How do you grow the orchid, one of China's top ten famous flowers, so it blooms, and what should you watch out for when watering?

Orchid, also known as Chinese orchid, spring orchid, orchid grass, etc., is a perennial herbaceous flower with fleshy roots of the Orchidaceae family, genus Cymbidium. It originated in our country, with a fairly wide distribution in Yunnan, Guizhou, Sichuan and Tibet; it is a traditional precious flower of our country and also a famous flower of the world. Many flower lovers like orchids, so how do you grow orchids so they bloom? What are the precautions for orchid cultivation? Below is a brief introduction to the orchid cultivation methods and precautions:

People have always regarded the orchid as a symbol of nobility and elegance, and together with plum, orchid, bamboo and chrysanthemum it is called the “Four Gentlemen”. For its delicate fragrance and elegant simplicity, the orchid, together with chrysanthemum, narcissus and sweet flag, is called the “Four Elegant Flowers and Grasses”, and the orchid ranks first among the four. The orchid is plain and unadorned, its leaves are evergreen, its leaf texture is soft yet firm, and its flowers are delicately fragrant and far-reaching; it has extremely high ornamental value and is a treasure for display in the living room, bedroom, or as an accent in the study or entrance hall.

When we grow orchids, the main purpose is to enjoy the flowers, but if they are planted or managed improperly, the orchid may not bloom. So how do you grow orchids so they bloom?

Orchid cultivation methods and precautions

1. Soil selection for orchid cultivation

The soil used for orchids should be mainly humus, primarily leaf mold or mountain forest humus soil. In the south, the humus soil from the place of origin is used, commonly known as orchid mud; you can also use leaf mold, vermiculite, perlite, etc., to artificially mix a loose, airy, water-permeable growing medium. Generally, 8 parts leaf mold and 2 parts river sand are mixed into a growing medium, or 7 parts leaf mold, 2 parts perlite and 1 part river sand are mixed into a growing medium, or 6 parts leaf mold (peat soil), 3 parts compost soil and 1 part river sand are mixed evenly into a growing medium. All the growing media prepared above are slightly acidic.

2. Fertilization methods for orchid cultivation

Orchid fertilization is done in two ways: one is applying base fertilizer into the growing medium, and the other is topdressing during the growing period. Topdressing is mostly liquid fertilizer or foliar fertilizer, and the concentration should be lighter than for other flowers. Orchids are repotted with fresh growing medium once a year, and during the growing period less topdressing can be applied, and attention should be paid to timing. Generally, in the growing season, you can apply fully decomposed dilute cake fertilizer water at about 15%, or 0.1% urea fertilizer water plus 0.2% monopotassium phosphate fertilizer water, once every 15-20 days; from before flowering to the flowering period, you can spray the leaves 2-3 times with 0.2% monopotassium phosphate or plant ash water to promote the development of roots, stems and flowers. Orchids have fleshy roots, so fertilizer that has not been decomposed must not be applied, to avoid root rot.

3. Watering methods for orchid cultivation

Watering orchids should be based on the species, growth conditions and local climate, and should achieve moist but not wet, dry but not parched; watering should not be too much or too little, and the principle of not dry in autumn and not wet in winter should be mastered. In winter, when the temperature is low, the plant is in a dormant state, so watering should be controlled, generally once every 5-7 days, but the Cymbidium sinense that blooms in winter needs more water;

In spring and autumn, water once every 2-3 days; in summer, when the temperature is high and orchids are in their vigorous growth period, water on average 1 to 2 times a day. When watering, be careful to prevent water droplets from splashing on the leaves, so as to avoid black spots that affect the ornamental effect. During the orchid's growth period, water should often be sprayed on the leaves, and in summer water should also be sprinkled on the ground around the flowerpot to increase air humidity and promote the growth and development of the orchid. For water used to irrigate orchids, rainwater and snow water are best; if tap water is used, it should be stored for 2-3 days before use.

4. Temperature requirements for orchid cultivation

For potted orchids in the north, they should be moved indoors around the Frost's Descent solar term when the temperature drops to 5°C, and in the early period after being brought indoors the windows should be opened frequently to keep the air circulating. In winter, the indoor temperature should be kept at around 10°C. After Grain Rain, move them outdoors for care. The suitable temperature for orchid growth is 16-24°C; in winter the indoor temperature is generally required to be relatively low, preferably 10-12°C during the day and 5-10°C at night, and the temperature and humidity should not be too high; in summer the temperature should not exceed 30°C.

5. Light requirements for orchid cultivation

Orchids prefer shade and fear direct strong light, so shading is needed in spring, summer and autumn. For growing orchids at home, in order to control the amount of light, it is best to place them on a balcony windowsill or under the eaves with bamboo blinds for shade; generally shade from 9 a.m. to before 6 p.m., and pull the blinds open in the morning and after 6 p.m. so they receive scattered sunlight. In winter, move them indoors to a place with visible scattered light, but also avoid direct sunlight. Among orchids, Cymbidium sinense has the strongest shade tolerance, followed by Cymbidium ensifolium, while Cymbidium goeringii and Cymbidium faberi have weaker shade tolerance.

6. Potting methods for orchid cultivation

The environment for cultivating orchids should be well ventilated, humid, and pollution-free. The orchid pot should be a tall pot, thick at the top and narrow at the bottom, with many drainage holes, or with drainage holes in the pot wall. The orchid pot itself should also have ornamental value.

Because orchids grow slowly, they can be repotted once every 1-2 years after the flowers fade. When potting, first fill the bottom of the pot with about 3 cm of tile pieces, furnace slag, etc., to facilitate drainage. Then, put in a layer of growing medium, then place the orchid seedling in the center of the pot, straighten the roots and let them spread naturally; when the soil is filled to halfway, lift the orchid seedling gently while shaking the pot so that the soil and roots combine tightly; when the soil is filled to 2-3 cm from the pot rim, press it gently with your hand. After planting, water thoroughly and place in a cool place, spray water once each in the morning and afternoon, and after about 7-10 days move to a cool place with dappled light for care.

7. Precautions for orchid cultivation

(1) Orchids are mainly distributed in the southeast and southwest regions. They mostly grow wild in shaded places under sparse forests in moist valleys and beside rocks, so they like a warm, humid climate and prefer shade and moisture, requiring 70%-90% shading, and fearing high temperature, dryness and strong light.

(2) During orchid cultivation, dead yellow old leaves and diseased or insect-damaged leaves should be constantly cut off to facilitate ventilation. After the flower buds emerge, each plant should keep one strong flower bud and cut off the rest, so as to avoid consuming too many nutrients and affecting flowering the next year. After the flowers fade, the flower stems should be cut off.

(3) In winter, attention should be paid to cold protection; terrestrial orchids have strong cold resistance, while tropical orchids require a higher overwintering temperature and should be moved indoors early or protected with plastic sheds to avoid freezing; the room temperature is best kept at 10-15°C, and attention should be paid to ventilation during indoor care. As the climate gradually warms in spring, gradually move the orchids to the courtyard or balcony.

(4) For home orchid cultivation, natural rainwater, stream water, well water and river water are best; if tap water is used, it should first be stored in a vat and exposed to the sun to remove bleaching powder before use; if tap water is used to water flowers for a long time, the growing medium will gradually become alkaline. Ferrous sulfate can be applied once at intervals to increase soil acidity; in addition, watering orchids with fermented rice-washing water can also keep the soil in a slightly acidic state.

8. Propagation methods for orchid cultivation

Orchids are mostly propagated by division and tissue culture, while seed sowing is used for breeding varieties.

(1) Division propagation: division is carried out in spring and autumn, varying with the species. Species that bloom in winter and spring should be divided in late autumn; species that bloom in summer and autumn should be divided in early spring before budding. Generally, divide once every 2-3 years. Before division, reduce watering so that the potting soil is appropriately dry; when dividing, hold the pot with your hands, gently knock the mother plant out of the pot, remove the soil, cut off the rotting roots and leaves, then wash clean with clear water, place in a shaded place to dry for 3-5 hours, and when the surface water has disappeared, the roots turn white, soften and slightly wrinkle, cut open from the middle of the pseudobulb with a sharp knife, apply plant ash to the cut to prevent rot, and plant immediately after drying in the shade. Be careful during division to prevent bruising the leaf buds and fleshy roots. After potting, place in a shaded place, and after growth resumes, transfer to normal management.

(2) Tissue culture rapid propagation: in recent years, our country has already used tissue culture technology for large-scale orchid production. In addition to propagating orchids, the propagation of tropical orchids such as Phalaenopsis, Cymbidium hybridum and Dendrobium also mostly uses tissue culture technology.

Orchid variety selection

There are many orchid varieties, and beginners growing orchids at home often do not know which orchids to choose and feel at a loss where to start. As ordinary enthusiasts who grow them for appreciation and do not spend much money, you can choose common Cymbidium goeringii, Cymbidium faberi, Cymbidium ensifolium, Cymbidium sinense and Cymbidium kanran. If you want to raise the grade of orchid growing, you can choose some famous varieties.

Among Cymbidium goeringii, famous varieties include Song Mei, Shiyuan, Longshi, Hanshi, Wanshi, Wentuan, Yumei, Zhengtonghe, Gaihe, Xishen, Yu Huidie, etc. If conditions permit, you can also grow Yangshi Suhe, Yangshi Sudie, Huanqiu He Ding and Lvyun; they are all the most representative and generally recognized better orchids among Cymbidium goeringii.

Among Cymbidium faberi, you can choose Chengmei, Dayipin and Jinshan Aosu.

For Cymbidium ensifolium, you can choose Dayemen and Longyansu.

For Cymbidium kanran, you can choose Suxin Hanlan.

Among Cymbidium sinense, you can choose Suxin Molan, Yinbian, Datun Qilin, Shenzhou Qi, etc.

Common orchid leaf symptoms:

1. Leaves yellowish but growth normal: light is too strong.

2. Leaves turning yellow, new shoots smaller: excessive light, lack of nitrogen fertilizer and necessary humidity.

3. Old leaves yellowing and falling off: normal aging or caused by repotting.

4. Old leaves rapidly yellowing and falling off: overwatering too frequently, improper repotting and planting.

5. Tips of new leaves scorched: excessive fertilization, unclean planting material.

6. Both new leaves and old plants have black scorched tips: excessive damp heat in the pot, with rotten roots among the root system.

7. New shoots emerge and then stop growing: there are rotten roots or unclean matter beside the new shoots; uncover the growing material around the new shoots, remove the unclean matter and growth resumes.

8. Scorch spots on leaves with no yellow around the edge: sunburn spots.

9. Leaf ends appear scalded and shriveled: the water temperature for watering is too high; the air temperature is too high when watering; exposure to sudden showers during high summer temperatures, etc.

10. New shoots rot at the heart: after water is poured into the shoot heart, the water cannot evaporate or be absorbed, and the growing material in the pot is unclean, causing leaf rot disease, etc.

11. Spots on leaves with water-soaked edges: excessive humidity, stuffiness caused by pot moisture combined with air humidity, accompanied by leaf rot bacteria. Poor ventilation and air flow.

12. Yellow-brown spots on leaves: caused by the roots being heated.

13. Irregular yellow spots on leaves, with leaf mesophyll tissue necrotic and sunken: caused by viral disease, also called “Baras”.

14. Small yellow spots on leaves: caused by beetles.

15. Purple-black appears on leaves, while the underside remains green: caused by low-temperature frost; phosphorus deficiency can also cause it.

16. Leaves dehydrated, pseudobulbs shriveled: caused by long-term excessive dryness and dehydration in the pot.