Autumn Equinox Is the Right Time to Repot Flowers

Autumn is crisp and clear, with a vast blue sky. The gentle autumn wind sends waves of green through the orchids in the orchid garden, and the graceful, swaying emerald leaves glisten under the scattered light, while batch after batch of red-and-green flower buds emerge right on cue. After the busy and arduous spring and summer, orchid lovers have finally welcomed the joy of harvest. Year after year it is the same, joyful enough to forget all worries. This is a true reflection of how orchid growers cultivate their character and place their hopes. The Autumn Equinox arrives in the blink of an eye, and the season for dividing plants has begun. The orchid masters of old held that: at the Spring Equinox, divide Cymbidium sinense and Cymbidium ensifolium; at the Autumn Equinox, divide Cymbidium goeringii and Cymbidium faberi. This is a summary drawn from history. Under generally normal conditions, repotting at the Autumn Equinox enables the orchids to grow better according to their natural patterns, the so-called orderly division and growth, gained by following the seasons. The ten days before and the ten days after the Autumn Equinox are the best time for dividing plants. Given this year's global heat effect and the rampant "autumn tiger" heat, dividing plants within twenty days after the Autumn Equinox is also entirely reasonable. 1. Scientific division. How well the plants are divided directly affects the survival and growth of the orchids, so it must not be treated lightly. Five to seven days before dividing, apply a fertilizer for separating from the mother plant, so that after division the orchids have ample vitality and recover growth more quickly. At the time of division, the inside of the pot should be slightly dry, to prevent damage to new roots, orchid shoots, and flower buds. During the operation, never pull or tug forcefully; tap the sides of the pot lightly with the palm of the hand so that the pot mud (orchid stone) comes away. 2. Cleaning and disinfection. After the orchids are taken out of the pot, gently shake off the growing medium around the orchid roots; use sterilized orchid scissors to clean away residual roots and withered leaves; divide the orchids into clumps of three to five shoots; rinse them clean under tap water. Place them in a disinfecting solution such as carbendazim or thiophanate-methyl at a dilution of 1:800 and soak for half an hour. Rinse briefly in clean water. Place in a cool, ventilated spot to air-dry for one to two hours, and once the orchid roots are slightly white, apply charcoal ash or sulfur powder to the cut surfaces of the orchids to prevent infection. 3. Potting techniques. An orchid in a pot is like a person in a room; comfort that suits the orchid is essential. According to the number of shoots, choose the size and style of the pot; there should not be large shoots in a small pot, and especially avoid small shoots in a large pot. With a straight-sided pot, place the orchid in the middle of the pot, with the grandparent-generation shoots slightly toward the edge, and the orchid roots going straight down into the pot; with a wide-mouthed pot, wrap the long orchid roots around the inside wall of the pot so that the orchid shoots are firmly based. After the growing medium is placed, gently shake the pot so that the orchid roots and the medium have slight contact. 4. Aftercare following division. As for when it is best to water the orchids after dividing them, opinions have always differed. I believe it should be decided according to actual conditions; if the growing medium has some moisture, then let the plants recover for three or four days, and then water for the first time, which is more beneficial for the recovery of the orchid's cut surfaces and removes any worry about rotting shoots. Newly planted orchids likewise do not need misting, so as to ensure a smooth transition. In a cool, ventilated environment they need a rest and recovery period of seven to ten days, after which they can be put on the orchid bench and returned to normal care. (Author: Yan Xiongfei)