Old Yan's Lecture Hall Episode 7 content has been added
Old Yan's Lecture Hall Collection (7)
Author: Old Yan
Today I mainly want to talk to everyone about water control for orchids,Proper water controlhelps orchids produce flower buds，especially in this season. First, let me explain why we need to control water? Because orchids, as plants, have an instinct for survival. Orchids producing flower buds is a phenomenon of reproducing offspring, and reproducing offspring is an instinct for plants, especially when life is under threat. We make use of a physiological habit of theirs: when they encounter drought, their pseudobulbs will promptthemto sprout, so you need to learn to control water. Today I am specifically explaining this to everyone; actually it is also relatively simple.
In the water control stage, it mainly depends on the watering cycle based on the growing medium. If your growing medium is watered once every 6 days, then in this season it should be extended to once every 8 to1010 days. If it was originally watered once every 3 days, extend it to once every 5 days. This varies"growing medium"to growing medium, and you need to summarize your previous watering cycle for orchid plants, then extend it by 2 to 3 days on the original basisand that is fine。
In the morning and evening, appropriately increase light exposure. Summer light is strong, but orchids cannot be exposed to strong direct sun, so try to provide some diffused light exposure at these two times, morning and evening, which is good for their photosynthesis.
The water control period is about one month, at most 40 days. That is to say, at this stage, extend the watering cycle and carry out water control, about 4 to 5 times. After this stage, still water according to the original watering cycle. If you master this water control period well, there will be unexpected results, and perhaps before long a few more pots of orchid plants will bloom.
To sum up, there are roughly three points: first, make its life feel threatened, let it be a bit drier, and extend the usual watering cycle; second, increase light; third, the water control period is one monthtimemaster it well.
1. Why do orchid leaves feel lusterless?？
There are several phenomena for orchid leaves being lusterless: first, the orchid leaves may be somewhat dehydrated; second, if fertilizer has been applied or pesticide has been sprayed, it will cause pesticide damage or fertilizer damage to the leaves, and the leaves will also be lusterless; third, if the plant has been grown in shade for a long time, insufficient photosynthesis will also cause the leaves to be lusterless.
2、For a purchased Jianlan (Cymbidium ensifolium) with flowers, the leaves are very strong, but after growing it for three years there are still no flowers. What is the reason?
There are mainly two reasons for not producing flowers: genes and environmental conditions. Some orchids are naturally genetically inclined to bloom frequently. If it should bloom but does not, then the environment has not met the conditions for the orchid to bloom. You can divide the plants. Do not stubbornly believe that only large clumps of orchids easily bloom; in fact, sometimes after dividing the plants they may also bloom. If it is only related to genes, this is not something humans can solve. If it is a management problem, then you need to put in effort.
3、Is water control during the sprouting period not contradictory?
Water control mainly promotes orchids to bloom. If you do not want the orchid to bloom, then do not control water and just water normally. There is no contradiction.
4、Is Jiepeieasy to grow?
Jiepeiis relatively low in price, and both the sprouting rate and flowering rate are very high. If grown well, basically two plants can become six plants the next year, so it is still very easy to grow. But no matter how good the plant is, it still needs the environment. In summer it needs ventilation. Once it gets through summer, then winter is relatively much easier.
5、Can orchids be introduced all year round? When is the best season to introduce orchids?
Actually, the best season to introduceorchidsis spring and autumnthe best. Of course, for merchants, many merchants actually trade more frequently in summer. Why? Because at this time the shoots have emerged from the soil. After they emerge, many shoots and buds are still very small and basically do not count as seedlings, so buying orchids at this time is very cost-effective. But for ordinary novice orchid growers, introducing orchids in summer involves online shopping, and there is a transportation step. If it is foster care, that problem does not exist. But in the transportation step, high temperatures can easily cause problems. So summer is not suitable for introducing plants. The best season for introduction is still spring and autumn.
6. I built a 30 sq m glass sunroom. What facilities do the orchids inside need?
For a glass sunroom, if it is enclosed, first you need an exhaust inside, such as a fan or ventilator. This is for exhausting air outward. Then, if conditions permit, it is best to also install a cooling water curtain. Actually, I do not approve of everyone using glass, because in summer glass will be very hot and will absorb a lot of heat. I instead suggest using polycarbonate sheets or film and the like, which also lowers cost. A glass room is nice to look at, but the temperature is high. First, you still need to add a fan inside; second, you need to add cooling facilities; third, you need to add a shade net. Pay attention to these three points.
7. Tip burn on orchid leaves
Tip burn is basically due to two points. The first is environmental factors: poor overall ventilation in the environment and insufficient humidity will cause tip burn. The second is pathological, meaning your growing medium is too wet, and the lower part of the growing medium has poor air permeability and poor drainage. This causes some orchid roots' crystal tips to rot, which will also cause tip burn.
8. Is using Xiandu effective now?
Traditional Xiandu, I have heard the effect is very good, but I have never used Xiandu. Because in the 1980s and 1990s, very many people used Xiandu, and the Xiandu process was also relatively complex, but now because there is too much fake Xiandu, if you buy a fake one it is very difficult to use. So now fewer and fewer people use Xiandu. If what you buy is real Xiandu, the effect should be decent, but I do not often use Xiandu.
9. Is it normal for Chunlan (Cymbidium goeringii) to bloom in summer?
This belongs to early flowering. With early flowering, it may bloom a bit earlier, but this is not certain. I have encountered before flower buds that appeared in July, and they still only opened in March of the next year. Its vernalization process is a bit longer. Some, however, will open early. That is to say, if normal flower buds emerge from the soil, then three months early, it may bloom, and it may also only open in December or January of the following year. In summer, both Chunlan and Huilan (Cymbidium faberi) will produce early flowers and flower buds; this is actually abnormal. Because it has not bloomed according to the normal season. Therefore, this kind of early-arriving flower rarely has a good display when it opens. Because its vernalization is insufficient, it has not followed the season. So, with this phenomenon, generally the flowers that open will
also be very ugly, and when they open they are not especially strong and not very upright. For some, if it is a variety you are very familiar with, some people just pinch it off. Whether orchids bloom or not has many uncertain factors, and this cannot be controlled.
10、The pH of the water is 8. It needs to be acidified with an acidic solution. What chemical is better for acidifying it?
If it is 8, it is slightly alkaline. To neutralize it, actually you do not need any chemical. The simplest method is to add a little white vinegar, edible white vinegar, and that will do.
11. Can orchids be placed in an air-conditioned room in summer, and what matters need attention?
In summer, orchids absolutely must not be moved into an air-conditioned room. Moving them into an air-conditioned room makes it very easy for the plants to die. Because an air-conditioned room is sealed, it can only cool the temperature and cannot provide ventilation. Most orchid deaths in summer are due to poor ventilation. That is to say, under high temperature, high humidity, and muggy weather, orchids fear muggy heat, and muggy heat causes suffocation and death. Actually, orchids do not die directly because of high temperature. If you have a particularly well-ventilated environment, even if the temperature is high, they will not necessarily die. But if you are in an enclosed environment, even if you lower the temperature, they will still easily die, because they fear muggy conditions. So absolutely do not move them indoors.