Method of cultivating black orchid
A comprehensive analysis of the contents related to the black orchid, a member of the Orchidaceae family, including the cultivation methods of black orchid, with detailed introduction as follows.
Black orchid is also known as the New Year's orchid, the worship orchid, and the abundant year orchid. The leaves of black orchid are broad, generally 2-4.2 cm wide and 25-80 cm long. 2-5 leaves grow on the pseudobulb. The pseudobulb is relatively large, with a diameter of 1.5-2.5 cm. The leaves are glossy, with a cross-section that is shallowly 'y'-shaped or flat, and the edges are usually smooth without saw teeth. The flower stalks are erect and generally taller than the leaf frame. The raceme has 5-20 flowers, with a diameter of about 2.5-5 cm when fully open. The sepals and petals are usually narrowly lanceolate, with the lip reflexed and downward. The flowers are mostly light purple-brown, adorned with deep purple-brown stripes. The flowering period is from late autumn to the following February, with a sweet and fragrant scent.
Black orchids grow in Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Jiangxi, Yunnan, Hainan, Sichuan, and southern Guizhou, south of 26 degrees north latitude in China. Orchids from different regions have their own characteristics and can be divided into New Year's orchid, Daming black orchid, Guangdong black orchid, Yunnan black orchid, Jiangxi black orchid, etc.
Several points to note about the cultivation methods of black orchid:
1. Preparation of planting material and selection of orchid pots:
Orchids are native to sparse forests and valley floors, growing in humus-rich, slightly acidic soil. When cultivating orchids at home, it is necessary to follow this growth environment, using loose, breathable, water-retaining, and nutrient-retaining materials with a pH of 5.5-6.5. There are many materials that can be used as planting materials, such as decomposed leaf soil from forests, coarse sand from rivers, coal slag from homes, easily collected sawdust, charcoal powder, plastic foam, rotten bark, broken bricks, rice hulls, moss, waste from edible fungi, commercially available mountain soil, perlite, etc. However, each material has its advantages and disadvantages. For example, decomposed leaf soil collected from the mountains contains a lot of humus, is loose and breathable, retains water and nutrients, and is slightly acidic, which is very beneficial for the growth of orchids. However, it is fine-grained, has poor water permeability, and can easily become compacted and lack oxygen, causing root rot. Coarse sand and coal slag have good granular structure and water permeability but poor water and nutrient retention, easily drying out. This means that currently, there is no single material that can be used directly as planting material; it must be mixed with two or more materials.
Therefore, before use, it is necessary to understand the characteristics of each material, utilize its strengths and make up for its weaknesses to prepare an ideal orchid planting material. After selecting the materials, they should be treated with methods such as sunning, steaming, boiling, frying, or chemical treatment to remove pests and sterilize, preventing contamination. The sterilized materials should be sifted separately into coarse, medium, and fine particle sizes and mixed in a certain proportion to become the planting material. Coarse materials are placed at the bottom of the pot, medium materials in the middle, and fine materials on top. The containers for planting orchids should generally be tall and cylindrical, with feet and good ventilation. The size of the container should allow the orchid roots to fully unfold within the pot.
Commonly used orchid pots include clay pots, ceramic pots, glazed pots, and plastic pots, which are suitable for ground, balcony, rooftop, and indoor use. They each have their own properties, advantages, and disadvantages. For ornamental purposes, it is best to use purple sand pots or plastic pots. Special purple sand pots for orchids are usually tall and trumpet-shaped, with many bottom holes for water drainage and ventilation, unique shapes, colors that match the orchid plants, and engraved or painted orchid patterns and poems, making them highly ornamental. Plastic pots are deep, porous, lightweight, clean, inexpensive, and easy to move, reducing the pressure on the floor. If using plastic pots, it is advisable to add holes in the middle and lower part of the pot wall with an electric drill or heated metal wire to improve ventilation.
2. Light, temperature, and humidity control:
Orchids prefer a semi-shaded environment and dislike dryness. In winter, sunlight is weak, and in spring, it is gentle, which is suitable for orchid growth and can be exposed to full sunlight. From early summer to mid-autumn, sunlight is strong and long-lasting, which is not conducive to orchid growth and requires shading. For large-scale orchid cultivation, the site is usually on the ground or rooftop with a special orchid shed, which can be adjusted according to the light requirements of different seasons, varieties, and growth stages of orchids. For home orchid cultivation, most are on balconies, which makes light adjustment more difficult. To overcome this, appropriate measures should be taken based on the site.
For a small number of plants, they should be placed in the shade of trees or under the eaves, or in places where they can see sunlight in the morning and evening but not after 9 am, or in places with natural light but no direct sunlight. For those on upper floors, place them on the east balcony if there is one, or on the north balcony or windowsill if there is no east balcony. For a larger number of plants, shade shelters can be set up in the courtyard, or shade nets on the balcony, with a shading degree of at least 70% for common varieties and 80%-90% for black orchids and artistic orchids. According to information, the suitable temperature for orchid root germination and normal growth is 20°C-28°C. Below 20°C, growth is slow, above 25°C, growth is rapid, and at 30°C, orchids enter a dormant state. A daytime temperature of 10°C-16°C and a nighttime temperature of 5°C-10°C indicate the winter dormant period. The lowest temperature tolerance is -3°C for Cymbidium, -4°C for Cypripedium, -2°C for Dendrobium, and -2°C for black orchids. Home-grown orchids usually overwinter indoors and do not require heating measures to safely endure the severe cold period. If overwintering in the courtyard or on a balcony facing away from the wind, a temporary plastic greenhouse can be built.
Methods to cool down in summer and autumn generally include:
1. Placing bricks under the pots, opening windows indoors to increase ventilation.
2. Laying sand or plastic film on the ground to reduce heat evaporation.
3. Expanding the shading range, increasing the level and density.
4. Spraying the orchid plants and sprinkling water on the ground to increase air humidity.
5. Using air conditioners or fans to ventilate and cool down. Temperature and air humidity are inversely proportional: the higher the temperature, the lower the air humidity; as air humidity increases, temperature decreases accordingly.
The required air humidity for orchid cultivation is 60%-80% during the growing period and not less than 50% during the winter dormant period. Different orchid species have different humidity requirements. In spring, with low temperatures and slow evaporation, spraying is usually used, which can increase the air humidity in the room or greenhouse and keep the leaves green and fresh. In addition to increasing the number of sprays in summer and autumn, it is also necessary to sprinkle water on the ground, hang wet curtains in the room or greenhouse, place sponges or water troughs under the pots on the balcony, and set up water containers nearby to effectively increase air humidity and promote healthy growth of the orchid plants.
3. Reasonable watering and scientific fertilization:
Although orchids prefer a humid environment, their leaves are linear, leathery, and small, and their roots are fleshy. Watering should not be excessive, and the principle should be to keep the planting material dry but not dry, moist but not wet, to prevent root rot from too much water. Conversely, the water should not be too little to prevent the roots from drying out. The number of times and amount of water to be watered need to consider factors such as weather, light intensity, temperature, wind strength, pot material, soil fineness, indoor and outdoor conditions, and the growth of the orchid plants. Under normal conditions, on sunny days with strong light, high temperatures, and strong winds, using clay pots with fine soil in the open air, and with strong growth, watering should be frequent and thorough, with short intervals. Conversely, the amount of water should be small or temporarily stopped, with longer intervals. It is important to water at the right time and amount, act flexibly, and not set a fixed schedule for watering. Beginners need to explore and summarize their experiences in practice to master the law.
Although orchids are herbaceous plants, they grow slowly, live in symbiosis with orchid fungi, and usually only sprout once a year and bloom once, so their nutrient consumption is not very high and their fertilizer requirement is not very high. Since the planting material contains certain nutrients, no base fertilizer is needed when potting or repotting. During the growing period, top dressing should adhere to the principle of 'fertilizing frequently with thin solutions' and 'preferring dilute over concentrated'. Liquid fertilizers should be fully fermented and diluted with water before use. After applying, spray water on the leaves and leaf bases to prevent fertilizer from rotting the leaf hearts and new buds.
For growing orchids on balconies and indoors, it is best to use solid fertilizers to maintain cleanliness and hygiene. Micro-fertilizers for foliar application must be diluted according to the product instructions. Based on orchid growers' experience, fertilization should consider the temperature, growth, and season and time. Fertilization should be stopped during the dormant period of orchids when the temperature is above 30°C or below 10°C, when new roots are not growing, when new buds are not strong, and when flower buds are not full. Fertilization should also be avoided in winter and early spring, during the severe heat of summer, and during rain or at noon.
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