Key Points for the Summer Care and Management of Orchids
This article introduces the care and management aspects of orchids, specifically focusing on the key points for summer care. Let's proceed with the introduction by the editor.
Now that we can say it is summer, there is a lot of information available online about the key points for the summer care and management of orchids. This article is a summary of the author's personal experience in growing orchids during the summer, including aspects such as ventilation, shading, and watering. It serves as an excellent reference for新手 orchid enthusiasts.
Caring for orchids during the summer is a significant test of one's orchid cultivation skills. In the high temperatures and humidity of summer, poor management can easily lead to diseases in orchid plants. If the plants are not well cared for, it can result in poor growth or, in severe cases, the plants may die. Therefore, when growing orchids in the summer, I believe the following points should be noted:
1. Enhance ventilation: In the hot summer, the only way to reduce the temperature of the orchid room environment is to strengthen ventilation. Of course, those with air conditioning can use it to cool down, but ventilation is still necessary. Otherwise, the long-term enclosed space may make the orchid plants prone to diseases. Moreover, after watering the orchid plants, enhanced ventilation will quickly dry the moisture on the leaf surfaces, especially in the center of new sprouts, thereby avoiding soft rot disease. I have always believed that what many senior orchid growers say about ventilation being the top priority is not just random talk; it is a saying derived from their long-term experience in growing orchids.
2. Appropriately shade sunlight: Many orchid enthusiasts in orchid-growing areas may have noticed that in the summer, the area where orchid plants grow is covered with dense leaves, making it cool when people walk in. It is evident that leaves not only block sunlight but also absorb a lot of heat. Therefore, as orchid growers, simulating natural shading for orchid plants is a necessary task. Since the shading nets we use are black, they can block sunlight but also absorb heat, making the temperature around the netting higher under sunlight. Therefore, when shading orchid plants in the summer, I use several layers of shading nets and maintain a certain distance between them to achieve the purpose of shading and cooling.
3. Pay attention to watering carefully: When it comes to watering orchid plants, I follow the principle of watering only when dry and ensuring thorough watering. After watering, I strengthen ventilation to quickly dry the moisture in the center of new sprouts. When watering, I try to avoid times when the temperature is very high. Early in the morning before the sun rises or after 10 p.m. is preferable.
4. Be cautious with fertilizing and avoid repotting: I believe that fertilizing and repotting in the summer are major taboos in orchid care. Because the temperature is high in summer, the orchid roots are in a semi-dormant state. Fertilizing at this time will not be absorbed and converted into nutrients by the roots, easily causing root burn. Therefore, fertilizing at this time is counterproductive. As for repotting, once the orchid plants are repotted, the previous microenvironment is disrupted, and it takes half a month or even longer for the roots to adapt to the new environment, which can easily lead to僵芽 (stunted growth) and plant collapse.
5. Observe and pay close attention: As soon as disease symptoms are detected, immediate action should be taken to minimize losses.
The above is the full content of the key points for the summer care and management of orchids (experience version), hoping it will be helpful to green plant enthusiasts!