How deep should orchids be planted? Shallow planting in the south, deep planting in the north; deep in winter, shallow in summer

Many orchid growers stress that orchids planted too deep will rot, and that the pseudobulb (lu tou) is best left exposed or half exposed. Through a year of shallow planting, Mumu feels this saying has certain misconceptions. First of all, with weak or diseased introduced seedlings, whether planted deep or shallow, those that are going to rot will still rot. Ensure the breathability of the potting medium and the ventilation of the environment. Shallow planting is not suitable for dry regions; perhaps it suits the high-humidity regions of the south better, and it is also not suitable for coarse granular potting medium.

Just after potting, the medium is relatively loose, and with the pseudobulb half exposed, after a few waterings it becomes completely exposed. Shallow planting is not conducive to sprouting; the surface of the pot tends to be dry on top and wet below, especially with granular medium in the north. New shoots struggle to take root, are prone to developing "seabed" shoots, and each generation sits deeper than the last (you will find that the pseudobulbs of the new shoots are not exposed outside the medium, and they will not rot either).

Old shoots decline quickly. As the medium becomes increasingly compact and sits lower and lower, and with the squeeze from new shoots, old shoots that were planted shallow become more and more exposed, and they decline quickly. Deep-planted ones do not show this phenomenon. In the north, a mounded, steamed-bun-shaped pot surface is not suitable; often, keeping it lower than the rim of the medium is better, for the same reason as above. Many teachers achieve especially high sprouting rates; apart from other factors, if you pay attention to their cultivation methods you will find that they never deliberately expose the pseudobulb outside. Having said all this, it does not mean that deep planting is good either. As for how deep or how shallow, the right amount depends on the environment, the condition of the seedlings, and the potting medium - deeper in winter, shallower in summer.

Fellow orchid growers, if you also enjoy growing orchids, you are welcome to follow and share, and I also look forward to your comments and likes. Thank you!