Orchid Repotting Precautions
Do you know these? Knowledge about orchids, orchid repotting precautions, the following is a detailed introduction.
There are many things to consider when repotting orchids. This article summarizes some orchid repotting precautions, including the selection of orchid pots, how often to repot orchids, and when orchids need to be repotted, which is very helpful for beginner orchid enthusiasts.
Because the environment for raising orchids is different, different materials and methods need to be used. We all know the characteristics of orchid roots such as ventilation, humidity-loving, and geotropism. As long as these characteristics are met, orchid roots will naturally grow well. Taking Japanese planting stones as an example, the method of planting differs with different environments, as described below:
1. Humid environment: greenhouse, with humidifier, mountainous areas, forested areas, etc. In environments where moss can be seen, it is considered a humid environment. If it does not rain, use large, medium, and small Japanese planting stones (from bottom to top) for planting (可以选择有孔的盆子). This method is a general planting method. Its advantage is good ventilation. Since the environment is humid, the roots have a humidity-loving characteristic and grow well.
2. Dry environment: windy, strong sunshine, high temperature, and fast evaporation of water, such as balconies and rooftops. If it rains, the planting method is completely opposite to that in a humid environment, that is, use a pot without holes, and arrange the Japanese planting stones in a small, medium, and large order (from bottom to top). However, this method has the disadvantage of poor ventilation and plant sway. Therefore, insert a pearl milk tea straw with holes around it into the pot and use a thin layer of water moss on the surface of the pot to press it tightly against the pot edge to prevent plant sway. The reason for this planting method is as follows:
(1) Because roots have humidity-loving characteristics, if the Japanese planting stones are arranged in a large, medium, and small order (from bottom to top), the moisture condition is dry on the bottom and wet on the top because large stones absorb water slowly and dry quickly, while small stones absorb water quickly and dry slowly. Since the external environment is dry, it is often found that orchid roots are on the surface of the pot (because the surface of the pot has moist moss or fine stones), so the roots naturally grow upwards and cannot extend downwards. Therefore, the planting method is naturally different in different environments.
(2) In the first planting method, if it rains, the upper part of the pot will form waterlogging due to small stones. In the plum rain season, the roots will rot in a month, so orchids will not grow well no matter how they are planted. This is also the reason why orchids will rot and die if they are not repotted according to the environment after being purchased.
(3) Therefore, in different environments (use coarser materials if it rains and finer materials if it does not rain), suitable pots should be selected first (use pots with holes in humid environments and pots without holes in dry environments), then select suitable materials (use finer materials in pots with holes and coarser materials in pots without holes), considering ventilation (drainage), the dry and wet conditions of the materials in the pot, whether they dry from top to bottom, that is, the bottom of the pot should be wet, and consider how to water and fertilize due to different materials, then the orchids will naturally grow well.
The use of materials during repotting should consider the following principles:
1. Material suitable for the environment: Different environments have different planting methods. Factors such as whether the environment is dry or humid, whether ventilation is good (wind speed), whether it will rain, the intensity and duration of sunlight, etc., should be considered, and then appropriate materials should be selected to match the environment, so that orchids can grow well. For example, my environment is on the second-floor rooftop, with strong wind and rain. Therefore, I choose to use the largest Japanese planting stones to ensure good drainage; otherwise, in the plum rain season, if mixed materials are used, the small space in the pot may cause waterlogging, rotting the orchid roots. Since large Japanese planting stones drain quickly and absorb water slowly, watering should be done five times back and forth to wet them. Therefore, the number of times watering is sufficient mainly depends on the water absorption rate of the material and personal experience. As long as suitable materials for the environment are selected, it is a good method to grow orchids well.
2. Maintain humidity and ventilation: Orchid roots are semi-aerial roots, so they need moisture and good air to grow well. However, these two factors are contradictory. Good humidity may result in poor ventilation, and good ventilation may make it difficult to maintain moisture. For example, I use large Japanese stones and choose pots with holes because the moisture loss is fast, the roots lack water, and cannot extend downwards, so they can only absorb water from the wet areas near the water grass. Later, I switched to pots without holes, and the situation improved. Therefore, the use of materials in the pot should consider both humidity and ventilation.
3. Materials in the pot should dry from top to bottom: Because orchid roots have humidity-loving characteristics, the lower part of the material should have a higher water absorption rate. This way, the roots will extend downwards to absorb water. Sometimes, when orchids are grown on a balcony, it is found that there are no roots in the lower part of the pot, and the main reason is insufficient watering and the use of materials that do not match the environment. For example, the general planting method of Japanese planting stones is mostly from large to medium to small (from bottom to top). The drying condition of this method is that the bottom dries first, and the top dries later. In a greenhouse or on a mountain with a humidifier, because the humidity of the environment is higher than that in the pot, the roots extend downwards due to humidity-loving characteristics. However, if it is planted on a balcony with strong wind, sunshine, and low humidity, the lower part of the pot is dry, so the roots cannot extend downwards. Therefore, repotting is required, arranging the Japanese planting stones in a small, medium, and large order (from bottom to top) to improve the shortcomings and allow orchids to grow smoothly.
4. The planting should not shake: Due to the condition of the roots and the planting method, if there is sway after planting, it should be improved. For example, use non-rusting iron wire to secure old plants and young seedlings. If Japanese planting stones are planted in small, medium, and large sizes, the top is large, causing the plant to sway. Therefore, a thin layer of water moss should be placed on the pot surface and pressed tightly against the pot edge to prevent sway. However, this planting method does not have good ventilation and drainage, so a pearl milk tea straw with holes around it should be placed in the center of the pot to improve the shortcomings. This method is most suitable for orchids that are rainy and dry. Because if fine stones are used on the top of the pot and it rains for a long time, most of the orchids will rot due to waterlogging, so how to plant orchids depends on the environment and selecting appropriate materials.
5. Materials should be clean: Japanese stones and埔里 stones have a lot of dust and should be washed clean with water and soaked in water for a day. After planting, wait for it to completely dry before watering to avoid rotting roots. When using Japanese stones for the first time, they are often planted directly and then watered to wash away the dust. However, the dust may not be completely washed away, and the aerial roots of the orchids may be wrapped in dust, affecting the exchange of air and moisture and causing root rot.
6. Roots should be close to the pot edge: When watering, water will flow down along the pot edge, and water vapor will form droplets on the pot edge when it is hot. Therefore, the edge of the pot is the wettest part. When planting, the roots should be placed around the pot and close to the pot wall, so that the water absorption of the orchids will be better, and the roots will be stronger.
How often to repot and what conditions require repotting?
1. How often to repot mainly depends on the degree of acidification and salinization of the potting material, and the rate of aging of the material is related to personal fertilization, spraying of pesticides, and the concentration and frequency of fungicides. The higher the concentration and frequency, the faster the acidification and salinization. Some people need to repot every half a year. As for foliar feeding, if orchids can grow normally, it is fine to repot every three years. Therefore, the length of time for repotting depends on personal management, and when to repot depends on personal experience.
2. Under what conditions is repotting required?
(1) Disease: If orchids have black spots or discoloration on the leaves, they will still get sick if not repotted. Therefore, during the beginning of spring, water the orchids thoroughly the day before and pull them out the next day, wash them with water, remove the dried leaves, and soak the whole plant in a 100-fold dilution of new bleaching water for ten to fifteen minutes, then soak in clean water for fifteen minutes, and the new buds will no longer be sick. (This method can only be used at the beginning of spring because fungicides can damage orchid roots, but since it is the beginning of the growing season, the temperature is not high, and the humidity is high, the orchids have time to grow new roots before summer. If used at other times, the orchids may die.)
(2) Poor growth: If orchids grow poorly, they will become smaller and smaller, and new buds will have no luster, indicating that the material used may be wrong, causing the pot to be too dry or too wet, unable to maintain humidity and ventilation, resulting in poor growth of orchids, requiring repotting with different materials.
(3) Too dense: If orchids grow too vigorously and have poor ventilation, they are prone to scale insects. Therefore, it is beneficial to divide the pots into three plants each after the beginning of spring and the Mid-Autumn Festival when the temperature is cooler.
(4) Material aging: The material on the surface of the pot is most likely to age due to fertilization and fungicides. It is best to change it three times a year. If the lower material has an acidic smell, mildew, is sticky, or turns green, consider changing one-third of the upper material or all new material to benefit orchid growth.
The above is the complete introduction to orchid repotting precautions, hoping to bring you help. Don't forget to take a look at more flower care experience and knowledge!