Sharing experience and methods for caring for orchids on a balcony

Nowadays there are many orchid enthusiasts, and with the rapid development of the internet and the express delivery industry, more and more people like orchids, and the group of people growing orchids is also growing rapidly. Most orchid enthusiasts face the problem of space for growing orchids. The pace of urbanization in China has led a large proportion of people to move into cities, and because land is scarce and expensive, with limited space and conditions, most orchid enthusiasts can only choose to grow them on their own balconies. Today I will teach you some experience and methods for growing orchids well on a balcony, and I hope it can help everyone!

First, the choice and setup of the balcony. For growing orchids, it is generally better to choose a south-facing balcony, as this provides ample light. If the floor is low, it is recommended to install anti-theft iron railings and then add a layer of wire mesh, with a mesh opening of about 1cm. A rain awning should be installed on the outside, and it is best for the awning to extend about 15-20cm beyond the balcony to prevent damage from heavy summer rain, so that rainwater does not enter the balcony when the windows are opened for ventilation. In summer and autumn, when the sun is strong, shading is essential, so a shade net also needs to be installed to avoid direct sunlight on the orchids. The orchid shelf can be made of stainless steel, with a drainage tray underneath to prevent water from getting all over the balcony. If it is inconvenient to make the orchid shelf yourself, you can buy one online; this kind of professional orchid shelf is sold online!

Second, the choice of flower pots for growing orchids on a balcony is very important. Many people like to use small pots or tall small pots to grow orchids, because most books and materials say so, but it is indeed rare to see strong seedlings grown in small pots when growing orchids on a balcony. I suggest that if you are growing orchids on a balcony and have a large number of orchids, it is best to use plastic orchid pots. Most people think that small pots are light and convenient, dry easily, and benefit the orchid roots, but a balcony has its particularities and needs to maintain the humidity of the orchid pots for a long time, which is not easy to do on a balcony. Therefore, we should choose medium or slightly larger orchid pots for planting, which is better. A netizen did an experiment like this for growing orchids on a balcony: using 20cm-diameter orchid pots to grow single orchid seedlings, three pots each sprouted early in advance; using 10cm-diameter orchid pots, also growing the same variety of single seedlings in three pots, the result was that the single seedlings in the 20cm-diameter pots sprouted 25 days later, and the sprouts were not as thick and strong as those in the larger-diameter pots. This shows that the pot diameter can cause the dry and wet conditions inside the pot to change, thereby affecting the growth of orchids.

Third, while growing orchids on a balcony, we also need to consider economic returns, so that we can have the best of both worlds. Therefore, it is required to choose the right varieties. Only when the variety is good and it can also be grown well is it truly good, and growing it well brings a sense of achievement from increasing economic value. But this also varies from person to person; what variety to grow should be considered based on economic conditions, growing experience, personal preferences, and adaptation to climate conditions. When purchasing seedlings, we need to choose healthy, robust seedlings, preferably connected seedlings of 3 or more plants, and buy fewer with fewer than 3 plants. When choosing seedlings, buy from orchid growers with a relatively good reputation to avoid buying counterfeit goods and diseased seedlings.

Fourth, the choice of orchid growing medium should be scientific and reasonable. Growing orchids on a balcony has relatively strict requirements for the growing medium. Granular growing medium with stable particle properties, good ventilation, water filtration, and moisture retention should be chosen. Songliwang orchid growing medium and Zhijinshi can be mixed 1:1 for planting, so that it is both breathable and sufficiently nutritious. If all Songliwang orchid growing medium is used for planting, a drainage cover can be placed at the bottom of the pot, which can greatly enhance breathability, create a good environment for the symbiosis between orchid fungi and orchid roots, and make it easy to grow orchids well on a balcony!

Fifth, watering and pest and disease control for balcony orchids. A balcony has good ventilation and ample light, and dries easily. Generally, when the growing medium is dry about 2cm below the surface, it can be watered. Pests and diseases in balcony orchid growing are relatively serious, and the most prominent ones are scale insects, ants, red spider mites, anthracnose, soft rot, stem rot, southern blight, etc. Scale insects can be controlled with Huhuashen, ants and red spider mites can be controlled with Xiaobaiyao, anthracnose and stem rot can be controlled with fungicidal drugs, soft rot can be controlled with antibacterial drugs, and southern blight can be controlled with plant ash. But as long as you pay a little attention to each step, it is not difficult to control. Flower pots and growing medium should be kept clean, and miscellaneous items should not be piled up randomly on the balcony. In this way, it is very easy to grow orchids well on a balcony. Author: Mei Fei. I publish orchid knowledge and pictures every day, take you to understand orchids in depth, and teach you to grow orchids easily. If you have any questions about orchids, you can ask me at any time or leave a comment below. If you like it, you can click the top right corner to save or forward it to help others!