A Detailed Guide to Hydroponic Cultivation and Care of Cymbidium goeringii

Cymbidium goeringii, also called Duolan, is the type of Chinese orchid with the longest cultivation history. When it blooms, it gives off an elegant fragrance, and it is a houseplant that many people like to grow. Let's take a look below at the hydroponic method for Cymbidium goeringii!

1. Hydroponic method

Hydroponic Cymbidium goeringii uses water as the medium and a nutrient solution instead of soil; it is a new cultivation method that is simple and easy to learn.

(1) Choose a special hydroponic flowerpot or a brown wide-mouthed bottle. For hydroponic Cymbidium goeringii, use a special hydroponic pot with no hole at the bottom and a double-layer inner and outer mesh nested-pot design. The outer pot holds the culture solution, and the inner pot is a square mesh sieve; the ribs between the mesh holes support the pseudobulbs and hold the orchid plant in place, such as with stones or sponge. When transplanting the orchid plant, pull it up with the roots, remove old roots, rotten roots, decayed roots and excess roots, then rinse the roots clean with clear water.

(2) Disinfect once before placing in water. Soak the whole plant in a potassium permanganate solution at a concentration of 100 mg/l for 10-15 min, then take it out and rinse off the potassium permanganate solution with clear water.

(3) Divide the roots into 2-3 groups and insert them into 2-3 mesh holes. Plant it into the hydroponic pot as shown in the picture, so that the pseudobulb is pressed close to the central cross-shaped ribs between the mesh holes.

(4) Use one hand to hold the orchid plant upright, and with the other hand place cleaned stones of 3 cm x 5 cm specification all around the plant in the inner sieve and shake slightly, and the orchid plant will be fixed in the center of the inner sieve. Rinse it clean once more with clear water for fixing, fill the outer pot with clear water, and add orchid culture solution to the water [Jishan Huayao].

2. Care guide

(1) Light and temperature: Cymbidium goeringii likes a half-shade, half-sun environment with scattered light. The suitable growth temperature is 20-30 degrees C. Soak the plant in 1% potassium permanganate solution for 10-15 min, then rinse with clear water. Divide the plants to be used for hydroponics into equal portions at random, place them in clear water to recover for about 1 week, and after acclimation, carry out nutrient solution culture.

(2) Watering: Cymbidium goeringii is suited to growing in an environment with air humidity of 70%-90%. If the air is too dry, the orchid grows poorly, with small, thin, lusterless leaves. Humidity can be increased by watering; rainwater is best, and tap water can also be used, left to stand for 1-2 days until the chlorine volatilizes before use.

The above is an introduction to the hydroponic method and care guide for Cymbidium goeringii. Hydroponic Cymbidium goeringii is simple and easy to do, and the care method is not complicated either. Therefore, if you love Cymbidium goeringii, you can grow it, and caring for Cymbidium goeringii also has the effect of cultivating the mind and character.

Winter Care Techniques for Potted Flowers

How to grow flowers in spring?

Spring is the season when all things revive. In such a beautiful season, there must be many beauty-loving people who go to the flower market to buy one or two pots of their favorite flowers to decorate their beloved homes. In the spring breeze, the flowers gradually stretch themselves and release the green that has been suppressed for so long. I believe it brings you not only the imagined scene of gentle spring breeze and splendor, but also a bit of surprise and longing every day. Although flowers are beautiful, they need care. Only under your careful tending can the flowers bloom more beautifully and bring you a greater harvest.

As the earth returns to spring, the temperature gradually rises, but the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River are still in the transition between winter and spring, with alternating cold and warm periods, and occasionally chilly spring weather appears. Therefore, it is necessary both to prepare cold-sensitive potted flowers for "leaving the room" and to strengthen the care and management of other potted flowers.

I. What flowers should be grown in spring?

Peach blossoms are in full bloom, crabapple and pear flowers vie in beauty, and white magnolia, Chaenomeles speciosa, Forsythia, Jasminum mesnyi and most camellias have already bloomed. Cymbidium goeringii, Daphne odora, Schlumbergera, winter jasmine, Camellia sasanqua and wintersweet have withered one after another. For the famous camellia varieties in full bloom, they can be moved to a ventilated place by the window, and at night moved outdoors to a warm, wind-sheltered place. But when freezing weather occurs, spray 800 times diluted Xin Gao Zhi Mo solution to enhance cold resistance, and move them indoors; this can prolong the flowering period.

1. Lucky bamboo

An evergreen upright shrub of the genus Dracaena in the Liliaceae family, very suitable for indoor hydroponic flowers. Lucky bamboo has emerald green leaves, straight stems, and round stems resembling bamboo. The leaves are ovate with pointed tips, and the leaf stalk base clasps the stem. It is an extremely shade-tolerant plant and still grows well, upright and strong, under weak light conditions. It can be placed indoors for a long time to view the foliage, and does not need special care; as long as there is enough water, it can grow vigorously. For hydroponics, cut the lucky bamboo stem into small sections of more than 20 cm as cuttings and insert them into water. As long as 1/3 of the cutting can be immersed in water, it can take root and survive.

2. Spider plant

A perennial evergreen rosette herbaceous flower of the Liliaceae family. The leaves are clustered, linear, with longitudinal yellow-white stripes at the edges or in the middle. In summer and autumn, slender, flexible, drooping stolons are drawn out from between the leaves, and tender leaves and aerial roots sprout at the tips or nodes, bearing white flowers. Spider plant can be grown indoors in water; it not only purifies the air, but is also attractive in appearance and easy to manage. Dig out the potted spider plant, remove the soil from the roots, cut off old roots and rotten roots, keep the fibrous roots, put it into a container bottle, add clear water and flower nutrient solution to the bottle, and let the spider plant roots grow immersed in the water.

3. Asparagus fern

A perennial evergreen herbaceous flower of the genus Asparagus in the Liliaceae family. The stems are slender and weak, and the branches are fine and leaf-like, spreading horizontally. The flowers are small and white. The berries are spherical and black. After the fruit ripens, it presents a scene of dots of red amid dense green, elegant and lovely. The plant has strong shade tolerance and is elegant and generous when placed at the bedside or on a desk; it is a very good indoor flower. Asparagus fern is also an ideal supporting material for cut flowers. In recent years, hydroponic asparagus fern has been successfully developed, and it is even more elegant when placed in a room.

4. African daisy

A perennial herb of the Asteraceae family, with relatively large flower diameter and rich flower colors, blooming all year round. It likes a warm, sunny and well-ventilated environment, is a semi-cold-tolerant flower, and likes fertile, loose soil. African daisy is a very good cut flower variety, lasts a long time in water, has high ornamental value, and is also good at absorbing formaldehyde.

5. Hyacinth

Also known as Dutch hyacinth, it belongs to the genus Hyacinthus in the Liliaceae family. It is a perennial herb with a spherical or flattened spherical bulb, covered outside with a tunic that is purplish blue or white, etc. The leaves are basal, thick, and strap-shaped lanceolate. The flower stem is drawn out from the center of the leaf stem, with a raceme inflorescence; the flowers are delicate and beautiful, colorful, dazzling and pleasant, with a fresh fragrance. It likes a sunny, cool and moist environment, and is suitable both for potting and for water culture. For water culture, place its bulb in hydroponic nutrient solution; its appearance is clean and highly ornamental.

II. What main work should be done for growing flowers in spring?

1. Preparation for "leaving the room"

From late March, when the weather gradually warms up, windows can be opened during the day for several days (7 to 10 days), so that these cold-sensitive potted flowers that have long stayed indoors can directly receive outdoor sunlight and air, and gradually adapt to the outside environment. After that, choose rainy days to move some flowers with slightly stronger cold tolerance, such as cycad, Ficus elastica, jasmine, Cymbidium goeringii, Hippeastrum, calla lily, Hibiscus rosa-sinensis and Cyclamen, outdoors and place them in a warm spot. If cold low temperatures occur at night, they should still be moved back indoors to avoid the cold, and the next day still placed outdoors.

Another "leaving the room" method is, from late in the month, to move the above-mentioned cold-sensitive potted flowers outdoors for 1 to 2 hours each day, and then still move them back indoors. After 5 to 7 days of being moved in and out for training, finally choose a rainy day to put them outdoors. For Dracaena fragrans, Pachira aquatica and various Dieffenbachia varieties with very poor cold resistance, it is safer to "leave the room" from late April to early May. For households growing many potted flowers, around Qingming they can be treated differently and "leave the room" in batches and stages.

2. Early spring management

For potted flowers that have just "left the room" and cold-tolerant potted flowers originally placed outdoors, before they sprout and grow, they should be pruned in time and repotted with fresh soil. For Clivia miniata, Hippeastrum and Epiphyllum hybridus that bloom in April and May, in addition to repotting and changing soil, they should all be given fertilizer once and sprayed with Hua Duo Zhuang Di Ling solution so that they bloom at the right time. Winter jasmine and plum blossom should be pruned after flowering. In addition to cutting off dead branches, diseased and pest-infested branches, overly weak branches and overly dense branches, annual branches should be heavily cut back leaving 2-3 nodes, which can promote stout new branches and dense flowering. Kumquat should undergo a relatively heavy pruning before sprouting in spring: first thin out crossing branches, inward-facing branches, diseased and pest-infested branches and dead weak branches, then prune the remaining branches according to the principle of light pruning for strong branches and heavy pruning for weak branches. Usually, stout annual branches are cut back leaving 4-5 buds, and ordinary-growing branches are cut back leaving 2-3 buds; this can promote the growth of many stout spring shoots and benefit flowering. Do a good job of repotting flowers such as rhododendron, winter jasmine, plum blossom, camellia and Daphne odora, as well as evergreen broad-leaved tree stump bonsai. This is the most suitable time to pot Chinese rose, and potted lotus is best planted in late March.

3. Propagation work

In March, cuttings can be taken for propagation from Podocarpus macrophyllus, pomegranate, Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, winter jasmine, poinsettia, Tamarix chinensis, grape, ivy, silver willow and Pyracantha, etc. For the cut end of the cutting stick, apply Xin Gao Zhi Mo stock solution to the pruning wound, which can prevent pathogen invasion. (Note: do not use plastic wrapping again.) In late March, flowers that can be sown or planted include poinsettia, cockscomb, Impatiens, moss rose, Amaranthus tricolor, Gomphrena globosa, as well as Canna, dahlia, Gladiolus and Clivia miniata, etc. Seeds can be treated by mixing with Xin Gao Zhi Mo.

III. Precautions for growing flowers at home in spring

1. Repotting

General flowers and green plants are potted when purchased. After taking them home, it is best to keep them in the original pot and not easily repot them, especially at this time when the weather is warming but still cold. Many plants have relatively deep roots, and once repotted, the roots' nutrient absorption will be disadvantaged, causing plant death. When purchasing, also pay attention to whether the potted flower has already been repotted when sold. Generally, soil that has not been repotted is relatively hard and clumpy, while soil of flowers that have been repotted is looser. Of course, some flowers have already been planted for many years, and one repotting can be chosen from March to April, because the climate conditions in these two months are favorable for the survival and growth of flowers.

2. Watering

Fruit-viewing plants such as Citrus medica var. sarcodactylis and kumquat should not only keep the potting soil moist, but must also be sprayed with water on the leaves, flower buds and fruit, so that the leaves are emerald green, the flower buds quickly expand, and the fruit is brightly colored. For purchased Cymbidium hybridum, poinsettia and others cultivated in greenhouses, because the temperature and humidity in their original environment differ greatly from those at home, if the leaf surface is not frequently sprayed with water, the leaves often become wrinkled and dry. For various bromeliad flowers such as Guzmania 'Jili Xing' and Guzmania 'Gao Hong Xing', if room temperature is below 10 to 15 degrees C, not only should watering be controlled, but also too much water should not be poured into the leaf cups, to prevent heart rot.

3. Fertilizing

For camellia, Camellia sasanqua, rhododendron, Clivia miniata, red plum and Cymbidium hybridum, as long as room temperature is not lower than 15 degrees C, a compound fertilizer can be applied about once every 15 to 20 days. For tree stump bonsai and potted foliage plants that have entered dormancy, all forms of topdressing should be stopped.

4. Pruning

From March to April, for potted ornamental plants, dead branches, yellow leaves and branches and leaves infected with diseases and pests should all be cut off and destroyed. For some varieties such as Ficus elastica and Radermachera sinica, "pinching" is needed, that is, cutting off the highest growing tender tip, with a cut length of 2-3 cm. After cutting, the cut surface can be sealed with pot-bottom soot for disinfection.

5. Cold protection

Because it is still a time when it is warming but still cold, depending on the lower limit temperature that different ornamental plant species can tolerate, potted plants placed on the balcony must be moved indoors to avoid the cold before a cold wave arrives, or a double-layer plastic shed can be built directly above the plants for cold protection.

6. Disease and pest control

For scale insects, whiteflies and others appearing on potted plants, wipe them off in time with a wet cloth; for aphids appearing on potted plants, they can be killed by soaking tobacco powder (or tobacco shreds) in water.

Flowers can make people feel happy, and beautiful flowers are even more pleasing to the eye. Take good care of those flowers.

IV. Common knowledge for growing flowers in spring

1. In spring, flowers grow vigorously, evaporation is high, and nutrient consumption is high, so water and fertilizer must keep up; when the potting soil cracks, water in time; fertilize once a week or every half month; loosen the soil before watering and fertilizing.

2. After winter, dead branches and withered leaves should be pruned in time. For some vine flowers, supports and tying should be added in time so that the branches and leaves are evenly distributed, allowing light and air to pass through.

3. Evergreen flowers are easiest to survive if repotted before leafing out, and repotting or potting should be chosen on cloudy days.

4. Pests should be killed in time, especially when aphids occur, they should be thoroughly eliminated.

5. Spring is a great time for flower propagation. Flowers that bloom in summer and autumn should be sown in time, bulbous flowers should be planted in time, and perennial flowers should be propagated by cuttings.

V. Finally, here is a "spring flower-growing rhyme" for everyone.

In early spring the greenhouse gradually warms, open windows for ventilation slowly.

Open windows at noon and close them in the evening, to prevent the temperature difference from being too great.

When potted flowers first leave the greenhouse, wait until the temperature is stable.

Spring light is gentle and helps flowers grow; shade-loving flowers also need sunshine.

When first leaving the greenhouse, they fear dry wind; on windy days do not forget to cover the shed.

When potted flowers are watered for the first time in spring, too much water easily "overloads" and ruins them.

To promote sprouting, nitrogen fertilizer should be added; avoid strong doses and prefer light, which is safest.

If you want potted flowers to grow well, repotting in early spring is most important.

Before flowers and trees revive from dormancy, do not delay transplanting and repotting.

If the flower blooms in early spring, repotting should wait until the flowers fade.

Stop watering before repotting, so the potting soil is uniformly moist and not easily crumbled.

When repotting flowers, cut old roots and fibrous roots appropriately.

On sunny days, move flowers in the evening; on cloudy days, planting flowers is most ideal.

Newly planted flowers and trees should not be fertilized, nor should they be immediately given a heavy watering.

If the soil is too wet during the recovery period, root rot easily occurs and the whole plant dies.

Do not hesitate to prune potted plants; remove all branches and leaves that "spoil the beauty."

To promote early flower bud differentiation, stop applying nitrogen fertilizer and increase phosphorus and potassium.

Eggshells, fish scales and chicken and duck feathers, applied after decomposition, are good for bearing flowers.

During the flower-promoting period, water carefully; too wet or too dry easily causes bud drop.

Do not fertilize during flowering; keep the potting soil slightly moist and avoid heavy watering.

When the plant is near the sprouting stage, cuttings and grafting are most suitable.

When the ground temperature is stable and there is no frost, sowing flowers is just right.

When sowing, cover with soil carefully, to a depth about three times that of the seed.

If you want flower seedlings to come up well, shading and moisture retention are most important.