How to grow orchids? Good ventilation is key

Orchidsmust be in fresh air to carry out respiration and photosynthesis normally, promote metabolism, enhance the absorption and transport of water and nutrients, as well as the manufacture and accumulation of nutrients, and reducepests and diseases, so that the orchid plants grow strong and healthy. Therefore, only by doing a good job of ventilation and air exchange can the air be kept fresh andorchids。

1. Orchid plants mostly become diseased because the temperature and humidity of the micro-environment are too high, and it is stuffy and unventilated, allowing pathogens and pests to spread quickly, especially aphids, whiteflies, scale insects, brown spot disease, white silk disease and so on, which are the most obvious.

2. Ventilation of the site and shade shed. The site should be as spacious as possible and in a high place. The flower stand can be built with bricks or stones, or empty flower pots can be placed upside down, with the orchid pots set on them, so that the orchid pots are 20 cm to 40 cm above the ground. Especially in places with poor ventilation, the orchid pots should be placed as high as possible. For the shade shed, use bamboo curtains or bamboo fences, which are cheap and good, and provide good ventilation.

3. If indoor ventilation and air exchange are poor, the proportional relationship among the various gases in the air will change, harmful gases will increase, and useful gases will decrease, affecting theorchidgrowth and development, making them susceptible to mold, rot and other diseases, and they may even be poisoned. For houses, closed plastic sheds or glass sheds, especially those heated with coal, when the indoor temperature exceeds 10°C, windows should be opened or the film lifted every day. In winter, in rooms tightly closed on all sides, an electric fan should also be used for directional exhaust at noon when the temperature is high. The temperature in a greenhouse is generally higher at the top and lower at the bottom, so the air inlet should be at the lower part and the air outlet at the upper part, so that the ventilation speed is fast and harmful gases are removed more thoroughly. Note that ventilation should be combined with spraying water, properly handle the relationship among ventilation, heat preservation and moisture retention, and prevent cold wind from blowing directly. The density of orchid pots placed indoors should be sparse rather than dense, and sufficient distance should be maintained. If the space is narrow, the flower stand can be built in a stepped shape. Attention should be paid to frequently washing the surface of the orchid pots with water, and spraying the front and back of orchid leaves to ensure that the stomata are unobstructed.

4. Ventilation of pots and potting soil

1. Orchid pots should preferably be tall, high-footed, thin-walled, highly breathable clay pots, and orchid pots with many holes in the pot walls and bottom may also be selected.

2. The growing medium or potting soil should preferably use a layered method. If potting soil is used, cover the bottom hole of the pot with 2 to 3 small bricks, spread 3 cm thick lump charcoal, then fill in a mixed soil of decomposed humus soil and river sand up to 1/2 of the pot height, add a 3 cm thick layer of burned cinders, and cover it above with mixed soil up to the pot rim, so that the orchid pot has an environment where gas can easily circulate.

3. The number of plants planted per pot should not be too many. If there are many plants and the leaf clusters are dense, they should be repotted and divided in time, and weeds, diseased leaves and dead leaves in the orchid pots should be frequently removed to facilitate ventilation.