How to grow orchids well
Share with everyone the introduction of how to grow orchids well and the correct methods for beginners to raise orchids, specifically as follows:
Orchids have a graceful posture, noble and elegant, placing them at home not only looks beautiful and generous, but also adds a touch of cultural atmosphere, so many orchid enthusiasts like to raise several pots of orchids at home for appreciation.
Many orchid enthusiasts know that this plant has high requirements for the environment, such as soil, temperature, and humidity, which is why many beginners have difficulty growing them well. However, orchids are not as difficult to grow as everyone imagines. As long as you take care of them according to their growth habits, you can usually make them thrive. For beginners to grow orchids, they should remember these four key points to ensure vigorous growth and prevent root rot.
Cultivation materials should be water-retaining and breathable
Growing orchids is different from other flowers. They have high requirements for growing soil. Orchids in the wild often grow in loose and breathable humus soil. When growing them in pots at home, we should also provide loose and breathable materials to make the orchid roots strong and avoid empty or rotten roots.
Why do many beginners always have orchids with rotten roots at home? Most of the time, it's because the cultivation soil used is too sticky and has poor breathability, leading to long-term moisture after watering and causing root rot. Therefore, the first step to growing orchids well is to prepare the right materials for the orchid growing medium.
There are many materials used to prepare orchid growing media, generally divided into hard and soft materials. Hard materials include volcanic rocks, vermiculite, coal slag, broken bricks, etc., while soft materials include fermented pine needles, bark, peanut shells, coconut bran, etc. No matter what materials are used, they should be loose and breathable, and also have some water retention, otherwise, the roots can easily dehydrate and develop more empty roots after watering.
How to water properly?
As the saying goes, "It takes a decade of practice to water orchids well," which means that watering orchids is a bit challenging. Everyone may have their own watering experience, but the same watering method may not be suitable for all orchids. There are two reasons for this. First, different materials have different evaporation rates. If the material is breathable but does not retain water, it will dry faster, and you should water it when it's dry, not on a fixed schedule.
The second reason is that different seasons require different watering intervals. The evaporation rates in summer and winter are significantly different, so you cannot stick to one watering method all the time. You also need to be flexible and understand the orchids you are growing to find a suitable watering method for yourself, rather than following others' schedules.
Many orchid enthusiasts say, "Dry-grow orchids, wet-grow chrysanthemums." The so-called dry-grow orchids refer to the fear of excessive watering, which can keep the potting soil in a constantly moist state and cause root rot, but it does not mean that the drier the material, the better, as this can lead to more empty roots. In fact, orchids grow better in moist but not wet materials and are more likely to sprout new buds.
Issues related to orchid fertilization
Any plant needs nutrients to grow, and orchids are no exception. When the nutrients in the growing medium are insufficient, especially for orchids grown in hard materials, the plants will grow weak and the leaves will turn yellow and lack vitality if no nutrients are supplemented for a long time.
Improper fertilization can also cause root burn and yellow leaves, especially for beginners who should not fertilize randomly. Adding unfermented organic fertilizers to the pot can lead to root rot.