Analysis of the Impact of Soil Moisture in Chinese Orchid Cultivation

Water is an important component of plants. It accounts for about 70%-90% of the fresh weight of Chinese orchids. It is an indispensable factor for all physiological activities of Chinese orchids. Without water,orchids' various physiological activities would stop,orchidswould die. The moisture that affects the growth and development of Chinese orchids is mainly soil moisture and air humidity. When watering, water is first absorbed by the growing medium particles in the pot and enters the interior of the particles, which is called absorbed water; it cannot be used by plants. With continued watering, water is absorbed onto the surface of particles and into the gaps between them, which is called capillary water; it can be used by plants. After further watering, the water that flows freely in the soil is called gravitational water, and under good drainage conditions it can quickly flow away. After gravitational water in the soil drains away, the water content remaining is called field capacity. In Chinese orchidcultivation, it is advisable to maintain the growing medium moisture at 60%-70% of field capacity. When it is greater than 80%, the space contained in the growing medium decreases,orchidroot respiration is blocked and growth stops, and rotting is likely. When soil moisture is excessive, the concentration of the soil solution becomes too high, causing reverse osmosis in root cells and death. Incultivation, soil temperature is generally controlled by the frequency of watering. It has different effects on different varieties, different leaf textures, different plants, different growth stages, different temperatures... For example: fine-leaved Chinese orchids require relatively less water. Broad-leaved orchids need more water; those with thick and wrinkled leaves can be watered less, and increasing air humidity is sufficient; those with thin and flat leaves should be given more water and are best placed in a cooler, shadier spot; strong plants with many roots take up more water and can be given more water; weak and small plants with few roots do not easily grow roots when too wet; during the new shoot growth period, physiological activity is vigorous, so more water should be given; during the flowering period of mature plants, less water should be given, which can promote flower bud differentiation; during high-temperature periods, more water should be given to compensate for water evaporation; during low-temperature periods, less water should be given. (Wu Pinglang)