Why do orchids die in autumn? A look at three common ways they die

The hot summer is a torment for both orchids and growers, so once the heat passes and autumn arrives, many growers immediately bring their orchids out and pamper them with good water and good fertilizer, afraid that the orchids, starved all summer, are malnourished. But it is precisely this kind of "warm-heartedness" that often does harm, and the orchids people long for do not show their proper charm in autumn, so growers start to mutter: "Is it that I do not love them enough?" Of course not. The reason here is simply that the way of loving them is wrong. In fact, when growing orchids in autumn, you must be very careful!

High alert ahead: a look at three ways orchids die in autumn!

1. Overfed to death

As we mentioned above, many growing enthusiasts feel sorry for orchids that look "sallow and thin" after summer, so as soon as autumn comes they frantically "feed" them, with all kinds of nutrient solutions in endless supply. But who knew that this spoiling would be too much for our little orchids to handle.

You should know that although autumn arrives right after the Start of Autumn, the existence of the "autumn tiger" (late-summer heat) keeps the air temperature still fairly high, and adding a large amount of fertilizer in a high-temperature environment will certainly cause orchid root burn. This is just like us people: when the weather is hot, we easily get internal heat, so it is better to start with something "light" first.

As for the specific choice of fertilizer, granular fertilizer with strong fertility can be skipped during this period, to avoid the orchid being "burned to death". As for fertilizer requirements, in autumn you should apply more potassium and phosphorus fertilizer and less nitrogen fertilizer. Here you can use organic liquid fertilizer specially made for orchids and apply it accordingly; after dilution, the effect is even better.

2. Sunburned to death

The autumn sun is still fierce, and for orchids, which are shade-loving plants, this is a fatal blow, yet some people pay no attention to this and directly give their orchids a sunbath. We encourage plants to receive sunlight in autumn, but here you must grasp the degree well, otherwise one careless moment and they are dead.

Orchids should not be placed in direct sunlight; they should be exposed using shade and diffused light. For those orchids that are less tolerant of sun, you can move them appropriately to a window or balcony, which can also help them get through autumn well.

3. Dehydrated to death

With the arrival of autumn, rainfall also decreases accordingly, which explains why people often feel that autumn is dry. For orchids this is undoubtedly another challenge. When growing orchids in autumn, the thing to fear most is "dryness". Once moisture-loving orchids become "dry", plus the high temperatures just after the start of autumn, orchids very easily run into problems. If you find they are dry and then water them immediately, that is like giving the orchid "another stab", and it will either die or be injured.

Watering orchids in autumn requires attention to 2 points. First, the time of watering should be as late in the evening as possible, and absolutely not in the hot afternoon, to avoid the orchid being "steamed in a sauna" and dying when watered at high temperature. Second, water thoroughly once every two days, so that the potting medium is properly moist. After an orchid becomes "dry", it should immediately be placed in a cool place, then watered slowly, to avoid the orchid being "smothered to death".

The above are the points we need to pay attention to when growing orchids in autumn. In fact, as long as you understand the principles, it is very simple to do. Finally, I hope everyone's orchids will burst into bloom in every pot!