How to grow orchids? Avoid these common care mistakes
OrchidsCultivation: growingorchidsSeveral common mistakes
Understanding thegrowth habits of variousorchids, and achieving “knowing orchidsand growing them”, is the basic skill for growing orchids well. A small number of orchid growers, especially beginners, due to a lack of knowledge aboutorchid plants' growth patterns and habits, adopt some unrealistic practices that violate scientific management in the care oforchid plantsregarding watering, fertilizing, planting, and applying treatments, which affectsorchid plants' growth. The main common mistakes in failing to grow orchids well are roughly 5 kinds:
1. Formulaic fixed watering methods
Water is the source of life for orchids and the foundation of growth. With proper water, flowers flourish; with water mistakes, all is lost. Therefore, mastering the watering of orchid plants is the key to growing orchids well, and there has never been a fixed “method” for watering orchids. “There is only a unified principle of watering, never a unified method of watering.” One must never adopt a rigid and unrealistic formulaic watering method. For example, some people believe: “Water once every 3 days in spring, once every 7 days in winter.” This is a watering method derived from another person's conditions and environment, and it may not suit your own orchid watering. If you mechanically apply someone else's watering method, it can only harm the growth of orchid plants.
Watering orchids is a complex matter in daily management. It must be based on the season (water more in the hot, dry summer; water less or not at all during the plum rain season; water less in early spring when temperatures are lower; water more in the mild late spring during the sprouting period; water more in the dry autumn). Weather (water more on sunny days, less on cloudy days, not much when rain is imminent, and not at all on rainy (or snowy) days). Light (water more in sunny, well-ventilated, drier locations; water less in locations with insufficient sunlight, poorer ventilation, and more moisture). Growing medium (water more with granular media, less with orchid mud media). Pot type (water more in clay tile pots, less in ceramic and plastic pots). Orchid plants (water more for strong seedlings, less for diseased plants and weak seedlings, and less or not at all for orchids needing rescue; water more when there are many plants in the pot, less when there are few; water more during the growth period or bud gestation period, less during dormancy; water more during the sprouting period, less after sprouting; water more when flower buds appear, less during the flowering period, stop watering for several days after flowers fade, and water again after removing flowers and dormancy). Environment (the orchid-growing environment includes region and location; with good ventilation, lower air humidity, and strong transpiration, water more; otherwise, water less). Variety (different orchid varieties have somewhat different water requirements, such asCymbidium faberi、Cymbidium kanranwhich are drought-tolerant and relatively should be kept drier,Cymbidium goeringii、Cymbidium sinensewhich are moisture-tolerant and relatively should be kept moister). And other factors. Combining all these, form your own flexible and scientific watering method.
Previous generations summarized orchid plant watering: there is the “four add, five reduce, six skip” watering method, which has good reference value and guiding significance for orchid-growing enthusiasts.
“Four cases to add water”: add when the heat is too intense, add when the north wind is too strong, add when near many sunny spots, add when the pot is small and the orchids are thriving.
“Five cases to reduce water”: reduce when it rains frequently, reduce when the pot medium is breaking down, reduce when near many shaded spots, reduce when the pot is large and the orchids are small, reduce when orchid heads turn black and leaf tips appear.
“Six cases to skip water”: skip when it rains, skip when it is cloudy, skip when it snows, skip when about to change the medium, skip when about to apply tea seed cake or tobacco stem (that is, when about to apply pesticide), skip when about to repot.
In short, “planting orchids is easy, watering is hard.” There is a folk saying: “Understanding orchid growing takes a moment, mastering watering takes three years of skill.” This tells us that it cannot be mastered overnight; it takes a certain amount of time to explore and comprehend through practice, and gradually accumulate experience, in order to achieve mastery and grasp the essentials of watering. Formulaic fixed watering methods are not advisable.
2. Indecisive medium selection, endless repotting.
① Indecisive medium selection. The growing medium is the foundation of orchid growth, and choosing a good medium is crucial for growing orchids well. According to the growth characteristics of orchids, a good medium should have conditions such as loose and airy, easy drainage, comprehensive nutrition, moderate acidity and alkalinity, and clean and sterile. With the development of the orchid industry, there are more and more orchid growing media, including organic media such as humus soil, peat soil, pond mud, coconut shell, peanut shell, sawdust, tree bark, leaves, moss, etc. There are inorganic media such as phytolite, volcanic stone, pond foundation stone, weathered stone, coarse river sand, brick granules, pumice, coal cinder, etc. There are also granular media specially made for orchids, such as sente, vermiculite, various nutrient soils, active soil, etc. You can choose freely. But there is no perfect medium in the world; each has its advantages and each has its weaknesses. You only need to master its characteristics, carry out scientific blending, and achieve maximizing benefits while avoiding harm. Orchid plants have strong adaptability. All kinds of media can grow orchids well as long as water and fertilizer management is proper. Therefore, the medium you choose is not necessarily the best, but the most suitable one, suitable for your environment, orchid plants, methods, and personal habits. As long as in your cultivation practice you determine that a certain medium can adapt to your orchid growth, that is enough. Do not “change upon hearing others' words in the morning and change again by evening” and repeatedly switch media. Too much repotting and changing of media will affect the orchid's nutrient absorption and normal development. Each repotting and medium change requires the re-generation of orchid mycorrhiza and adaptation to a new environment. The orchid seedlings will be in a suppressed state for a period and stop growing. Especially old seedlings and weak seedlings may very likely be worn out to death.
② Endless repotting. Repotting is an important measure in orchid care. Because during the cultivation of orchid plants, there will always be some phenomena that hinder their growth, which must be solved by repotting and changing media. Generally there are seven situations requiring repotting: First, after two or three years of potted orchid growing, because the nutrients in the medium have been exhausted and cannot meet the needs of continued development of the orchid seedlings, the seedlings appear thin and short; Second, after years of water and sun exposure, orchid mud has changed in structure, the medium has become compacted, affecting air permeability and water drainage; Third, too many orchid seedlings have grown, with tangled roots, leaving no space for new seedlings and new roots to continue developing, which also affects the normal growth environment of old seedlings; Fourth, the medium has been infected by bacteria, fungi, or viruses, bringing a survival crisis to the orchid plants; Fifth, repotting for the coordination and uniformity of pots and media. Sixth, repotting to produce more seedlings for separate planting. Seventh, repotting for division and exchange or sale. But one must never repot frequently at will; repot when it should be done, and try not to repot when it should not be done.
At the same time, repotting cannot be done in a purely formulaic way. It must be based on the condition of the orchids, with different repotting treatments for different orchid conditions. Repot with purpose and targeted approach. For example: for diseased plants: the focus of “repotting” is sterilization and disinfection. Strictly prune, wash, disinfect, and dry the roots of diseased plants, and soak them in root-promoting solution. Then dry the roots again, pot them, and replace with freshcultivationmedium. Not a single step can be omitted. Although sterilization also kills the beneficial orchid mycorrhiza symbiotic with orchid plants, leading to a temporary pause in orchid growth, that is, the negative effect of the acclimation period, exchanging sterilization and elimination of harm for the life of the orchid plants is completely worthwhile.
For disease-free weak plants: the focus of repotting is to supplement nutrient supply. In this case there is no need to disinfect the substrate; only simple pruning, soaking in root-growth-promoting hormone, and replacing with fertile medium for potting. Water with “root-setting water” after two days. This achieves both supplementing fertility and reducing damage to beneficial symbiotic fungi, shortening the acclimation period.
For disease-free strong plants. The focus of repotting is to solve the problem of expanding a small pot, so there is also no need for overly detailed work. Simply rinse, prune, divide, and replace part of the substrate for potting. However, for some that have suffered disease or whose roots are mostly damaged, it is still necessary to soak them in medicinal solution for a period. But before soaking in medicine, there is no need to rinse with clean water, because orchid roots rinsed with clean water will rapidly expand in a short time, hindering the absorption and effectiveness of the medicine. If rinsed with clean water, they need to be dried before soaking in medicinal solution.
Repotting also has its timing. Mastering the suitable timing for repotting and planting orchid plants is an important part of growing orchid plants well. In the orchid classic “Linghai Lan Yan”, the “six taboos” of planting orchids are mentioned: “Do not plant in extreme summer heat, do not plant in severe cold, do not plant under blazing sun, do not plant weak plants, do not plant when orchid buds are opening, do not plant in heavy rain (qiang: orchid plant).” Division and planting should avoid these. This clearly tells us that under these six conditions, orchids should not be planted and these should be avoided. It also says: “Dividing and potting orchids is like people living apart. If they are too crowded and not divided, the roots wither; if not yet crowded and frequently divided, the leaves weaken. With proper cultivation, generally ordinary varieties are divided once every three years, and precious varieties once every five years, which is most appropriate (ordinary varieties: general orchids, precious varieties: high-grade orchids). Divide Cymbidium goeringii after the spring equinox, and divide autumn orchids after Minor Cold. At this time old leaves have fully receded and new buds are about to grow, with virtually no failure.” This clearly points out the suitable timing for planting orchids. The summaries of predecessors have important guiding significance for the division and planting of orchid plants. Generally, the traditional repotting season should be at the spring equinox or autumn equinox. In the north, it should be after the spring equinox or before the autumn equinox. Due to differences in climate among regions, we can also control by temperature. Generally, a low temperature above 10 degrees Celsius and a high temperature below 30 degrees Celsius are suitable temperatures for normal repotting. Accordingly, the time for orchid repotting is generally most suitable in spring and autumn. At this time orchid plants are in their mature stage, and the damage rate can be reduced to a minimum. In the first half of the year, it is best from the spring equinox to Grain Rain. At this time the flowering period has ended, leaf buds have not yet sprouted, and they are not easily damaged by freezing, so repotting can be done in good time. In the second half of the year, it is best from the autumn equinox to Frost's Descent. Orchids will enter dormancy, and repotting at this time will have less impact on orchid growth. After resting and recuperating through winter and accumulating nutrients, by spring they can bloom and sprout very well. Mastering the timing of orchid plant division and propagation is also an important part of caring well for orchids.
Therefore, repotting is simple, but its operation has complexity and scientific aspects. Proper repotting can promote active vegetative growth, improve the disease resistance and rejuvenation ability and sprouting rate of orchid plants, and bring vigorous vitality to orchids. If repotting is improper, it can also bring potential crises to orchids. Especially for some diseased and weak seedlings, it will accelerate their death. For this reason, repotting is not only an important part of orchid plant care, but also a skill that every orchid grower must experience and master. If one does not follow their habits and requirements and operates arbitrarily, repotting will not be done well, and orchid plants will instead suffer disaster. Therefore, one must work hard on repotting and planting, adopt the guiding ideology of “seven parts planting, three parts management,” and not blindly repot at will.
3. Unrealistic random fertilizing.
Fertilizing orchid plants cannot be done on a whim, fertilizing whenever one pleases, applying whatever fertilizer one wants, and not mixing according to proportions. This kind of unrealistic random fertilizing can only harm the growth of orchid plants. Fertilizing must be scientific, realistic, and considered comprehensively according to season, temperature, seedling condition, orchid species, medium, growth stage, and so on. It cannot be done randomly, nor can a single fertilizer be used. Fertilizing must be accurate and targeted, supplementing whatever nutrient is lacking and fertilizing at the right time, and correctly preparing according to the specified proportions of water and fertilizer. At the same time, adhere to the principle of light fertilizer applied frequently, do not apply concentrated fertilizer, and avoid fertilizer damage. The following are several manifestations of unrealistic random fertilizing:
① Using one fertilizer all the way through. Orchid plants need fertilizer in many aspects. They need 9 major element fertilizers (carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, sulfur) and also 7 trace element fertilizers (iron, manganese, copper, zinc, molybdenum, boron, chlorine). If one fertilizer is used all the way through, it will not only fail to meet the fertilizer needs of orchid plants, but instead cause single nutrient composition and affect orchid growth. Especially nitrogen fertilizer, when applied too much and exceeding the amount, will make the medium solution concentration too high, thus forming salt damage and affecting normal orchid growth. If plants lack a certain element, it will have a certain impact on the growth and flowering of orchid plants, showing certain “symptoms.” For example, lack of boron will affect the flowering and flower quality of orchid plants; when iron is lacking, symptoms of insufficient green appear on the leaf veins of tillering small seedlings. ……….
② Random fertilizing regardless of season and climate. Fertilizing must first consider the season: apply more during spring and autumn when seedlings are growing and flowering, and apply less or not at all during winter and summer when orchid plants are dormant. Second, consider climate: do not apply on rainy days (fertilizer is washed away by rain, greatly reducing fertilizer effectiveness). Do not apply in high-temperature and low-temperature weather (orchid plants are dormant, fertilizing harms roots). If one violates the natural laws of plant growth, fertilizing randomly regardless of season and climate, the result can only be the opposite of what is desired and harmful to the growth of orchid plants.
③ Random fertilizing regardless of seedling condition. Based on the growth patterns and habits of orchid plants, orchid predecessors summarized the principle: “Adapt to the orchid, determine fertilizer by seedling condition, prefer dilute over concentrated, apply lightly at the right time.” That is to say, for fertilizing orchids, first, do not apply too much; apply light fertilizer frequently. Second, fertilize differently according to the fertilizer needs of different orchid varieties. Generally speaking, Cymbidium faberi, Cymbidium sinense,Cymbidiumensifoliumneed more fertilizer than Cymbidium goeringii,Cymbidium tortisepalumand Cymbidium kanran: taller plants need more fertilizer than shorter plants, and granular media need more fertilizer than humus media. Plain-hearted orchids require less fertilizer than other orchids; precious varieties should be given dilute fertilizer; variegated-leaf varieties should be given less nitrogen and magnesium fertilizer. Third, determine fertilizer by seedling condition, that is, strong seedlings can be fertilized more; newly planted orchid plants, old and weak orchid plants, and diseased orchid plants should not be given root-drenching fertilizer, but may be appropriately sprayed with foliar fertilizer to maintain growth needs. Fourth, consider growth stage: during the vegetative growth stage of orchids, apply mainly nitrogen fertilizer, along with potassium fertilizer, to ensure robust plant growth; during the bud gestation period, that is, the reproductive stage of orchid plants, phosphorus fertilizer needs to be supplemented. This helps orchid plants bloom well. When orchid plants enter dormancy, apply less or no fertilizer.
④ Applying concentrated fertilizer arbitrarily. Fertilizing should be correctly prepared according to the specified proportions of water and fertilizer, and at the same time adhere to the principle of light fertilizer applied frequently, not applying concentrated fertilizer, to avoid fertilizer damage.
Because orchid roots have very good absorption capacity, applying concentrated fertilizer can easily dehydrate the roots, and the symbiotic fungi in the roots are also easily killed by concentrated fertilizer. Therefore, fertilizing should follow the principle of “light fertilizer applied frequently.”
From the experience summarized by predecessors, scientific fertilizing should adhere to the principle of “four more, four less, five not”: Four more are: apply more when flowers appear yellow and thin, apply more before sprouting, apply more during bud gestation, apply more after flowering; Four less are: apply less when vigorous, apply less when sprouting, apply less during dormancy, apply less during the rainy season; Five not are: do not apply when leggy, do not apply when newly planted, do not apply to diseased plants, do not apply in extreme summer heat, do not apply in severe cold. Also, adjust the proportions of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium applied according to the growth characteristics of orchids. Generally, when small seedlings first grow, nitrogen fertilizer should be dominant; when entering the flowering period, the application of phosphorus and potassium fertilizer should be increased. Before orchid plants enter dormancy, the nutrient supply should choose high-phosphorus fertilizer. After dividing pots, fertilizing should be temporarily stopped, and this should be followed.
4. Ignoring the “individuality” management of orchid plants.
The growth of various orchid plants all has “common” management requirements such as shading, ventilation, moisture retention, looseness, air permeability, and fertilizer retention. But because various orchid plants have certain differences in growth environment, their growth habits also have certain “individuality” differences. For example, Cymbidium goeringii is moisture-tolerant, summer orchids are sun-tolerant, autumn orchids are fertilizer-tolerant, Cymbidium kanran is drought-tolerant, and Cymbidium sinense likes shade. Therefore, the habits of orchid plants cannot be generalized and treated identically. On the premise of following “common” care and management, it is also necessary to take into account the “individuality” of various orchid plants in management. It is necessary to establish the concept of “knowing orchids and growing orchids.” Strive to plant and manage according to the growth patterns and habits of various orchid plants. Only in this way can various orchid plants be scientifically cultivated and managed well. How to recognize the different habits (“individuality”) of orchid plants?
① Orchid plants differ in cold resistance: because various orchid plants have certain differences in living environment, there are also certain differences in cold resistance. For example, Cymbidium faberi and Cymbidium goeringii, especially Cymbidium faberi, are more cold-resistant than other orchids, while Cymbidium sinense andCymbidium ensifoliumare less cold-resistant than other orchids. The cold resistance of Cymbidium tortisepalum, Cymbidium goeringii var. longibracteatum, Cymbidium kanran, etc. is between that of Cymbidium faberi and Cymbidium goeringii and that of Cymbidium sinense and Cymbidium ensifolium. The differences in cold resistance provide a scientific basis for arranging the timing of moving orchid plants in and out of the room for winter insulation management and for the placement positions of various orchid plants in the greenhouse. Orchid plants with low cold resistance should be moved indoors first and moved out last, and orchid plants with high cold resistance should be moved indoors later and moved out first, overcoming the disadvantages of moving them in too early or too late, and ensuring that orchid plants are not damaged by freezing. At the same time, the placement positions of various orchid plants also differ. Drought-tolerant and sun-loving Cymbidium faberi should be placed on the upper layer near the window in a sunny spot, and shade-loving and moisture-tolerant Cymbidium sinense and Cymbidium kanran should be placed on the lower layer toward the inside in diffused light, which is beneficial for the safe overwintering of orchid plants.
② Orchid plants differ in light requirements: among orchid plants, Cymbidium ensifolium, Cymbidium faberi, and Cymbidium goeringii prefer sunlight more, while Cymbidium sinense, Cymbidium kanran, Cymbidium tortisepalum, variegated-leaf orchids, and dwarf orchids prefer shade more. This difference provides a scientific basis for the different shading requirements of orchid plants. During care, adapt to their light requirements differently so that orchid plants grow better.
③ Orchid plants differ in humidity requirements: Cymbidium faberi and Cymbidium kanran have strong, long, and well-developed root systems and relatively strong drought tolerance, so in normal times the principle is to keep them slightly dry. Cymbidium sinense and Cymbidium goeringii var. longibracteatum require relatively moist conditions.
④ Orchid plants differ in fertilizer requirements: Cymbidium faberi, Cymbidium kanran, and Cymbidium tortisepalum require more fertilizer than other orchids, because these orchids have small pseudobulbs, store less nutrients, and have many leaves and many flowers, consuming a lot of nutrients. Thus nutrient supply inevitably falls short, requiring timely absorption and supplementation by roots and leaves, and thick roots and long leaves especially need supplementation of phosphorus and potassium fertilizer. Cymbidium ensifolium has thick, strong, and vigorous roots and obvious round large pseudobulbs, and can store more water and nutrients. The leaves and pseudobulbs of Cymbidium sinense both contain large amounts of phosphorus, and its old roots also have a very strong ability to absorb phosphorus, so Cymbidium sinense needs less phosphorus. However, Cymbidium sinense has thick plants and broad leaves, so its demand for nitrogen and potassium is relatively large.
⑤ Orchid plants differ in medium requirements: Cymbidium faberi has particularly thick and strong roots. In order to ensure air permeability and ventilation for orchid roots and healthy growth, the medium must be loose, and granules should be coarse rather than fine. Cymbidium kanran and Cymbidium tortisepalum are the opposite, requiring fine rather than coarse. Referring to the soil quality of their native habitat, choose a soft medium rich in humus. Regardless of the medium, some mountain soil (humus soil) should be mixed in; Cymbidium kanran and Cymbidium tortisepalum grown this way have the best growth.
⑥ Orchid plants differ in deep and shallow planting requirements: Cymbidium faberi has strong roots and lush leaves and high foot sheaths, so it is suitable for deep planting. Cymbidium tortisepalum and Cymbidium kanran should be planted shallowly. Cymbidium tortisepalum and Cymbidium kanran have many and long roots and particularly like air. There is a saying: “If you want orchids to grow well, they should sway in the wind.” Shallow planting facilitates air permeability. When planting general types, the pseudobulb can be exposed 1/3 to 3/2 above the soil surface, while Cymbidium tortisepalum and Cymbidium kanran should be exposed 3/4 above the soil surface. The pseudobulb of Cymbidium faberi can be buried in the medium.
⑦ Orchid plants differ in requiring vernalization and avoiding excessive warmth: because Cymbidium goeringii, Cymbidium faberi, and Cymbidium goeringii var. longibracteatum have long adapted to the cold climate of winter, during the flower bud development period they need a low-temperature period of “vernalization stage” to bloom normally. In southern places such as Fujian and Guangdong, because winter temperatures are high and there is no low-temperature period for vernalization of Cymbidium and Cymbidium faberi, the flowering rate is low, and the flowers produced are of poor quality. This proves the importance of the vernalization period for flowering.
⑧ Orchid plants differ in clumping habits: for most orchid species, this habit is not important, but a few orchid plants have the habit of necessarily growing in clumps, such as Cymbidium faberi and Cymbidium tortisepalum. Because their pseudobulbs are small and leaves are long, if separated and planted singly, they lose the conditions for mutual support and their resistance is weakened. When propagated as single plants, even if they barely survive, they grow smaller and smaller, and it is very difficult for them to bloom in a short time, resulting in more loss than gain.
According to the different individualities of orchid plants, cultivation cannot be uniform; management should be treated differently and vary with the plant. On the premise of following the “common” cultivation of orchids, it is also necessary to take into account the “individuality” of various orchid plants and carry out differentiated scientific cultivation and management, so that orchids can be cultivated well.
5. Non-targeted random use of chemicals.
In the disease prevention and pest control work for orchid plants, one must overcome using chemicals randomly without diagnosis or with inaccurate diagnosis, such as applying this chemical today, that chemical tomorrow, and the day after tomorrow, after hearing others say that another chemical is good, switching to yet another. As for the drug properties, efficacy, and whether the orchid disease improves after application, one simply lets things take their course. There is a kind of blindness in this. Doing so not only fails to kill bacteria, but also produces chemical damage due to random application. When selecting a certain pesticide, one must clearly understand the mechanism of action of that pesticide and its target of control. Regarding the mechanism of action of fungicides, one must be clear whether the chemical mainly plays a preventive role, therapeutic role, or eradicative role against pathogens, and also understand whether the chemical has systemic action or contact-killing action, and so on. All these should be understood in order to apply chemicals in a targeted way. For example, for bacterial orchid diseases, chemicals such as streptomycin, cyanomycin, and chloramphenicol should be selected. If a pesticide for controlling fungi is used instead, the effect is generally very poor or ineffective; and for diseases also caused by fungi, chemicals such as thiophanate-methyl, chlorothalonil, and mancozeb should be selected; if a pesticide for treating bacteria is used instead, it likewise has little effect. Therefore, only targeted application can improve control results. At the same time, it is best to apply chemicals before onset or in the early stage, that is, give priority to prevention. Once the disease is fully developed, it is too late. Application should be continuous; for diseases, apply at least 3 times in a row (once every 7-10 days), and for pests, apply at least 2 times in a row. This can achieve twice the result with half the effort. This is the basic requirement for chemical use in preventing and controlling orchid diseases.
At the same time, one should not use a single chemical, that is, always use one kind of fungicide. This will cause pathogens to develop resistance and reduce efficacy. Therefore, it is best to rotate several fungicides for spraying.
In short, management must never be divorced from reality, follow personal assumptions, and violate the growth patterns of orchid plants, watering today, fertilizing tomorrow, repotting and changing soil the day after tomorrow, and frequently fussing, so that orchids cannot have peace. This kind of impatience, wishing to “pull up seedlings to help them grow,” in thought and action is extremely harmful to orchid growth. The result is the opposite of what is desired, leading to the dismay of: “first year looking at flowers, second year looking at leaves, third year looking at soil.” Only by earnestly learning and mastering some orchid-growing knowledge, exploring, discussing, verifying, comprehending, and summarizing through orchid-growing practice, and humbly consulting experienced orchid friends, can one continuously improve one's cultivation techniques. Establish the scientific concept of “knowing orchids and growing orchids,” and carry out orderly care and management according to the growth habits of orchid plants. Only then can orchid plants be grown well and strong, produce more seedlings, bloom more, and fill the heart with the intoxicating fragrance of flowers.
This article is mainly provided to novice orchid growers as a reference for orchid care and management. For any shortcomings, please kindly offer corrections. Thank you!