Growing orchids at home requires certain skills and knowledge. She is quite demanding in the care and maintenance. Orchid is a flower that grows on other plants. This feature is inherent in epiphytes. Given this fact, growing it at home is not quite a traditional way. The following describes how to care for an orchid at home.
House Flower Care Rules
Orchid, care at home for which differs from care for other indoor flowers, is very capricious. The first thing that distinguishes it is the substrate in which it grows. It is also recommended to pay special attention to the pot. Orchid in a pot should feel free.
Orchid
It is undesirable to use a clay container, since the delicate roots of the orchid grow to the porous structure of the walls of the pot, which subsequently excludes the possibility of accurately planting the plant.
Even the color of the pot is important for the healthy development of the plant. Experts advise to purchase containers of light shades, even better transparent. This is due to the fact that the dark color of the pot attracts the sun's rays, therefore, it heats up more, the root system of the flower suffers from this.
Temperature and humidity in the room
The optimum temperature range for an orchid is 16-23 ° C. At a temperature of 12 ° to 15 ° C, the plant will bloom more magnificent, but the color will not last as long as, for example, in more comfortable conditions. The plant prefers high humidity, the indicators of which range from 60 to 70%.
Important! It is recommended to ensure that the humidity indicators do not exceed this threshold, since dampness adversely affects the orchid.
Watering regularity
Watering should be taken very responsibly. Orchid loves warm, protected water, the temperature of which is 30-35 ° C. Watering is carried out in the pan. A common option for rooting moisture is to place the flower pot in a wider container of water for 20-30 minutes. This time is enough for the roots to take the necessary amount of moisture.
Note! Contact of the roots with water for a longer period can lead to decay of the root system. Watering is carried out no more than 2 times a week. In this case, moisture should be supplied when the substrate in which the orchid is sufficiently dry. With good humidity, the amount of watering is reduced to one, since the roots of the flower perfectly absorb moisture from the air.
Once every few months, these flowers can have a hot shower. Its water temperature should be about 40 ° C. The orchid is watered for several minutes with a weak pressure of water from the shower, after which the flower must be allowed to dry. Only the core of the flower should be wet immediately.
In no case should the orchid be watered in direct sunlight. Also, water should not fall into the flowers themselves.
The soil
A specialized substrate suitable for orchids can be purchased in stores or made on their own. The root system of an orchid should have direct contact with air. Most often, pine bark processed in boiling water is used for a substrate made independently.
Substrate
Then it is mixed with dry moss and laid out in a small layer on the prepared drainage, consisting of foam. Orchid roots are laid out neatly. They should not be crushed by anything. Sprinkle on top with the remaining mixture.
Top dressing
Orchid calmly refers to all kinds of dressings. For the flower, both a special fertilizer for orchids and a universal fertilizer suitable for all other indoor plants are suitable.
Important! The amount of dressing added to the orchid should be half as much as for other domestic flowers.
During the period of active plant growth, dressing is carried out once a week, immediately after watering. An adult flower needs fertilizer once a month.
Lighting
Orchid loves the light. However, it should be delivered in moderation. The plant must be shaded from direct sunlight. At home, the flower feels great on the eastern or western windowsill. If the orchid does not have enough sunlight, it must be supplemented with artificial. To understand that a flower needs light is very simple.
With its lack, the leaves begin to turn yellow. In this case, it will be enough to place the plant under a phytolamp with a capacity of 60 watts and spray it with warm water in the morning. As a rule, the lamp is used in the autumn and winter periods of the year.
Also, the lack of lighting slows down the production of peduncles.
Potted orchid care after purchase
The most common indoor orchid is called Dendrobium Phalaenopsis. It stands out among other varieties in a larger color and quite strong immunity.
Quarantine for a plant
After the plant has been brought home from the store, it should be quarantined. It lasts about 14 days. This time will help to identify diseases, if any, are present in the orchid, and get rid of them so that other indoor plants are not infected.
Dendrobium Phalaenopsis
Daily recommended to inspect the trunk and leaves of Phalaenopsis for the presence of cobwebs or harmful insects.
Lighting
For a flower you just bought, you need to choose a place where the sunlight is slightly scattered. Under direct sunlight, placing an orchid is categorically impossible, since they can scorch the root system of the plant or its leaves. There is a misconception that direct sunlight accelerates the process of vegetation.
Additional Information! Phalaenopsis accelerates its growth in the presence of short-term stress, this situation can be caused by the reverse effect. For example, for a short period of time, place an orchid in the shade.
Watering and feeding
Fertilizing the plant in the quarantine period is undesirable, as it can provoke the development of fungal diseases. Watering Phalaenopsis within a period of 14 days after purchase is also not recommended.
The creation of such stressful conditions will allow the orchid to quickly adapt to new conditions, as well as sooner to produce peduncles.
Orchid peduncle release
After two weeks, you can begin to fertilize and saturate the flower with moisture. This should be done gradually so that the plant feels calm in a new place.
Orchid Transplant Conditions
At the time of purchase, you should pay attention to the soil in which the orchid is located. In most cases, the flower does not require a transplant. Substrate should be changed only when mold is found in it, or an admixture of peat is present. Peat creates a humid environment in which plant roots can attack rot. Sphagnum moss retains moisture well. However, it can be used in small quantities in the manufacture of the substrate for Phalaenopsis.
Orchid propagation options
There are several ways to breed Phalaenopsis at home. The most common options for how to propagate and how to plant an orchid:
- Cuttings;
- Germination of a peduncle in water;
- Budding;
- Rooted
- The seeds.
Note! With any of these methods, you must have minimal knowledge about the growth of orchids in the wild.
Propagation by cuttings occurs according to this algorithm:
- From the trunk, you need to trim the lower leaves. Cut sites are immediately disinfected with a weak solution of activated carbon.
- After a while, small roots will appear at the site of the slices. A new cut must be done at a distance of 0.5 cm below the roots that have appeared. The cut point is immediately processed.
- Cut stalks are recommended to be planted in a slightly moistened substrate. Watering and top dressing should be excluded in the first few days after planting a young plant.
- After 2-2.5 months, a new plant is formed from the cuttings.
A flower stalk is grown in water if the main plant has attacked the disease, and it does not lend itself to resuscitation. Color is cut from such a mother flower. The stem should be at least 7 cm. The peduncle is immersed in warm water to a depth of 4-5 cm.
Note! The baby is separated from the peduncle at the moment when her roots reached a length of 3-4 cm.
1 tablet of activated or charcoal is added to the water. If within 4-5 days the kidney does not open on its own, it can be awakened by cutting off the thick skin on top. The cut site, as a rule, is smeared with cytokinin ointment.
Budding is carried out on those plants whose age does not exceed 2 years. The kidney must be stimulated. Stimulation occurs at the end of the winter period. For this, the orchid is turned to the sun's rays so that they fall on the kidney. During this period, the plant is limited in watering and fertilizers.
Orchid propagation option
The baby is separated from the mother plant when the length of the formed roots exceeds 5 cm.
The root method of reproduction is the easiest and most convenient. To do this, the main plant is removed from the tank. The roots are neatly freed from the substrate. After this, with a sterile knife, it is necessary to divide the rhizome.
On the roots should remain 2 pseudobulbs for the formation of a sprout. The resulting parts are seated in separate pots. Landing is done at home, in a shaded place.
Important! Plants are not watered, but sprayed before the appearance of real leaves.
Seeds
Reproduction by seeds is considered the most time-consuming way, since they are very difficult to see with the naked eye. If reproduction occurs at home, orchid seeds are pollinated independently with a toothpick.
After ripening (this happens on average six months later) they can be distinguished from the box. Further, these seeds are placed in a nutrient medium. It can be made independently, can be purchased in specialized stores.
Propagation of orchid seeds
Such planting material can be germinated in sterilized glass containers, which are tightly closed with lids. After another 6 months in the containers, you can see the sprouts that have appeared. They are placed with a thin and soft brush in a substrate of wood and moss.
These seedlings can be planted in a substrate for adult plants not earlier than after 4-5 months. Flowering of these plants will begin no earlier than 5 years later.
How to grow Phalaenopsis from seeds, even experienced owners of this plant can not always tell, although they know firsthand how to properly care for the orchid.
