One of the most diverse plants on planet Earth is an orchid. There are about 30 thousand species and types of flowers growing in the wild. There is not much to talk 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 the 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 there are certain rules for growing healthy 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 a home microclimate after purchase
This delicate flower is one of the most moody. Therefore, growing an orchid in the house, it is required to adhere to separate rules in caring for the plant. But this process will not be difficult if you know what to do and are confident in it. To understand how to care for an orchid at home, it is worthwhile to form at least an initial idea of how this flower grows and develops.
Remember the first and most important rule from which it all starts: it is better to buy orchids in spring or summer.
Take your time with the change. An orchid, being 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 transplantation is only necessary if you bought an orchid growing at the time of sale in sphagnum moss.
Before starting basic care, understand the species and variety of orchids 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 healthy flower
Pay attention to the root system of the orchid before purchasing, through the transparent walls of the pot they are clearly visible. A flower that does not sit well in a pot has a weak root system. A simple check in the form of a wiggle of the stem at the base will allow you to understand how firmly the flower holds in the pot.
Another rule that should be remembered when caring for an orchid is the water regime. The flower accepts insufficient moisture in the substrate and increased humidity in the room where it is contained. Therefore, frequent watering is not necessary, the main thing is to provide the optimal microclimate in the room.
The subtleties of orchid care during flowering
To understand how to care for an orchid at home, it is worth considering 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 should receive enough sunlight. This period is characterized by new growth until the very moment of opening flower buds closer to autumn.
At the same time, it is important to ensure watering and fertilizing 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 usually sprayed. Flower pots are mounted on a stand with expanded clay or fine gravel filled with a small amount of water.
Keep orchids in a well-ventilated area, ensuring effective air circulation in the room. If the weather permits, take green pets outside in the summer, letting them get enough fresh air.
Sudden changes in temperature and drafts in the room where orchids are grown are extremely undesirable. Before flowering, the period of which can last up to six months, watering is reduced. But sooner or later it all ends, the flower stalk fades and the thought involuntarily sneaks: what to do next with the flower 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 behave with an orchid at the end of flowering
When the flower stalk begins to dry, try not to rush to prune it. For some time it will serve as a natural source of nutritious juices for orchids. Immediate pruning is done only if the leaves of the plant are yellowed. At the same time, a cut up to 2.5 cm high is left at the removal site. Young buds sometimes appear in this place, which bloom after a short period of time.
In another case, the tip of the peduncle dries out completely, and subsequently a baby is formed. Sometimes, if necessary, the peduncle is cut off. If you carry out the procedure 1-1.5 cm above the sleeping buds, often repeated flowering occurs. But this is not a natural phenomenon, and remember that the forced development of the old flower stalk can lead to inhibition of the formation and development of the new. Now you know how to properly care for the orchid at home after flowering.
How to care for a flower during the dormant period of a plant
This is a process that is not particularly difficult. Watering and top dressing are reduced, minimizing, as there is no need to stimulate the orchid.
In case of a plant transplant, do not expect blooming soon, caring for the orchid at home in a pot. As often happens in this case, the orchid will bloom only after a year. In order to resume flowering, the flower pot is transferred to another place. Changes in the environment contribute to the renewal of plant vital activity. Sometimes a rearrangement is required several times until the flower feels comfortable. In this case, there is a constant and regular flowering of orchids.
How to transplant a plant
Any plant undergoes a transplant stressfully. Most responds painfully, and the reason for this is the tight gluing of the roots to the substrate and the dishes, because by caring for the orchid at home in the pot, thin and delicate root processes can be damaged. A transplant 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 into a larger pot, but at the same time retain the familiar earthen lump and add a new substrate to the container. Damage to the roots during the resting 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 transplant mixture
Many are interested in how to care for an orchid at home. Features of care are to ensure the optimal microclimate and preparation of the substrate. You can buy land in a package from a store or do it yourself. As a rule, such a composition consists of:
- peat;
- chopped fern roots;
- fallen leaves (except willow);
- charcoal;
- pine bark.
Substrate requirements
Having mixed all the components in the correct proportion, get ready for the fact that the need for additional feeding of the orchid will immediately disappear. It also has a requirement for a 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 clearly illustrates how a healthy, well-groomed orchid looks like.
Using the basket, make sure that its slots are tightly lined with whole pieces of sphagnum moss. When replanting a plant, sprinkle the ground with a slide and slightly spread the roots of the orchid. Do not seal the voids, you can damage the roots. Weakly held orchids are additionally fastened with a thin wire or synthetic thread. Only after transplanting an orchid, refuse watering the flower for 3-5 days, allowing the wounds received during the transplantation to heal, and the plant to more or less adapt to the new habitat.
For flower transplantation, special new pots with small holes in the walls are chosen so that the orchid can breathe. Before planting a flower in the dishes, they wash it well, if necessary, boil it for the purpose of disinfection.
How to care for an orchid at home: features of care and transplantation
Fertilizer is usually made only during the period of orchid growth and only a specially prepared composition. It is important to feed and for flowering - 1 time in 2-3 weeks.
When making fertilizer, it is important to remember that the orchid should receive a minimum of mineral salts, 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.
Normalization of light lighting
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 the orchid will bloom or not.
During the development period, the flower requires intensive lighting from 12 to 15 hours - this is the norm for orchids. In winter, the lack of natural light is easily compensated by fluorescent lamps.
It is important that the light is bright and diffused at the same time. Direct sunlight is unsafe for orchids, so they should be avoided. Holding a flower on the windowsill, pritenite it, otherwise your orchid simply burns under the sun. You already know how to care at home, so you can grow a beautiful flower.
We provide the correct watering of orchids
Like any plant, an orchid needs watering, but it is important not to overdo it. Overflow should be avoided, otherwise it will adversely affect the plant. The lack of moisture for the flower is not so terrible and does not do as much harm as excess moisture.
In summer, normalized watering is performed 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 on the basis of necessity, since in the dry season, the flower requires a little more moisture than usual. In this case, they focus on the degree of dryness of the substrate.
For irrigation use soft water at room temperature or slightly warmer. Do not overmoisten the flower, keeping in home pots. How to care for a flower - you already know, so try to adhere to the recommendations described.
Orchid is a gentle and capricious plant, demanding in care and laborious in growing for a beginner grower. But if you know how to care for orchids correctly and ensure proper care for flowers, then you can without experience, but making an effort to grow on your window a gorgeous flower, amazing in beauty.