How to care for orchids through the four seasons? A detailed guide to year-round care and management

OrchidsFour seasonsHow to cultivate

Orchids are a traditional famous flower of our country. Their elegance and purity represent the character and civilization of the Chinese nation, and they are often cherished and admired by people. But people still always think that "orchids are hard to grow," which is actually not the case. Orchids originate from under the trees in mountain valleys, growing alongside grasses and trees. They are not delicate by nature, with weak bodies and tender constitutions. As long as you understand and master their ecological habits and strive to create environmental conditions suitable for their growth, they can certainly be grown well. The ancients of our country long ago had the "four abstentions" oforchid growingexperience. That is, "do not take them out in spring, do not expose them to the sun in summer, do not let them dry out in autumn, do not keep them wet in winter."
　
"Do not take them out in spring" means orchids like moisture, and spring is windy and dry with relatively low temperatures. To avoid damage from cold winds, orchids should not be taken out of the room in spring and should be kept in a semi-lit place indoors. ButCymbidium goeringiiand Lichun orchids need to be placed in a sunny spot near the windowsill.
　
"Do not expose them to the sun in summer" means orchids by nature like shade and coolness, and dislike direct sunlight, especially fearing exposure to the scorching sun. Therefore, in summer they need to be kept in a cool, well-ventilated, semi-shaded place. Among orchids, the degree of shade tolerance is greatest inCymbidium sinense, followed byCymbidium ensifolium, while Cymbidium goeringii and Cymbidium faberi need more sunlight.

"Do not let them dry out in autumn" means that in autumn orchids (especially Cymbidium ensifolium) are in the bud-forming stage and like a moist, cool environment best. If the potting soil or air is dry, it is unfavorable for their growth and development, the leaves easily turn yellow and flowers and buds drop, and flowering the following year is affected. So in autumn the amount of watering should be appropriately increased, and the leaves should often be misted. Around the Autumn Equinox, appropriately apply more decomposed dilute liquid fertilizer. During the flowering period, spray the leaves 1-2 times with 0.2% potassium dihydrogen phosphate or apply wood ash water at the roots, which is very beneficial for promoting the development of orchid roots, stems, andflowers.

"Do not keep them wet in winter" means that in winter orchids are in a dormant state and watering needs to be controlled, generally keeping the potting soil alternating between dry and moist. If watered excessively, the roots easily rot. Only Cymbidium sinense blooms in winter, so it should be watered more.