CATDOLL : CATDOLL: How to Care for Orchids 6 Ways to Care for Orchids

Table of Contents Method 1: Choosing an Orchid 1. Find a suitable orchid for your home. 2. Buy flowering plants. 3. Consider your growing conditions. Method 2: Watering and Fertilizing 1. Learn how to water orchids. 2. Maintain the culture medium. 3. Fertilize orchids. Method 3: Potted Plants 1. Understand the different needs of terrestrial and epiphytic orchids. 2. Provide the right growing medium for your orchid. 3. Transplant when necessary. 4. Transplant according to the orchid variety. 5. Keep the culture medium at a suitable humidity after transplanting. Method 4: Pruning and Care 1. Care for flowers. 2. Do not prune orchids like shrubs. 3. Use sterile tools to prune orchids. 4. Pay attention to new stems. Method 5: Ventilation 1. Maintain a suitable temperature. 2. Ensure good air circulation. Method 6: Indoor Orchid Varieties 1. Below is an Orchid has always been seen as a symbol of love and beauty. Orchid lovers love her elegance and charm. She is also used as a corsage to set off a dress, or as a wrist flower to be worn at various special events such as balls. From weddings to conferences, orchids are used in many occasions to adorn tables or as decoration.

Method 1: Choose orchids

1. Find the right orchid for your home. Orchid care should start with choosing the right orchid for your environment. Most of the orchids discussed here are suitable for growing at home because they can adapt to most environments, are easy to grow, can be planted at any time, and have beautiful flowers. If you later decide that you want a more difficult variety, it is recommended that you do a lot of homework to understand the specific needs of more delicate orchid varieties. When choosing an orchid, keep in mind: Will there be enough space for the orchid when it is in full bloom, or will it have to be moved elsewhere? Some orchids take up a lot of space when in full bloom, so they are best grown in a greenhouse.

Can you provide the temperature that orchids need? Orchids can be divided into three types according to their different temperature requirements: cold, neutral and warm, that is, orchids need a minimum night temperature to grow successfully.

Do you have a greenhouse or conservatory if necessary? Many orchids thrive best in such an environment, rather than simply being kept inside a home or porch. If not, you'll be better off growing orchids that prefer to stay indoors (see the list below).

2. Buy flowering plants. Plants that already have flowers are a good buy, as it can take up to five years for a plant to go from seedling to flower. Unless you are extremely patient or already have a greenhouse of orchids, you probably don't want to wait that long.

3. Consider your growing conditions. Choose an orchid variety based on the growing conditions of your home. This is important because each orchid has different requirements depending on where it comes from. Be sure to read the label along with the growing guide to make sure the variety is suitable for your home or your garden conditions. Here are some common varieties that are usually grown in a basic home environment: Phalaenopsis: It is an elegant indoor variety. Its bright flowers can remain for several months without withering. Phalaenopsis usually blooms in winter or early spring, so it needs less sunlight than the Cattleya below and is suitable for most indoor environments.

Cattleya: This orchid is easily recognizable by its brooches and blooms for 2-6 weeks. Cattleyas usually bloom once a year in spring or fall, but need twice as much sunlight as Phalaenopsis when grown indoors.

Dendrobium: This orchid usually has long branches and elegant flowers that are mostly white, purple, or a combination of the two. They bloom in the fall and winter. The flowers usually last for 2-4 weeks and are one of the easiest plants to care for.

Paphiopedilum: Commonly known as the Slipper Orchid or Slipper Orchid, the third petal has a loop shaped like a lady's shoe. The loop serves to trap insects, forcing them to climb up through the reduced stamens, from where they collect or spread pollen. Paphiopedilum leaves are often green or mottled green and white, and are very attractive. This orchid requires bright but indirect sunlight. Indoors, an east, west, or shaded south-facing (in the northern hemisphere) window is best for growing. Paphiopedilum leaves should be semi-rigid, not drooping. Room temperature is ideal for its growth.

Method 2: Watering and fertilizing

1. Know how to water your orchid. The orchid family is the largest family of flowering plants, and as such has many branches or variations, and therefore different watering requirements. What's too dry for one species may drown another. As a general rule, water every 5 to 12 days -- or more in the summer, less in the winter -- depending on your orchid species, temperatures, and season. Although your nursery consultant or florist can give you specific information, here are some basic guidelines to help you determine what's best for your orchid: The following orchid species should be kept moist (but not waterlogged) at all times: Paphiopedilum

Viola

Cymbidium

Odontoglossum

The following orchids should be kept moist during active growth, but the soil can be allowed to dry out between waterings during the inactive period: Cattleya

Oncidium

Spider Orchid

Dendrobium

The following orchids can allow the soil to dry out between waterings: Phalaenopsis

Vanda

Chiyoran

Be careful not to wet the leaves when watering your orchid. If you accidentally wet the leaves, carefully dry them with a paper towel or cotton swab.

2. Maintain the medium. Remove the inner pot from the decorative outer pot and place it in the sink or bathtub. Place the orchid medium in the watering container and let the water soak through. Let the water drain completely before placing it in the decorative pot. Do not let it sit wet or it will drown the plant. Note: Epiphytic orchids (those that grow on branches) are not planted in the ground like terrestrial orchid varieties, but grow in coconut shells, bark or cork. They can also grow in the cracks of slatted baskets or rafts. Their roots grow from the top down, not from the top of the growth, instead of from the bottom up like terrestrial plants.

3. Fertilize your orchid. In general, monthly fertilization is recommended for most fertilizers. Look for fertilizers that contain nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K), plus trace elements such as iron (Fe). Use fertilizers with a higher nitrogen ratio when new branches are growing, and fertilizers with more phosphorus and potassium later in the season. Don't over-fertilize your orchid - this may damage it. If growing orchids on bark, use a fertilizer that is high in nitrogen (a ratio of 30 (N)-10 (P)-10 (K)). The bacteria that decompose the bark consume a lot of the nitrogen.

Water your water orchid thoroughly before fertilizing.

Method 3: Potted Plants

1. Understand the different needs of terrestrial and epiphytic orchids. Many epiphytic orchids (tree-growing or branch-growing) require a very different growing medium than terrestrial orchids; in fact, epiphytic orchids often cannot survive when planted in soil because they are not soil-tolerant orchids. Epiphytes have thick fleshy roots that they use to attach themselves to trees or bark to absorb water and nutrients; others have aerial roots that grow independently. Epiphytic orchids grow best in a soilless medium, or on bark or cork. The growing medium for epiphytic orchids needs to have very good ventilation and drainage properties.

2. Provide a suitable growing medium for your orchid. Common growing mediums include fir bark, coconut shells, peat moss, tree fern fiber, perlite, or any combination of the above. However, the growing medium still depends on the type of orchid - terrestrial orchids should have a growing medium that is mainly loam, composed of equal parts of materials such as sphagnum moss, moist peat, or sharp sandy loam. The growing medium for epiphytic orchids should include equal parts of sphagnum moss, finely ground bark, vermiculite, and moist peat. It is most convenient to buy a ready-made mixed medium suitable for your orchid species, and also to know the specific needs of each orchid you have, as they can be very different. You can buy ready-made orchid potting soil, or a mixed medium that contains chopped tree fern fiber, volcanic rock, charcoal, a little peat, fir bark, or a combination of the above.

3. Transplant when necessary. You will need to transplant orchids occasionally, both to change the growing medium and to grow the orchid. Orchids are usually transplanted in the spring. Consider the following: Generally speaking, orchids planted in bark should be transplanted every 18-24 months.

Choose a pot size based on the size of your root mass. Orchids tend to prefer smaller pots. If the pot is too large, the orchid will put most of its energy into rooting and may not produce any real growth or leaves for several months, so keep the container small. All orchids prefer to have their roots tied together, even through the surface of the medium (aerial roots should simply hang). However, as the plant produces more new stems or spikes, it may eventually outgrow the pot.

The pot will affect how you water your orchid. An orchid in a terracotta pot with drainage holes will need to be watered more frequently than an orchid in a plastic container.

Be sure to use a pot with drainage holes. If it's left soaking wet, the roots will rot and the orchid will just become mulch.

In larger pots, the medium may take longer to dry out if it is in the center - it can become too hot for the orchid. To alleviate this, place a broken clay pot in the bottom of the container to increase drainage.

If you're using a terracotta container, enlarge the drainage holes or add more holes around the edge near the bottom of the pot.

4. Transplant according to the orchid variety. Carefully transplant your orchid into a slightly larger or suitable container, using the porous medium mentioned above. Be sure to ensure good drainage. For terrestrial orchids: Remove the plant from its previous pot and carefully shake off the old medium. Place the plant in a clean pot and sprinkle the new medium around the roots. Press the medium firmly with a hole digger or a small stick. Leave some space between the fertilizer and the edge for watering, about 12mm is enough.

For epiphytes: Remove any loose old medium. Cut off any dead roots. Turn the orchid upside down and wrap new medium around the roots to form a tight ball. Turn the orchid back upside down and place it in its new container. Do not water an epiphyte for a week after transplanting it so the roots can reattach. Water sparingly after that to ensure the new roots are not damaged.

5. Keep the medium humidity appropriate after transplanting. This is especially important during the entire period from late spring to summer.

Method 4: Pruning and grooming

1. Take care of the flowers. The peak blooming period of orchids starts in late winter, mainly February and March in the northern hemisphere. The flowering period generally lasts 4-12 weeks. When the flowers fade, cut the spikes 12 mm above the leaves. Also cut off dead leaves and withered tissue, including old flower stems and leaves, rotten parts, dead roots, etc. If there is bacterial corrosion or disease, cut off the infected parts to prevent the disease from spreading.

2. Don't prune orchids like shrubs. If you cut off part of the orchid's leaves, the remaining leaves may die, and cutting the pseudobulb will cause serious damage to your orchid.

3. Use sterile tools to prune orchids. This helps prevent diseases from spreading from one plant to another. It is recommended to soak the tools in bleach between uses, or use disposable blades.

4. Watch for new stems. New stems will grow from the old ones. If nothing goes wrong, the new stems should eventually grow larger than the parent stems before they start to bloom again. Cool night temperatures can help to speed up flowering. With careful care based on the unique needs of each variety, orchids should bloom once a year.

Method 5: Ventilation

1. Maintain a comfortable temperature. 18-30 degrees Celsius is the most suitable. Orchids can also withstand a temperature range of 16-37 degrees Celsius for a short period of time, but they do not like sudden temperature changes. Cold temperatures will cause the leaves to turn yellow and eventually fall off. If this happens, remove the yellow leaves and continue to care for the orchid as usual.

2. Ensure good air circulation. Good air circulation can have a significant impact on the health of your orchid. If your orchid has a fungus or insect infestation that must be treated, air circulation will help the orchid heal. It will also keep the flowers and leaves dry and prevent these fungi and diseases from invading. Open windows in the summer to allow natural airflow to circulate in the air, promoting evaporation of water and producing a lot of fresh carbon dioxide. A breeze will also prevent the orchid from burning its leaves in bright sunlight.

In the winter (or on a cloudy day in the summer), use an oscillating fan to gently stir the air. Occasionally move the fan around to avoid blowing too much in one area.

Method 6: Indoor Orchid Varieties

1. The following are some orchid varieties that can basically grow indoors, although they still need to be placed in a suitable place, with sufficient light and temperature control: Hybrid Cattleya

Cattleya

Fritillary Celosia

Diwanglan

Cymbidium

Dendrobium nobile

Scallop orchid (also known as octopus orchid)

Axillary lip orchid

Viola

Paphiopedilum

Paphiopedilum chinense

Aspidistra

Vanda forked-lip

Tips One of the biggest killers of orchids is overwatering and letting them soak in their pots. How often you water depends on the orchid variety, medium, lighting conditions, container characteristics, and temperature.

Fertilization: Orchids need frequent fertilization to grow and bloom, but overfertilization can quickly damage the plant. Many garden centers carry hydrolyzed fertilizers formulated specifically for orchids for easy use.

Fertilize monthly with soluble fertilizers according to the directions on the label. You can also fertilize weekly with diluted fertilizers during the growing season. Water in the built-up fertilizers once a month.

After flowering, if the leaves stop growing, reduce the amount of watering and fertilization until new leaves start growing again.

If you grow orchids in pots or small flower pots or in open bark culture, you need to water them more frequently. In this case, water them twice a week. After the flowers bloom, the orchid will rest and you should water it less frequently.

Generally water the orchid once a week while it is actively growing, and allow the soil to dry out a bit before watering again. Water enough each time to allow water to flow out of the drainage holes at the bottom.

Orchids growing on bark need a fertilizer with a higher nitrogen content, such as 30-10-10 or 15-5-5. Orchids in pots and not on bark need a more balanced fertilizer, such as 20-20-20. A "flowering" fertilizer can be used in the fall that contains a higher phosphorus (in the middle), such as 10-30-20.

Water is especially critical for Phalaenopsis orchids, as they have no water storage organs (pseudobulbs). Do not allow Phalaenopsis orchids to dry out completely. Water thoroughly, but wait until the entire container is almost dry. Do not allow water to remain on the leaves or leaf axils, which can easily lead to disease and death.

Warning Physical removal of scales followed by control of immature stages with chemical sprays can help plants with light infestations. Snails and slugs may eat buds, flowers, leaves and tender stems.

Common orchid diseases include leaf spots, petal blight, and various fungi such as black rot. Another common problem is failure to bloom, which is usually due to poor growing conditions, especially insufficient light and/or fertilizer.

Common pests include mealybugs, spider mites, scale insects and thrips. Scale insects usually attach to the underside of leaves, and heavily infested plants should be discarded.

Viruses are currently untreatable and it can be difficult to tell if a fungal infection is real. If you are unsure, it is never a bad idea to get advice from a professional. If your orchid is infected with a virus, it should be thrown away immediately and the pot thoroughly disinfected if you plan to reuse it.

Orchids are prone to insect and disease problems.