Exploration and Sharing of Orchid Growing Experience on a Balcony

I live in public housing, a two-room unit plus a three-square-meter balcony. The living conditions are not very spacious, and theorchidgrowing conditions are not very good either. But because of my special affection fororchids, in order togrow orchidsI racked my brains over the balcony, making reasonable use of the corners, and combined this with the practice ofcultivatingorchids, gaining deep insights. In order to popularize orchidFloralcultivation, I would like to discuss this together with the broad community of orchid enthusiasts, especially those with similar housing conditions, and thereby offer a modest contribution to spark greater discussion. When I first startedgrowing orchids, I had few orchid pots and little experience, so my understanding was not deep. Several pots ofCymbidium faberibought from the market all rotted to death due to improper watering and careless choice of growing medium. Afterwards, through exchanges with fellow orchid growers and study of orchid books, and by subscribing to "Chinese Orchids" and "Orchids" magazines, I benefited greatly. I came to understand thatorchid growingis in fact very much about caring for the roots; the leaves are a reflection of root health, and a very important point in root care is aeration. Among these, the selection of growing medium, the choice of orchid pots, the application of fertilizer, the degree of light, the control of humidity, and so on, are all interrelated factors, and some of these relationships are dialectical. Once you understand the subtleties involved, it is like having an intuitive grasp; this intuition is the accumulation of experience and the elevation gained after failure. My initial orchidFloralgrowing was not smooth, and there was also the issue of choosing the growingFloralenvironment and medium. For this reason, I built a warm shed outside the balcony. Since it is public housing, I put some thought into the considerations. The warm shed is 120cm long, 65cm wide, 70cm high on the inside and 50cm high on the outside (only such environmental conditions were possible). It is entirely made of stainless steel square tubing, with triangular brackets below and a pair of hanging lugs pulling from the upper outer edge. The strength and sturdiness are safe. On the two lug tension lines I installed shade netting. The top of the orchid shed is covered with four glass panels; by moving the glass to open it to different degrees, the humidity of the warm shed can be controlled at the same time. The front face of the warm shed is made into two sections, each with two movable glass panels, normally closed. The left and right sides are entirely sealed with transparent plastic panels. The lower part of all three sides of the entire warm shed leaves a 5-8cm ventilation gap (because one side faces into the balcony). Before the weather turns warm, these three ventilation channels are sealed with plastic panels. The bottom of the warm shed is sealed with plastic panels, and on top is laid a carpet. The carpet has very strong water absorption. Normally, especially starting in late April, the carpet can be soaked full of water, and orchid pots are placed on top. Under the effect of temperature, a current of moisture rises upward, and the four glass panels on top control the humidity. In two years of practice, I found that the temperature and humidity inside the warm shed are very ideal, the lower part of the orchid pots has suitable ventilation, the leaves are moist and glossy, and there is no tip burn. But note that the leaves should as much as possible not lean against the glass or the stainless steel frame, because the temperature on these two media is relatively high and can scald the leaves. Through two years of practice, every pot of orchids sends out two to four young shoots each year, growing vigorously, upright and graceful. When the weather is good, in the morning and evening I spray water mist into the shed again, sometimes adding nitrogen fertilizer, sometimes adding monopotassium phosphate, depending on the growth condition of the orchid plants. Spray as much as possible on the undersides of the orchid leaves, and be careful not to let water drip from the leaves; it is enough to form fine particles on the leaf surface. When the weather is muggy and hot, try not to spray; the consideration is that after spraying, it is best if it can dry promptly. Of course, depending on the difference in growing medium in the pots, the rhythm of routine watering also differs; this is a point to note. An environment without humidity control can keep orchids alive, but cannot grow orchids well. In such a small environment, to a certain extent, temperature, humidity and aeration are satisfied, and the orchid plants grow well. But such an environment still will not do in the high heat of summer and in winter. Considering this situation, the orchids must be moved inside the balcony. Inside the balcony I made a four-tier stainless steel orchid rack. The rack is 220cm high, 90cm long and 40cm wide, fitting exactly into one side of the balcony without obstructing the placement of other furniture, and it is also quite ornamental. In winter it can protect against the cold outside, and in summer it can avoid the scorching sun. At the same time, on the upper part of the orchid rack, that is, on the balcony ceiling, a small fan can be run to create air circulation and improve the muggy heat of summer. The above are some of my feelings after making the orchid shed and orchid rack myself. In short, I feel that the making of the orchid shed and orchid rack is simple and feasible, and for ordinary salaried people and orchid enthusiasts with limited living space, it is also effective. For this reason, I hope fellow orchid growers with similar setups can discuss this together so as to improve. Growing and tending orchids, although it is a slow and delicate process, sometimes taking three to five years from small seedlings and weak seedlings to large plants and strong plants and then to flowering, it is precisely because it is a slow process that so many orchid enthusiasts devote themselves quietly and pursue it tirelessly. The process of growing orchids is full of charm. Tending orchids is like caring for living beings that Heaven has graciously left to the world. The quality of the orchid plants' growth and their subtle changes make one concerned and uplifted. No other flower can make people as infatuated as orchids. Life needs hobbies, and life needs charm; this is part of human emotion. In order to popularize orchid cultivation, for the joy of growing orchids, to reach deeply and widely among the people and be accepted by the broad masses, grow orchids with an ordinary mind and step out of the shadow of orchid people hyping high prices. Let people focus more on the process of growing orchids, cultivating the mind and pleasing the spirit, immersing themselves in the elegance and refinement of orchids. Publicize more, hold more orchid exhibitions, publish more orchid magazines, and raise the public profile of orchids in society. This is the true path for the orchid cause to move toward the masses. Zhuang Jinfa Shanghai Foundation Engineering Company (Room 203, No. 37, Yanji Third Village, Yangpu District, Shanghai)