Few can resist the exquisitethe beauty of the orchid. And the most frequent guest of city apartments is the phalaenopsis mix (phalaenopsis) - a plant from the genus of epiphytes. Despite the fact that many novice gardeners are afraid to buy this flower, it is not as picky as it may seem at first glance. Let's consider what care for orchids growing at home is considered correct. And we will also try to understand all the intricacies of their cultivation.
General information on home-made orchids
When you buy phalaenopsis in a regular store, youbecome the owner of a hybrid plant, fully adapted to life and flowering at home. Such an orchid can have any color: from dark purple to white, with various spots and veins. Depending on the general condition, the orchid has a different number of peduncles and flowers on them - usually from 3 to 40 buds. Most often, specimens are sold that bloom without a smell. Phalaenopsis is an orchid that loves high humidity and high temperatures. Therefore, caring for such orchids primarily consists of choosing the right room and watering. Ideally, the air temperature should be up to 24 degrees during the day, and up to 18 at night. Diffused sunlight and high humidity - in these conditions, you will achieve flowering very soon.
How correctly to transplant?
Phalaenopsis needs to be replanted every 2-3 years.During this time, the substrate has time to completely use up all its useful properties. Frequent watering disrupts its pH, the bark begins to decompose and no longer allows air to pass through. And if you also regularly fertilized phalaenopsis, then the soil becomes very saline, which has a negative effect on the growth of the plant. It is best to choose the time for transplanting when the plant enters a period of new growth. This is when the orchid begins to grow new roots. It is highly recommended not to transplant phalaenopsis during flowering or immediately before it. Regular plastic pots are best suited for these plants. Clay containers absorb water, so it will be difficult to care for orchids in the future (namely, to water them correctly). First, remove the phalaenopsis from the old soil. Now you need to clean the roots of old bark and soil in order to thoroughly inspect for rot and dead areas. To do this, place the phalaenopsis in a container with warm water and leave for 30-40 minutes. Before planting, you need to untangle the roots by moving them with your fingers directly in the water. Periodically drain the dirty water and rinse the roots with a shower. Do not try to wash the substrate out of the roots completely, some pieces of bark that have grown into the roots are better left so as not to damage the entire root system. After this, you need to remove all dry or rotten roots. Keep in mind that if the root is partially damaged, remove only the desired area down to healthy tissue. It will differ in color and texture. The remaining roots need to be disinfected with brilliant green or iodine. Then thoroughly dry the plant and proceed to planting. You can make the soil yourself or buy it. By the way, the ready-made mixture contains everything you need for successful growth and flowering. The pot is selected based on the size of the root system: if the orchid fits into the pot with all its roots and there are still a couple of centimeters of free space around it, you can safely transplant it into such a container. Beginners are advised to transplant phalaenopsis into a transparent pot. This will make it easier to care for orchids in the future: monitor the condition of the roots and prevent them from rotting or drying out. Considering that the phalaenopsis orchid is a monopodial plant and has only one growth point, it should be placed in the pot strictly in the middle. However, if you notice that your beauty is trying to become a "couch potato", you should not level it with artificial methods. Most likely, this is a feature of its structure and over time it will still be located in a way that is convenient for it. What kind of care do orchid aerial roots need? This question baffles any novice gardener. The answer to it is quite simple - you do not need to do anything. Of course, you can bury them in the ground when transplanting. But the nature of this flower is such that over time it grows aerial roots again. Sooner or later, phalaenopsis loses all the leaves and roots located at the bottom. In this case, simply replant it, then bury the aerial roots with soil. And do not worry, very soon you will see flowering again.
Proper watering
It is believed that the Phalaenopsis orchid gets sick becauseimproper watering. This is true, but only partly. Proper care of orchids is the right balance between watering, lighting and ambient temperature. Remember, the higher the temperature and lighting, the more frequent and abundant the watering should be! Water is involved in the process of forming new plant cells. The brighter the orchid becomes, the faster the process of photosynthesis and, accordingly, growth. In conditions of sufficient watering, but weak lighting, the orchid will begin to "eat" the lower leaves and roots, taking water from the old tissues to grow new ones. The result is wilted, yellowed leaves and no flowering. It may seem that watering the phalaenopsis orchid is not necessary at all, because it already has a closed growth cycle. But this statement is fundamentally wrong. Part of the water will evaporate into the environment during its life. After the plant has used up all its water reserves, it will simply die from exhaustion. If your goal is to achieve flowering, learn how to water phalaenopsis correctly. There is no need to develop a specific watering algorithm for this. Water procedures should be arranged based on the conditions of maintenance. Let's look at several recommendations that will help you decide on watering:
- Stick in the pots with orchids woodensticks. As soon as you have a desire to water Phalaenopsis, take them out and look at the degree of humidity. If the sticks are completely dry - it's time to water, and if somewhere in the middle there are still traces of moisture - it means it's too early;
- Take the pot in your hands immediately after watering and try to remember its weight. So in the future, and guided by the weight of the pot;
- If an orchid has appeared recently, and you do not know when it was watered for the last time, try digging the ground a little with your finger and see how moist it is in the middle.
If you find that your orchid roots have started torot, although you are absolutely sure that you watered the plant strictly according to the rules, it means - it does not have enough light. And in general, it is the right lighting that will give you an almost 100% guarantee that the phalaenopsis will grow successfully - both before and after flowering. Many years of practice show that one of the most optimal options for watering and cleaning the plant from dust is a hot shower (water temperature about 32-40 degrees). This method of caring for orchids allows you to completely remove dust from the stomata of the plant and normalize gas exchange. Phalaenopsis thanks for such a bath with excellent growth of green mass and abundant flowering. Caring for such a plant is a pleasure!
Phalaenopsis does not blossom, what should I do?
Proper care of phalaenopsis orchidaccompanied by a constant release of buds. If more than a year has passed since flowering, and the orchid does not give even a hint that it is ready to please you again, then one of the problems described below is present.
- Perhaps phalaenopsis is sick or in a state of severe stress;
- Maybe the roots are diseased or the substrate does not fit;
- There are no optimal conditions of maintenance: first of all, lighting is not suitable. To phalaenopsis flowered, it is enough to adjust the ratio between watering and light.
Don't expect flowers anytime soon ifthe plant's root system is severely damaged. Now all the flower's energy will be directed at its restoration. The same rule applies to damage to the growth point. In this case, all you can do is take care of the orchid and wait for it to return to normal. In general, a healthy plant blooms almost all year round, of course, provided there is sufficient lighting.
Care after flowering
How to care for an orchid after flowering?Before thinking about this question, you need to understand when the plant actually finished blooming. Each flower stalk on the plant does not end with buds, but with a small growing tip. While it is green, there is a chance that flowering will continue. Buds can appear as flowering progresses or a month after it ends. It is quite difficult to say exactly when this will happen (and whether it will happen at all). You can remove the flower stalk if the tip has turned yellow, dried up or fallen off. Only then can you say with confidence that the phalaenopsis orchid has finished blooming. The flower stalk is removed either completely (to the very base) or partially - only where the flowers were. The fact is that it has many dormant points that can eventually start to grow and produce either another lateral flower stalk or a baby. What to do in this case is up to you, because no one can guarantee that the saved flower stalk will produce a shoot. But it can slow down the development of new buds.
Reproduction of domestic orchids
Phalaenopsis orchid at homereproduces vegetatively, that is, by separating offspring - lateral shoots. They appear from dormant buds on peduncles and are ready for transplantation after their own roots develop on them (about 5 pieces). Care for young orchids is the same as for adults. You can divide one large plant if it is in excellent condition and has many aerial roots. But it makes sense to do this if you are absolutely sure that there are still living buds at the base of the old trunk. It is easy to check this: if peduncles have already grown from the axils between the leaves, then this orchid simply will not be able to produce offspring. After such a division, you will be left with a sick plant that is incapable of growth. And, most likely, no care will help here. Phalaenopsis is considered the most unpretentious orchid for good reason. As mentioned above, it gets along well at home and pleases its owners with abundant flowering. Therefore, if you are just starting to grow orchids, we recommend that you purchase this particular species. And then you can safely settle other tropical beauties in your home. The main thing is to provide the plants with proper care, and believe me, you will quickly learn this! We recommend reading:
