One of the most diverse plants on the planet Earth is an orchid. There are about 30 thousand species and types of flowers growing in the wild. There is no need to talk much about the beauty and dignity of this flower. Therefore, most gardeners tend to grow this flower on their windowsill. Hence the popularity of the topic due to the frequently asked question - how to care for an orchid at home in order to get a blooming beautiful green pet.
The variety of these home flowers is amazing, but even experienced gardeners are not fully aware of the topic. Therefore, it is worth clarifying that there are basic criteria according to which certain rules are distinguished for growing he althy orchids. Transplantation, reproduction, microclimate - all this requires special knowledge to recreate comfortable conditions. How to care for an orchid at home - you have to figure it out in more detail.
How to adapt an orchid to the home microclimate after purchase
This delicate flower is one of the most capricious. Therefore, when growing an orchid in the house, you need to follow certain rules in caring forplant. But this process will not be difficult if you know what to do and are confident in it. To figure out how to care for an orchid at home, you should form at least an initial idea of \u200b\u200bhow this flower grows and develops.
Remember the first and most important rule that starts it all: it is better to buy orchids in spring or summer.
Don't rush to transfer. An orchid, when in its native substrate, can comfortably grow up to 24 months. During the period of adaptation to the home microclimate, the plant needs regular feeding.
Important! Immediate repotting is only necessary if you bought an orchid growing in sphagnum moss at the time of sale.
Before you start basic care, understand the species and variety of the orchid you purchased. If the purchase was made in a specialized store, then on the tag that comes with the flower, there is detailed information about what kind of plant it is.
How to choose a he althy flower
Pay attention to the root system of the orchid before purchasing, they are clearly visible through the transparent walls of the pot. A flower that does not sit well in a pot has a weak root system. A simple wiggle of the stem at the base will tell you how firmly the flower is holding in the pot.
Another rule to remember when caring for an orchid is the water regime. The flower accepts insufficient moisture in the substrate and high humidity in the room wherecontained. Therefore, there is no need for frequent watering, the main thing is to ensure the optimal microclimate in the room.
The subtleties of caring for an orchid during the flowering period
To understand how to care for an orchid at home, you should take into account the characteristics of the flowering period of the species you grow. In spring and summer, during the period of active growth, provide the orchid with the proper light regime. The plant must receive enough sunlight. This period is characterized by new growth until the very moment the flower buds open closer to autumn.
At the same time, it is important to ensure that watering and fertilizing are carried out in a timely manner and in sufficient quantities. The orchid should be in a favorable atmosphere - an environment with high humidity, the only way the plant feels comfortable. This can be achieved by spraying the leaves with warm water.
Aerial roots also need moisture, so they are also customary to spray. Pots with flowers are placed on a stand with expanded clay or fine gravel, filled with a small amount of water.
Keep your orchids in a well ventilated area, making sure the air circulates effectively in the room. If the weather permits, take your green pets outdoors in the summer, letting them get enough fresh air.
Sudden temperature changes and drafts in the room where orchids are grown are highly undesirable. Just before flowering, the period of which can last up to six months, watering is reduced. But sooner or later everything ends, pedunclethe thought fades and involuntarily sneaks: what to do with the flower next and how to care for the orchid at home. The only correct answer is to provide the flower with proper care after flowering.
How to deal with an orchid after flowering
With the beginning of the drying of the peduncle, try not to rush to cut it. For some time, it will function as a natural source of nutrient juices for the orchid. Immediate pruning is done only in case of yellowing of the leaves of the plant. At the same time, a cut up to 2.5 cm high is left at the place of removal. Young buds sometimes appear at this place, which bloom after a short period of time.
In another case, the tip of the peduncle completely dries out, and subsequently a baby is formed. Sometimes, if necessary, the peduncle is cut off. If the procedure is carried out 1-1.5 cm above the dormant buds, repeated flowering often occurs. But this is not a natural phenomenon, and remember that the forced development of the old peduncle can lead to inhibition of the formation and development of a new one. Now you know how to properly care for an orchid at home after flowering.
How to care for a flower during the dormant period of the plant
This is not a very difficult process. Watering and fertilizing are reduced to a minimum as there is no need to stimulate the orchid.
In case of repotting, don't expect to bloom soon by tending your orchid at home in a pot. As often happens in this case, the orchid will bloom only after a year. With the aim ofresumption of flowering, the flower pot is transferred to another place. Changing the environment contributes to the renewal of the vital activity of the plant. Sometimes the rearrangement is required to be done several times until the flower feels comfortable. In this case, there is a constant and regular flowering of the orchid.
How to transplant a plant correctly
Any plant is stressful to transplant. Most react painfully, and the reason for this is the tight gluing of the roots to the substrate and dishes, because when caring for an orchid at home in a pot, thin and delicate root processes can be damaged. Transplantation is recommended only when the root system overflows the pot in which it grows.
Important! Remember that a full orchid transplant is not recommended at all. It is easier to move the orchid to a larger pot, but at the same time retaining the usual earthen clod and supplementing the container with a new substrate. Damage to the roots during the dormant period of the flower has a detrimental effect on the orchid.
Some types of orchids, dendrobiums, have a highly developed root system, which is why transplantation is carried out every 24 months.
How to prepare a mixture for transplanting
Many are interested in how to care for an orchid at home. Features of care are to ensure the optimal microclimate and the preparation of the substrate. You can purchase land in a package from the store or do your own cooking. Typically, this composition isfrom:
- peat;
- chopped fern roots;
- fallen leaves (except willow);
- charcoal;
- pine bark.
Substrate requirements
By mixing all the ingredients in the right proportion, get ready for the fact that the need for additional feeding of the orchid will immediately disappear. It is also a requirement for the substrate - low moisture capacity (excess moisture can damage the flower). The most effective drainage is at least 25% of the capacity of the dishes. Now you know how to care for an orchid at home. The photo below vividly illustrates what a he althy, well-groomed orchid looks like.
When using the basket, make sure that its slots are tightly lined with whole pieces of sphagnum moss. When transplanting a plant, fill the earth with a slide and slightly straighten the roots of the orchid. Do not compact the voids, you can damage the roots. Weakly holding orchids are additionally fastened with a thin wire or synthetic thread. Only after transplanting the orchid, refuse to water the flower for 3-5 days, allowing the wounds obtained during the transplantation to heal, and the plant to more or less adapt to the new habitat.
For transplanting a flower, choose special new pots with small holes in the walls so that the orchid can breathe. Before planting a flower in a dish, it is washed well, if necessary, boiled for the purpose of disinfection.
How to care for an orchid at home: features of care and transplantation
Fertilizerit is customary to make only during the period of orchid growth and only a specially prepared composition. It is important to apply top dressing for flowering - 1 time in 2-3 weeks.
When fertilizing, it is important to remember that the orchid should receive a minimum of mineral s alts, and to prevent the accumulation of substances in the soil, it is washed twice a month with clean water.
The best option for alternating top dressing and washing is once every other time.
Light normalization
In the question of how to properly care for an orchid at home, lighting is the main factor. It is the light that determines whether an orchid will bloom or not.
During the development period, the flower requires intense lighting from 12 to 15 hours - this is the norm for an orchid. In winter, the lack of natural light is easily compensated by fluorescent lamps.
It is important that the light is bright and at the same time diffused. Direct sunlight is not safe for orchids, so they should be avoided. Keeping the flower on the windowsill, shade it, otherwise your orchid will simply burn under the sun. You already know how to properly care at home, so you can grow a beautiful flower.
Providing proper watering of orchids
Like any plant, an orchid needs watering, but here it is important not to overdo it. Overflow should be avoided, otherwise it will adversely affect the plant. The lack of moisture for a flower is not so terrible and does not cause as much harm as an excess of moisture.
In summer, normalized watering is done 2-3 times a week, in winter, during the dormant period of the plant,the orchid is kept in a slightly dried state and watered less often.
In the summer, orchids are watered based on need, as in the dry season the flower requires a little more moisture than usual. At the same time, they are guided by the degree of dryness of the substrate.
For irrigation use soft water at room temperature or slightly warmer. Do not overmoisten the flower by keeping it in home pots. You already know how to care for a flower, so try to follow the recommendations described.
Orchid is a delicate and capricious plant, demanding to care for and laborious to grow for a beginner grower. But if you know how to care for orchids correctly and provide the flowers with proper care, then without experience, but with effort, you can grow a chic flower on your window that surprises with its beauty.
