Four Seasons Orchid Autumn and Winter Management Methods and Cultivation Key Points

Four SeasonsOrchidCultivation: Autumn and Winter ManagementFour SeasonsOrchidMethods

Among Four Seasons Orchids, early-bloomingvarietiesgenerally finish blooming before Mid-Autumn and enter the stage of maturation of the current year's new shoots and growth of autumn buds. In the south, during the two months of November and December, the shoots continue to complete their growth. At this time, since the flowering period has passed and the buds and shoots are developing, and the weather is relatively cool, fertilization can be somewhat heavier, using phosphorus, potassium, and nitrogen at 2:3:5, and some solid slow-release fertilizer can also be appropriately applied so that in the following months a relatively comprehensive supply of nutrients can be obtained. At this time, repotting and division can also be carried out, or the mature pseudobulbs in the original pot can be twisted loose to induce new buds to sprout. After repotting, let the potting soil dry naturally within three days so that the wounds are not infected, and afterward water thoroughly. In autumn in the south, although the heat wave slightly abates, dry winds remain, known as the "autumn tiger." If one is slightly careless, it is very easy for the current year's new shoots that have already formed to develop black spots or anthracnose, so ventilation and a relatively mild cultivation environment should be maintained even more. In winter in the south, except for certain areas in northern Guangdong where snow falls and frost forms, the vast majority can overwinter in the open air, and the periods when temperatures truly drop below 10 degrees are only the few days in a week when a cold wave passes through. Therefore, it does not much affect the growth of the orchids; instead, it gives them a period of relatively low temperature that allows new buds to differentiate below the pot surface, so that in early spring they can break through the soil earlier. Therefore, when Four Seasons Orchids overwinter in the south, a certain humidity can be maintained so that bud growth does not come to a halt. Thus many southern orchid growers find that some strong buds of Four Seasons Orchids grow out after the rainy days following a cold wave. In the north, the autumn cool is more distinct, and because the current year's new shoots sprout more slowly in early spring than in the south, most shoots have not yet grown well at this time. At this time, the fertilizer ratio can be 2:4:4. And while ensuring a ventilated environment, keep the growing medium moist but not wet, and the growth of the shoots will noticeably accelerate. Winter in the north is divided into dry cold and wet cold. For Four Seasons Orchids, overwintering indoors is better, and the placement position is best near a windowsill with good light. The pot surface can be covered with black nutrient soil, first to retain moisture and second to absorb heat easily. A transparent plastic bag with several holes can also be used to cover the orchid plant and pot surface, leaving the bottom of the pot breathable. When there is sunlight in the morning, try to obtain full sun, but when the ultraviolet rays are too strong, appropriate shading is also needed. Watering depends on the environment in each place. When air humidity is less than 60% and the pot surface temperature is around 10 degrees, watering about once every two days is possible. Each place can water according to actual conditions. In winter the weather is cool, and generally no water is sprayed on the leaves to prevent frost damage (those with a greenhouse or warm shed may do so), especially in wet-cold conditions this is more obvious. Often only after warm spring days arrive are frost damage and scorching found on the orchid leaves. In the cold twelfth lunar month, Four Seasons Orchids are in a dormant state, and extremely slow bud growth is a normal phenomenon. There is no need to recklessly add fertilizer or heat the room to achieve the effect of obtaining winter buds. In fact, this is not so: first, it violates their natural growth pattern; second, after fertilizer dissolves in water, if it cannot be absorbed in the pot, it remains in the growing medium and orchid pot, causing serious damage to the growth of the orchid plant. Third, indoor heating, if humidity and light cannot be correspondingly coordinated, will only cause problems such as scorched leaves and lack of luster (if all factors are properly provided, then it is a greenhouse).

Among Four Seasons Orchids, late-blooming varieties generally only bud and bloom around Mid-Autumn. Their flowers are glutinous and thick in texture, with a distant, subtle fragrance, so the flowers that bloom near Mid-Autumn are called autumn jian and are among the finest of the Four Seasons flowers. Within one or two weeks after flowering, they can be divided into pots. Because after flowering the growth points of the pseudobulbs are easily influenced by natural humidity and temperature to form leaf buds, after cutting the flowers and dividing the pots, relatively high humidity can be maintained. Under the action of convective wind, new buds generally grow out within two weeks. The moisture-retention method mostly used is laying sphagnum moss, but after new buds grow out the sphagnum moss can be removed. In the remaining two months, as long as basic fertilizer is guaranteed for the new buds, before the cold wave they will all grow into shoots about 10CM. After the fragrant season they can continue their growth, cycling endlessly and renewing all things.