Orchids come from the rainforests of Africa. In Europe, flowers, recognized as a symbol of love, appeared in the 19th century and won many fans. Currently, orchids grow everywhere except Antarctica. There are more than fifteen thousand species, which are replenished every year with new breeding varieties.
Among the orchids there are many hardy and unpretentious varieties, specially adapted for home conditions. The name comes from the ancient Greek. the words "egg" because of the similar shape of the rhizome.
Care features
- During the period of active growth - at the end of winter and spring - orchids need good lighting and regular watering.
- During intensive development - in the summer - orchids need careful watering and dressing. There are special fertilizers for supplying the plant with essential nutrients during the growing season.
- At the end of the summer pseudobulbs begin to ripen and flowers are laid. At this time, reduce the temperature to 4-6 ° C and reduce watering.
- In autumn and winter, orchids go into a stage of rest and flowering (how to care for an orchid in the autumn-winter period?). Many species bloom at the beginning of the dormant period or during dormancy. In winter, care involves increasing light and reducing watering.
We told more about the secrets and intricacies of orchid care at home.
What types are available for home maintenance?
Certain types of orchids grow beautifully in indoor conditions.:
- Cattleya;
- phalaenopsis;
- cambria;
- vanda;
- denbrobium;
- zygapetalum
How is the plant grown on an industrial scale?
Orchids grown in the greenhouses and greenhouses of Thailand and Holland are mainly sold on the Russian market. (Details on what to do after buying an orchid and how to care for it at home can be found here). Recently, the cultivation of orchids in the greenhouse has been practiced everywhere. Since the planting until its appearance on the shelves is about a year. Growing orchids is possible in several ways:
- vegetative (division of parts);
- "kids" (bulbs);
- family (from seeds);
- generative (due to tissue division in the laboratory).
The process of plant growth begins with the stage "kids":
- "Babies" are placed in trays in which they grow for 30 weeks under the supervision of greenhouse workers.
- Then they are manually transplanted into a transparent pot, in which they will grow directly in the greenhouse.
- A label with information about the plant (type, coloring) is placed on the pot and sent to a greenhouse where they will be grown for 10 weeks.
- Then the orchids are moved to the workshop and placed in a special plastic pot in which they are 16 weeks.
- After this period, they are placed in a larger pot and remain in it until the beginning of the growth of the peduncle (3-4 weeks).
- At the last stage, orchids are placed in a special “cold” part of the greenhouse, with a temperature of 19 ° C.
The general rule for growing orchids is: a good ventilation system, providing air of adequate temperature and humidity; sufficient lighting to increase the efficiency of the photosynthesis process; providing high-quality soil and fertilizers.
What should be the conditions for domestic species?
- Temperature. Orchids differ in thermophilicity. Domestic species prefer an average temperature: in summer - 18-23 ° C, in winter 15-18 ° C.
- Humidity. For irrigation, separated (soft) water is used, which is several degrees warmer than the room temperature. Watering is preferable to moderate - from one to three times a week during the growth period, so as not to begin to rot the roots. Water should not stagnate in the soil. Humidity should not exceed 70%, if it is insufficient, the plant should be sprayed with a spray bottle.
- Lighting. Orchid is a light-loving plant. In the summer, it feels great on a slightly shaded window-sill - in order to avoid getting burned, a special opaque film is used (you can find out where to put orchids in an apartment, here). To intensify the cultivation in winter, orchids are illuminated with artificial light lamps.
Important: When there is a lack of light, the leaves are brightened and stretched.
Detailed rules and conditions of the orchid, read in this material.
Step-by-step instructions for beginners how to grow a flower
Preparation of soil and capacity
A plastic (preferably transparent) or ceramic porous pot with sufficient space for the root system, equipped with holes for water flow, is suitable as a container. The bottom of the pot is lined with a drainage layer (small pebbles, tiled chips).
The soil substrate should consist of components that do not retain moisture: moss, pieces of tree bark, coal, cork, granulated clay. Garden soil is not added to the ground.
Technology
- From the root (or by dividing the bush). How to grow a plant from the root? The division is usually combined with a planned transplant of an adult bush. The plant is completely removed from the pot, the roots are cleared of soil. The main (large) onion is determined, which is divided with a sharp knife so that at least 4 pseudobulbs remain on each of the parts. Sections are processed with charcoal and dried. Each plot is planted in a separate pot. The first time, instead of watering is spraying.
- Bulb Orchid. How to grow it from bulbs that are purchased in the store? All small pseudobulbs are cut with a knife; the cuts are powdered with charcoal and the bulbs are placed in the moss.
- From cuttings. A shoot (10-15 cm) is cut off with a sterile knife from a plant with two or more air roots. Sections are processed with fungicide and charcoal. Cuttings are placed in a horizontal position in a plastic container filled with moss. When the roots appear, the segments are planted in pots. The procedure is carried out in the spring.
- From kids. Baby appears on the stem at high humidity and temperature (above 28 ° C). The baby is separated when its leaves reach a size of 3 cm, and is wrapped with moss. As soon as a sprout grows 5 cm from the base of the child, it is placed in a pot with soil. To build their own roots baby usually takes about six months. It is possible to stimulate the appearance of babies with the help of a hormonal drug - cytokinin paste.
- From seed. The most time consuming and rare way to grow orchids. Seeds ripen for 8 months, then germinated in a sterile flask, lined with moss or filled with agar-agar base. If the seed has sprouted (it takes from 3 months to a year), the seedlings are planted on a mixture of pine bark and moss, on which they can wait for repotting in a pot for about a year.
Challenges and difficulties
If there is a lack of moisture and light, buds or leaves may fall off.- When excessive watering leaves become sluggish.
- If the temperature content is exceeded, the leaves will ripple.
- If the orchid does not bloom, it is necessary to arrange a "heat stress" for it - increase the difference between day and night temperatures by 8-10 degrees.
- When the roots look out of the pot, this means that the plant does not have enough space and needs to be transplanted into a larger container.
If there is a lack of moisture and light, buds or leaves may fall off.Diseases and pests
When grown at home, orchids are attacked by pests and may even get sick.. Consider that harm the health of flowers:
- schitovka (dark spots and mucus appear on the leaves);
- chervets (leaves turn yellow and fall off);
- whitefly (plant dehydrated).
- powdery mildew (flowers are covered with white bloom);
- anthracnose (characterized by the appearance of brown spots);
- rot.
We recommend to watch a video about orchids pests and diseases:
Secrets
- To maintain proper humidity, a special irrigation technology is recommended: a flower pot is placed in a container filled with water when the soil is fed (after 3-5 minutes), the container is heeded and placed on the grate to drain excess water through the drainage holes.
- The orchid needs planting at a medium depth, since the buds start to rot at a low planting, and at a high plant the plant is unstable in a pot. In both cases, growth is delayed.
- It is better to replant an orchid in a state of new growth, when it has faded and rested for a while. It is necessary to remove all damaged and soft areas and process the cuts with charcoal. After transplantation during the week is not recommended to water the plant (after 3 days you can start spraying).
- A garlic clove can be put into the pot to scare away flower flies.
- Orchid roots are involved in photosynthesis, so a transparent pot would be the best option for planting capacity.
- Cultivation should start with disease-resistant and standard in the care of species.
- Top dressing is brought in months of active development together with watering.
Conclusion
Magnificence and an incredible variety of flowers of orchids do not leave indifferent lovers of indoor gardening. The beauty of orchids requires great care. and requirements for growing conditions, without which the plant can die.
