Orchids fear poor airflow the most; cleverly fix it with these 5 things

Since joining the ranks of orchid growers, I often see fellow enthusiasts in the community chatting about all sorts of orchid matters, a dazzling variety of topics, and it feels like the conversation never ends. Today we talk about how vigorously my orchids are growing, tomorrow you tell us how to pot up your orchids, and the day after that it is another new topic entirely, so lively.

Lately, because of the continuous heavy rain, the air has been hot and humid, so fellow enthusiasts have been discussing very enthusiastically how to make orchids drain and breathe well. Actually, solving this problem is not hard; placing 5 kinds of things at the bottom of the orchid pot can cleverly "fix" it.

1. Sand and gravel granules, the unassuming airflow wonder

Using sand and gravel granules at the bottom of the pot is very common, and I believe many fellow enthusiasts know this method. However, the editor still has to remind you to choose sand and gravel carefully; the granules should be neither too coarse nor too fine. As for types, you can use weathered stone, volcanic stone, perlite, river sand, and so on. Sand and gravel are very economical, and the key point is that both airflow and drainage are quite good.

2. Plastic granules, economical and good for drainage

Plastic granules are also a very good bottom layer material, with good airflow and drainage, no bacteria, and the key point is that they are economical. However, plastic granules cannot be used too much, because they cannot give the orchid any nutrients. At this time you need to fertilize the orchid a little, using that kind of organic nutrient solution specially for orchids, diluted with water 1000 times, then water a little according to the orchid's condition, and the orchid will surely grow healthy and beautiful.

3. Broken tiles, the forgotten airflow material

You can also put a few broken tiles at the bottom of the orchid pot to increase the orchid's water permeability and airflow. However, this method is somewhat limited, because tiles are not available everywhere; there may be more in the outskirts of cities or in the countryside, so fellow enthusiasts who have the means to find tiles can try this method. After bringing the tiles back, break them into smaller pieces, disinfect them, and then they can go at the bottom of the pot.

4. Loofah sponge, both airflow and fertilizer in one

Fellow enthusiasts living in rural areas may have a particular fondness for loofah sponge, after all, loofah sponge is used very widely in daily life. It is great for washing dishes, cleans tables well, and can exfoliate the face.

In fact, loofah sponge can also be used to line the bottom of a flower pot. Cut the sun-dried loofah sponge into small pieces, and when repotting you can place the loofah sponge at the bottom of the pot; the drainage effect is very good. Moreover, after the loofah sponge rots in the soil it will also turn into fertilizer, achieving two things at once.

5. Pine needles, both airflow and nourishment

You probably all know that pine needle soil is very fertile and is a natural nutrient soil. But in fact pine needles can also be placed directly at the bottom of the pot, and the airflow effect is unmatched by some granules.

From the mountain, choose pine needles from the layer below the surface layer, bring them back, disinfect them at high temperature, and after drying them in the sun they can be used to line the bottom of the flower pot. After lining with pine needles, the drainage of the orchid pot will improve, and over time it can also absorb the nutrients of the pine needles; for the orchid, this is undoubtedly a happy thing.

The above are 5 solutions to the problem of orchid drainage and airflow; I wonder which one you approve of. If you have any better methods, you can leave a comment and tell me.