Orchid Home Box-Style Intensive Cultivation Methods and Techniques

In urban householdsorchidcultivation, manyorchidenthusiasts use balconies and rooftops asorchid-growingsites, which are not large in area. After collecting a certain number ofwild-collected orchidsor adding new varieties, they are often limited by space and cannot expand theircultivationvolume, so many favorite varieties cannot be planted or introduced, or after the original varieties have beencultivatedand propagated, their numbers increase and the original number of flower pots cannot hold them. To solve this contradiction, the author tried using the box-style intensive cultivation method to cultivateorchidsand achieved satisfactory results. With this method, the utilization rate of the same area can be increased by 2-3 times. The author's balcony of just over 20 sq m grows about 30,000 orchid plants, and they grow well, whereas with pot cultivation at most 200-300 pots, about several thousand plants, can be grown. The reason is that flower pots are round, wide at the top and narrow at the bottom, and take up a lot of space. The box cultivation method uses plastic boxes (the author uses pesticide calcium-plastic packaging boxes. The specifications are (43x34xZdem). The advantages are light weight and resistance to rot. Holes are drilled in all four sides of the lower layer and the bottom of the box to facilitate drainage. The lower layer is padded with coarse drainage material 5 cm thick, and on top is spread humus soil or other light planting material suitable for orchid growth, about 13 cm. According to the size of the orchid plants, they are planted at a certain row spacing, preferably not too dense. TakingCymbidium goeringiiand Chun Jian as examples: about 200 seedlings can be planted per box, and 100-150 mature plants can be planted. After planting, bricks are placed underneath so that the bottom is more than 20 cm above the ground, and they are arranged neatly. A frame can also be built for three-dimensional placement, with ventilation and light penetration being preferable. To avoid the easy spread ofpests and diseasesdue to high density, fungicides or insecticides should be sprayed regularly. Chlorothalonil, thiophanate-methyl, carbendazim, omethoate, deltamethrin, etc. can be used alternately for spraying. Box-style intensive cultivation is suitable for the domestication ofwild-collected orchidsand variety selection. For the sake of easy management and appreciation, high-grade fine orchids should still be potted. Correspondence address: Supply and Marketing Cooperative of Sangshu Town, Anxian County, Sichuan Province (Chen Jian)