What are the cultivation methods and precautions for potted black orchids?
This article brings you topics related to the cultivation methods and precautions for potted black orchids, which will certainly help you. Let's get to know them together!
The soil mix should be good. In fact, black orchids are relatively easy to grow. We can completely follow the soil mixing methods for other orchids to prepare a breathable, water-permeable, and nutrient-rich mixture.
You can directly use a mixture of peat soil granules, peanut shells, and small ceramic balls in a 1:1 ratio, and there won't be any problems growing black orchids this way.
Watering should be reasonable. Like other orchids, black orchids have relatively thick, white, fleshy roots. When caring for black orchids, we must not let the potting soil remain too dry for long periods. We can water the plant thoroughly when the soil is almost dry, ensuring the soil is completely saturated with water.
But remember to water during通风 times to prevent root rot. This is the most reliable method. The simplest method is to insert a long bamboo stick into the pot almost to the bottom. When you want to water, pull out the bamboo stick and check. If the bottom of the stick has no moisture, water the plant thoroughly.
However, make sure to water thoroughly, not half or just one side. When watering, try to rotate the pot and water several times, and remember not to water with alternating hot and cold water.
Fertilization should be appropriate. To grow black orchids well, we can't do without fertilizer supplements. How should we choose the fertilizer? Use multi-element fertilizers during the growing season to provide a nutrient-rich supplement, which helps the roots grow well, the leaves grow large, and new buds emerge quickly.
The growing season is usually from after flowering until summer. During this season, you can use multi-element fertilizers. But in summer, when the plant grows more slowly and is in the flower bud differentiation stage, you should not fertilize frequently.
In summer, water only when the soil is completely dry, but fertilization should be sufficient. How to fertilize? Choose phosphorus and potassium fertilizers, such as monopotassium phosphate, and use it once a month to ensure the plant does not lack phosphorus and potassium, which helps in quick flower bud differentiation. Continue using it until the flower buds emerge and are about to open, then stop using monopotassium phosphate.
Proper exposure to light. Black orchids are very shade-tolerant plants, unlike other orchids. You don't need to place them in the strongest light. Keeping them in a bright area with 1-2 hours of scattered light indoors is enough for normal growth.
This prevents etiolation, pale leaf color, and failure to bloom. Do not expose them to direct sunlight, as too much light can cause yellowing of leaf edges, black spots, and sunburn.
In spring and winter, you can expose them to more light, as these seasons have weaker light, which helps in rapid growth and quick differentiation and emergence of new buds.
【Summary】
The best soil for growing orchids is the humus soil under the forest in the orchid's native area, called orchid soil, which is the best choice for potted orchids. If not available, you can mix humus soil, peat soil, coal slag, and river sand in a 2:1:1:1 ratio. This is how it's usually done in home cultivation. Black orchids are not cold-tolerant and should be kept indoors where they can receive sunlight in winter.
The above introduction provides a comprehensive overview of the cultivation methods and precautions for potted black orchids, hoping to bring some relevant knowledge to netizens.