Key Technical Points for Overwintering Orchids and Orchid Room Management

The flower benches in an orchid room can be made from various materials, with the aim of receiving plenty of sunlight and allowing air circulation above and below. The size of a dedicated orchid room can be determined by the number of pots being grown and future prospects for expansion. The length, width and narrowness of the orchid benches can also be arranged flexibly according to the indoor area, but in all cases ease of operation and good ventilation and light penetration should be the priority. During indoor overwintering management of terrestrial orchids, special attention must be paid to temperature and humidity. In severe cold seasons, the potting soil of potted orchids can be slightly drier than when grown in the open aircultivation. When the temperature is too low, the orchid room must have heating equipment. Under normal circumstances, maintaining a room temperature of around 10°C is sufficient. Traditionally, charcoal was used for heating; in modern times, central heating, air conditioning and various electric heaters and infrared heaters are also used. These devices are very beneficial for plant development, but the cost is relatively high. Cymbidium goeringii (Spring Orchid) without flower budsCymbidium goeringiiandCymbidium faberican be moved out of the room after "Jingzhe" (Awakening of Insects), while all types oforchidswith flower buds must wait until after "Qingming" (Pure Brightness) before being moved outdoors for cultivation. In winter management, as long as they are not directly exposed to cold wind, they can be placed outdoors. However, they must never be exposed to rain.When cultivatedoutdoors, as long as the temperature does not drop below 5°C, they will not be frostbitten, but the pots are prone to cracking. In addition, if the pots are in a completely dry state with no moisture at all and are simultaneously exposed to freezing, the roots will be damaged. Therefore, care must be taken not to let them lack water.When cultivatedindoors, the relative humidity in the room must be kept above 70% at all times. Once the humidity is insufficient, the flower buds may fail to grow and open. (Lin Qingde, Mu Wei)