How to care for newly bought Phalaenopsis orchid seedlings?
In this article on pet care, we will explore how to care for newly purchased Phalaenopsis orchid seedlings and the practices of experienced gardeners. Let's delve into the details together.
Some orchid enthusiasts have asked how to care for young Phalaenopsis orchid seedlings. Let's see what these enthusiasts do, as practical experience is often more informative than theory.
"I've never bought mature flowering plants, usually starting with 2.5-inch seedlings, nurturing them myself, and gaining experience. For the first two weeks after purchasing, I do nothing with the orchid seedlings, neither repotting nor watering them, allowing them to adapt to the new environment. After 15 days, I water them for the first time.
I continue this way, watering once every 15 days, making sure to water thoroughly, allowing all visible thick roots to absorb water. Don't worry, they won't die! Once a month, I add a small amount of potassium dihydrogen phosphate, about one thousandth (as if watering). When flower spikes appear and the buds are about to bloom, I switch to using 'Flower Bloom No. 2'.
Watering Phalaenopsis orchids is that simple! I've never worried about ventilation or humidity. After watering, I just place the pot down, and when I remember, I check to see if any water has drained out, observing for yellow leaves, preventing root rot, pest infestations, and bacterial infections. This is my rough management style, continuing until the flowers bloom and fade.
After a year, it's time to consider repotting and changing the growing medium. If the pot is full of roots, it's definitely time to move to a larger pot. Start repotting, changing to a larger pot size from 1.7 inches to 2.5 inches, or from 2.5 inches to 3 inches. Never make too big of a jump! Going directly to a 3.5-inch pot is risky!
There is a technique to repotting and changing the growing medium! Soak the orchid to be repotted in water, remove it from the original pot, and gently shake off the roots, removing the old medium. Trim away any dead or empty roots, being careful not to break any roots or leaves. In another pot, moisten new sphagnum moss with a solution of one thousandth of fungicide, then squeeze out the excess water, leaving it slightly damp. Prepare this.
If possible, gather some pine bark and tie it into small blocks. Use the new moistened sphagnum moss to tightly wrap the pine bark, (using pine bark saves on moss). Form a tight ball. Shake off the orchid roots, center the tight moss ball in the roots, and in the new transparent plastic pot, partially fill the bottom with moss, lightly blocking the ventilation holes. Place the orchid with the tight moss ball inside! Make sure the roots are evenly distributed in the pot, with a small amount of moss filling the center of the roots, leaving some space. Cover the top of the pot with moss, ensuring no roots are exposed.
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