, and pseudobulbs in an orchid is considered vegetative. Photos show different methods of reproduction.
Propagation of orchids by dividing rhizomes
The nuances of caring for different varieties of orchids
The numerous species and names of orchids imply differences in care, reproduction, and flowering conditions. Let's look at photos of the main types of flowers.
Phalaenopsis
It is quite simple to achieve flowering in the most unpretentious species. If the general temperature conditions are +18...+25 degrees, and the difference between day and night temperatures is 4 degrees, then the flowering will be long and bright.
Phalaenopsis Orchid
Caring for Cymbidium orchid at home
Flowering is more difficult to achieve than with other species. Needs temperature changes, heavier soil, coolness and humidity in winter.
Orchid Cymbidium
Dendrobium Orchid: home care
An important requirement is to maintain a constantly high level of humidity in the room. In summer, the flower feels great outdoors. The temperature should not exceed +25 degrees.
Dendrobium Orchid
Caring for the Cambria orchid at home
Prefers bright and diffused light from a western window with slight shading. During the dormant period, excessive light is not needed.
Orchid Cambria
Miltonia Orchid: home care
The maintenance of this species requires 70% air humidity and ventilation of the room. The optimal temperature difference is 3-4 degrees. The plant is very unpretentious.
Orchid Miltonia
Ludisia precious: orchid care at home
The plant should be kept in a south-west window, excluding proximity to the radiator. In winter, additional lighting is necessary. Caring for the Ludisia orchid at home is simple if you choose a good place for the flower and observe the light regime.
Orchid Ludisia precious
Vanda Orchid: features of care at home
This type is the most fastidious; the peculiarity of care is to create 80% air humidity and circulate it in the room. Permissible temperature range: during the day - up to +28°C, at night - 14 degrees Celsius.
Vanda Orchid
Popular types (varieties)
- Phalaenopsis orchid is the most common species in indoor floriculture; there are many hybrids on sale that grow successfully in the house;
- Dendrobium nobile orchid - there are many varieties, they all bloom in spring, the most popular is the white orchid, such plants, which have a pure white color, come from Thailand;
- Cambria orchid is an artificially bred plant; it blooms for a long time and grows well on a windowsill;
- Ludisia orchid is a plant with very beautiful leaves that grows indoors only with very high humidity;
- Miltonia orchid is a difficult variety to breed, but has very beautiful fragrant flowers, shaped like pansies;
- Cymbidium orchids are very large plants; now miniature varieties have been bred that are so easy to care for that they are offered to beginning gardeners;
- Cattleya orchid is a species with spectacular waxy flowers, hybrids of which successfully grow in rooms;
- Vanda orchid - successfully grows indoors up to a meter;
- Oncidium - flowers resemble butterflies, grows in the house, but with strict adherence to the rules of care.
Where can you buy orchids
These beauties are sold today both in large chain stores and in small flower shops. There are catalogs of online stores and large hypermarkets that contain different types of orchids. It is best to purchase healthy flowers from reputable flower shops, since in hypermarkets there is a high probability of buying an infected or diseased plant.
Shelf of orchids in a store
The price depends on the type, size and supplier. On average, the cost of an orchid varies from 1000 to 4000 rubles. If there is such a trusted supplier or store in your city, write about it in the comments.
