There are many matters to attend to in orchid care during summer, and the key management points cannot be overlooked.

Blooming in summerflowers ofOrchidsmainly includeSijilan (four-season orchid)orchid, XiaHanlan (summer cymbidium), deciduous orchids, rabbit-ear orchids; from late summer into autumn there are also autumn orchids,Hanlan (cold-season cymbidium), etc. Those blooming in summer and autumn are mostly fine-leaf orchids. Appreciating orchids in summer mostly means appreciating flowering orchids.SijilanorchidThe colored-centered and plain-centered forms bloom one after another, mostly with a sweet fragrance; on scorching midsummer days, this scent truly refreshes the heart and mind. The orchid leaves are leisurely, the orchid fragrance is clear and elegant, giving a feeling of tranquility and coolness; in such a scene, it is more than a little helpful for beating the heat.

    When appreciating orchids in summer, some orchid matters cannot but be taken into account.

    1. Beware of orchids suffering heatstroke. Exposure to the sun, the reflected heat from cement floors and walls, and sudden watering or rainstorms during rapid heating can all cause orchid heatstroke, with the leaf stomata closing up, the whole plant listless and lacking vitality. Some are even triggered into developing Bairas disease. A few years ago, in an orchid garden surrounded on all sides by cement walls, I saw the scene of orchids suffering heatstroke in midsummer: batches developed Bairas disease, flower buds and leaf buds all stopped growing, and the orchid plants became diseased from the baking heat. In view of this, during the intense heat of midsummer, orchids should be given morning and evening sunlight, and in the morning when the air is extremely dry, sudden watering is not suitable. Orchids are half-shade, half-sun plants; appropriate light can promote more flowers and fragrance, but they must not be exposed to the sun. Appropriate moisture can make orchids vigorous; if the orchid pot has good drainage, watering and washing the orchid leaves every morning and evening in midsummer will let the water flow completely out through the hole at the bottom of the pot, causing no harm to the orchid. If warm water accumulates, however, it will cause heatstroke and damage the roots.

    2. Beware of orchid fertilizer burn. In summer, because of high temperatures and strong sunlight, orchids grow quickly and need more water and fertilizer. But because of poor control, situations of fertilizer burn often occur when people are eager to make orchids grow fast and bloom more. Fertilizer water that is too concentrated, applied too frequently, applied during intense heat, or poured into the middle of the orchid clump or onto the orchid seedling crowns can all cause fertilizer burn. It is best to apply diluted fertilizer at night when it is cool, along the edge of the pot, and then rinse through with clear water the next morning, so as to avoid baking heat and fertilizer burn.

    3. Beware ofsoft rotdisease and white silk disease; these two diseases often occur under high temperature and high humidity. Observe more often, and once discovered, move the whole pot away and treat it with fungicide to avoid contagion. Barnyard manure and already-rotted sphagnum are most likely to induce these two diseases, so pay extra attention. If some orchid clumps are infected with this kind of disease and are not easy to cure by sterilization, the pot can be emptied and the rotted parts separated off; the healthy parts of the orchid plants can be sterilized and planted in another pot. All the original potting medium must be discarded far away, and the original pot can only be reused after high-temperature sterilization; rescue work must be timely.

    4. When appreciating flowers, also protect the flowers. Generally, when the flowers have reached full bloom and begin to fade, that is, when one or two flowers have already withered, the flowers can be cut off to avoid consuming too many nutrients and affecting future sprouting and flowering.

    5. If it is an orchid garden with many and abundant flowers, the flowers can be picked and dried in the shade to make orchid tea, or soaked in honey to make candied orchid (which has a cough-relieving effect). But if the orchids in the whole garden have been sprayed with pesticide, their flowers should be used with caution to avoid pesticide poisoning.

    6. When appreciating flowers, also select flowers. Summer and autumn are mostly the flowering seasons for fine-leaf orchids; there are many kinds of fine-leaf orchids, and there are also many opportunities for flower selection. At this time, orchid associations and orchid friends can organize mutual appreciation and mutual selection, selecting several varieties each year, and in three to five years there will be a large number of varieties to enjoy.

    Growing flowers and appreciating flowers may seem like what idle people do, but in fact people who love flowers are often diligent and busy; busy within leisure, leisure within busyness, this isorchid growingthe joy of a person, and the scorching summer is the same.