How to grow weak, young orchid seedlings? Detailed cultivation methods

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The reasons for producing weak, young orchid seedlings include: dragon-root seedling plants grown from orchid seeds, or weak, young seedlings developed from bulb regeneration after orchid plants are damaged by humans or animals or die abnormally, etc. This type of seedling has poor disease resistance, a very low survival rate, and is not easy to cultivate; generally it is difficult for it to bloom without 7 to 8 years. Therefore, when cultivating this kind of seedling, you must select purposefully. For example, regenerated seedlings of rare and precious orchid varieties, and unnamed seedling plants you think have relatively high cultivation value.

When you first obtain the seedlings, no matter which variety they are, you should first trim off the residual roots and withered leaves, rinse the soil and remnants off the roots and leaves with clean water, then use 0.5% thiophanate-methyl or another fungicide to soak the entire orchid seedling for 5 to 10 minutes, shake it slightly, lift it and hang it upside down in the shade to dry. After the root system turns slightly white and becomes somewhat soft, it can be potted. For a single seedling or double seedlings, you can choose a pot with a diameter of 10 to 20 cm; before use, soak it in 5% sterilizing agent for 1 to 2 hours.

For the growing medium, it is best to use fresh sawdust with low fat content and relatively fine particles. Steam or chemically sterilize it, filter off the yellow wastewater, sprinkle it dry, and then plant the seedlings in it. Sawdust has a certain heat-retaining and water-retaining property, which helps the orchid seedling's root and bud differentiation and sprouting. A chemical nutrient solution fertilizer (commercially available) can be applied year-round, which is very suitable for the initial targeted cultivation of orchid seedlings.

After the seedlings are potted, the first soaking must be thorough. After the water has drained completely from the pot holes, wait a moment, then supplement with a mixture of 0.3 to 0.5% chemical nutrient solution and 0.2% thiophanate-methyl; applying it by fine-hole spraying is best. Finally, use a sterile cotton ball to absorb the accumulated water in the leaf axils of the orchid leaves, place it in a cool, ventilated place for 10 days of care, and spray a little clean water on the orchid leaves every morning and evening, with the goal of moistening the orchid leaves. After they survive, move them out, and afterward appropriately reduce the number of water sprays; every 10 to 15 days, regularly apply a mixture of 0.3% and 0.1% nutrient solution plus thiophanate-methyl. The pot soil humidity should be kept at 65 to 70%, and the temperature (pot soil) should always be kept above 18°C. After about 15 days, roots can burst out explosively, and within the same year they can grow into strong seedlings. If management is proper for successive years, flower buds can form in 4 to 5 years.

After planting, carefully observe the seedling condition at all times, pay attention to weather changes, and do a good job of heat prevention and freeze protection and insulation. In winter, pay attention to temperature differences when using water, and let the seedlings receive more morning sunlight.

Medicines and fertilizers should be applied frequently and lightly. If you find that medicine or fertilizer has been applied too heavily and damaged the seedlings, you can rinse with clean water, or promptly lift the roots, repot, rinse, and then replant. A hygrometer can be inserted into the pot to observe temperature and humidity differences. After three years, the pot should be changed once; afterward, a humus mixed soil can be used for cultivation, and management can follow traditional care methods.

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