Detailed Guide to Orchid Potting Media and Fertilizer Use
Aiguo is a variety from the early striped-leaf (zhongban) type in Taiwan, China. Its characteristic is that the striped pattern shows first, and after the plant matures the white stripe pattern carries moss-like markings. It is the representative of this type, and later this kind of striped-leaf variety was commonly called Aiguo-type, such as Ruiyu, referring to the standard striped-leaf type.
Recommended, hard to look at:Appreciation and Care of Cymbidium goeringii video Tip:Front-stolon seedling =newly grown mature seedling
Common formula:Kanuma stone (medium) 35%, Sendou soil (small and medium) 45%,
peat soil 10%, bark (rotted) and peanut shells (rotted) 5% each
Author: Lan164
1. Potting media (the media must be sterilized at high temperature)
Kanuma stone, large and medium mixed, mixed at 3 to 7.
Baked clay soil, likewise large and medium mixed, mixed at 3 to 7.
Yunnan chestnut leaves, pick the thick and hard ones; I bought mine from f123
Rotted peanut shells, must be thoroughly rotted, piled outside for at least one year, and when using, rub them a bit smaller.
Tree fern fiber, too expensive, just put in a token amount.
Sendou soil: when using plastic pots, add very little; only with clay pots and sweating-clay pots increase the proportion.
This is the mixed standard potting media: hard 6, soft 4
Kanuma stone and baked clay soil make up about 60%, peanut shells and chestnut leaves about 35%, and tree fern fiber, Sendou soil, and foam pellets about 5%.
After mixing the media, rinse twice to wash away the dust, then set aside and keep moist.
The top-dressing media is simpler: small-grade Kanuma stone and baked clay soil mixed half and half. Then add a little tree fern fiber, crushed leaves, and such.
With this kind of media prepared, growing orchids will be much more convenient for you.
When planting, look at the condition of the plant and the pot and adjust the media proportions slightly:
Strong plants with good roots can have about 5% more leaves and peanut shells added to increase organic matter.
Clay pots and sweating-clay pots have good drainage, so add a bit of Sendou soil and small-grade Kanuma stone and baked clay soil to make the media finer, which benefits strong plants.
The Bubugao I just unpotted, repotting into a red sweating-clay Jingzhong pot.
Added a moderate amount of Sendou soil, small-grade baked clay soil, and Kanuma stone. Also mixed in some old media to help it establish quickly.
Generally the media must not cover the pseudobulb, otherwise new shoots grow very slowly. Just align the pseudobulb with the rim of the pot! Work complete, take a photo, hehe.
2. Fertilizer section
Main fertilizers: Hyponex No. 2, 3, 4, 5, Osmocote,
Sheep manure (sheep manure piled for over a year, naturally rotted, odorless, no need to boil; I really like adding sheep manure, a slow-release organic fertilizer, mild, does not harm roots).
These fertilizers all have a history of use experience, safe and reliable.
Osmocote and sheep manure are base fertilizers, used when potting up.
I place them like this: in three layers, at the very bottom about 15 granules of Osmocote, in the middle a small handful of sheep manure, also 10-plus granules, and in the upper layer Osmocote and sheep manure mixed, about 10 granules each.
The drawing is not good, just make do with looking at it.
Note: for weak plants and plants with poor roots, do not add base fertilizer; keep it mild to grow roots. Newly potted orchids must be watered thoroughly repeatedly (settling water)!