Cultivation Methods and Precautions for Cymbidium
For many girls, the experience with Cymbidium, the cultivation methods and precautions, will be shared in detail next.
In order to understand the cultivation methods and precautions for Cymbidium, we first need to understand the basic knowledge of Cymbidium. Cymbidium orchids mainly include several series such as Cymbidium goeringii, Cymbidium faberi, Cymbidium ensifolium, Cymbidium lentcoronarium, Cymbidium sinense, and Cymbidium sword. They have elegant shapes and fragrant flowers. The leaves of orchids are important for appreciation. Growers all hope that their orchid leaves are clean, green, and free from burnt tips and spots. If the leaves are burnt and烂, the ornamental value is greatly reduced, and the plant is weak and the flowers do not bloom ideally. This article will share some years of experience in maintaining Cymbidium, except for Cymbidium sinense, for discussion with classmates in order to jointly improve the cultivation skills of Cymbidium, which can also be referred to for the maintenance of Cymbidium sinense.
The main points to note in the daily maintenance of Cymbidium are as follows:
1. The planting material should be breathable:
Whether using hard or soft planting materials, the material must be breathable both top and bottom, especially soft materials like peat, which should be mixed with other ingredients that keep it loose after watering. Otherwise, it will become compact after watering, reducing breathability and causing the roots to rot in a non-ventilated environment. It can be said that "breath" is the life of orchids. When using completely hard granular materials like orchid stone, pumice stone, or植金石, attention should be paid to watering, as the material may become too dry and cause the roots to become hollow. When planting orchids, do not press the material as you would with other flowers. Instead, add material while tapping the pot wall to let it settle naturally. Pressing will make the material too compact, affecting breathability. It is summarized well by the orchid growers in Sichuan: "If you want orchids to grow well, they should be able to be blown over by the wind."
2. The roots should be dried before planting:
No matter whether it's freshly collected from the mountain, bought online, or divided from an old pot, the rotten roots, hollow roots, and烂 leaves should be pruned before planting. Attention should also be paid to removing any scale insects or pests that may exist in the leaf axils and leaf grooves. After washing the entire plant, soak it in a solution of 800-1000 times the concentration of carbendazim for about 20 minutes, then hang it upside down to dry until the fleshy roots become soft and white. The time should not be too long to avoid leaf dehydration. The purpose of hanging is to allow the cut roots and division wounds to scab and not easily rot. After that, it can be planted in the pot.
3. Watering should be appropriate:
Orchids like a higher air humidity, and the planting material should contain some moisture, but it should not be too moist for a long time, otherwise the roots will rot. Coarse-grained materials can be watered more frequently, while soft materials should be kept "moist" and not watered too frequently. Regardless of the material, water thoroughly when watering. After watering, quickly turn on a small fan to blow dry the accumulated water in the leaf heart. This is especially not to be forgotten when the temperature is above 15 degrees, otherwise new buds will get water stains or stem rot disease. New seedlings will start to show brownish-yellow discoloration and rot, and in severe cases, the whole plant may die within a week, with no remedy.
4. Ventilation should be gentle:
The orchid growing environment should have good ventilation. Excessive humidity can easily cause diseases and pests. A gentle breeze is most suitable, avoiding strong winds that can cause leaf edges to rub against each other, easily injuring the leaves or even breaking them, which affects the appearance.
5. Fertilization should be light:
"Clean orchids, dirty jasmine." Orchids have a small growth rate throughout the year and do not require excessive fertilizer. For newly planted orchids with severely damaged roots, no fertilizer is needed within a year. For old pots, a little slow-release fertilizer can be sprinkled on the pot surface before sprouting in spring, and again in early autumn. Do not fertilize frequently out of love for the flowers, especially do not apply liquid fertilizer to orchids with severely damaged roots that have just been planted. Fertilizing at this time will severely affect wound healing. In overly fertile material, the root tips will shrink and turn yellowish-brown to black, losing their absorption function. Normally growing roots have white root tips with dense root hairs and strong absorption capacity, making the whole plant grow vigorously.
6. Light should be moderate:
Cymbidium orchids should be appropriately shaded from early summer to mid-Autumn to avoid direct sunlight around noon, as strong sunlight can burn the leaves. From mid-Autumn to early summer, they can be exposed to full sunlight. Cymbidium faberi can have a bit more sunlight. The intensity of sunlight, temperature, and time vary in different regions, and the shading time can be appropriately adjusted. Shading after flowering can extend the blooming time, and increasing shading during the stem elongation period can increase the height of the flower stem. For Cymbidium goeringii with green petals, more shading will make the petal color more tender and green.
7. Disease and pest control should be timely:
The main diseases of orchids include (T-J) disease and black spot disease. Special attention should be paid to ventilation in high temperature and humid weather and spray some fungicides for prevention. Good ventilation conditions also make it less likely to get sick. The main pests are scale insects and thrips. A small number of scale insects can be scraped off, and they can be controlled by spraying drugs during the nymph stage in May, which generally does not cause fatal harm to orchids. Thrips can be problematic, as they are most likely to bite into the leaf heart when new buds open in early summer, forming brownish-yellow streaks and bringing viral infections that cause new seedlings to grow weakly or even die, affecting the growth of the entire plant. In summer, they can also harm Cymbidium ensifolium flowers, causing僵蕾 that cannot open normally. Thrips can be very harmful and should be sprayed with drugs before the new buds open. Since they have wings and can fly in from the outside, repeated spraying is necessary. The drugs can be purchased at agricultural markets, but safety must be noted, especially indoors. On balconies, safety should also be considered when using drugs, wearing a mask when spraying, and washing exposed skin promptly after spraying to avoid harm to the body. This point must not be overlooked.
The above brief experiences are discussed with classmates. As the saying goes, "Killing a pig has its own technique," different regions have different orchid cultivation techniques, and this is just a small reference for classmates.
The above is a detailed explanation of the cultivation methods and precautions for Cymbidium, for everyone's reference and suggestion!