Methods for Keeping Orchid Leaves Green and Glossy
It is said that flowers are enjoyed for a few days, but leaves for years on end. The gloss, cleanliness and intactness of orchid leaves are not only a standard for gauging how healthy an orchid is, but also a test of the orchid-growing skill of the grower. Although the orchids many orchid enthusiasts grow may look healthy and produce shoots normally, their leaves are coarse, lusterless and listless, and some have water stains, pesticide stains, dust and other serious contamination on the leaf surface. Even if such orchid plants are rare and expensive named cultivars, they are hard to present in refined settings! They lack orchid elegance, and their quality is very low! At the request of orchid enthusiasts, the author introduces a few small tips on this issue for reference! Please correct me where I have fallen short!
A few points briefly stated:
1. The water sprayed on the leaf surface should be clean and contain little or no impurities (in the author's experience, long-term use of tap water for leaf spraying produces scale; the solution is to add an appropriate amount of edible white vinegar to the tap water, let it stand for more than two days, and gently take the clear liquid from the surface). A TDS meter can also be used to test water quality (the conductivity value of dissolved substances in the water); the lower the value, the purer the water! The original value of tap water is between 50 and 300.
2. Do not apply too much fungicide to the leaf surface. Generally, pesticide residues last more than 15-20 days, and pesticides should not be repeatedly applied within that interval. If an orchid has already been infected by pathogens, it must be managed in isolation, and after the orchid has recovered, it can return to the orchid room for normal management; it is recommended to use fungicides in liquid form as much as possible.
3. Increase the relative air humidity of the orchid room to prevent dry wind, hot wind or strong wind from blowing on and damaging the orchid leaves. If orchids are grown on a rooftop or balcony, corresponding humidifying equipment should be added to intervene in the microclimate and keep the air humidity at around 70%-80%.
4. Seal the orchid room to reduce dust entering the orchid room and contaminating the leaves. If conditions permit, a wet curtain can be used to filter the dirty air entering from outside, making the air in the orchid room moist and fresh! This is beneficial for gas exchange and orchid growth!
5. It is recommended to apply a special foliar fertilizer for foliage plants that contains comprehensive trace elements; it dissolves quickly, is well absorbed, leaves no residue, and will not cause leaf surface contamination. Major elements such as urea and monopotassium phosphate are best used for pot application. If topdressing outside the roots is needed, it must not be excessive or too frequent. Foliar application of major elements should not exceed twelve times per year, that is, at most once a month, including both the growth period and the dormant period!
6. Regularly flush the orchids with a large amount of water to clean the leaves and prevent the accumulation of pesticide stains, inorganic salt stains and other harmful substances and impurities! After each flushing, ventilate promptly and blow dry the water in the leaf sheaths to prevent heart rot, and pay even more attention during the shoot period!