A Detailed Guide to Cold-Growing Orchid Planting and Care Management

Temperature

The cuticle and cell walls of the cold-growing orchid are relatively thin, so it prefers warm winters and cool summers. It fears both cold and heat, and is especially sensitive to low temperatures, so if a cold wind suddenly blows during cold weather, proper cold protection should be done, otherwise it will cause the death of cold-growing orchid seedlings.

Light

Wild cold-growing orchids generally grow in mixed forests, where they rarely receive direct sunlight, so the cold-growing orchid is shade-loving and must not be exposed to strong direct sunlight; only then can it grow better.

Fertilizer

The principle for fertilizing cold-growing orchids is to fertilize frequently, but lightly. Cold-growing orchid cultivation uses humus soil from its native habitat, which is relatively fertile in the first year and does not need fertilization, but after that fertilization should begin.

So we have also learned about choosing a pot for the cold-growing orchid; it should be chosen according to the shape and size of the cold-growing orchid, and in terms of color it is best to choose black. In addition, the editor also introduced the cultivation and care management of the cold-growing orchid today, so if friends are cultivating cold-growing orchids, be sure to pay attention to these points, so that the cold-growing orchid can grow more healthily!

How to grow wild orchids and how to choose wild orchids?

The orchid is a flower with a distinctive style, and its ornamental value is very high. Orchid flowers are elegantly colored, with tender green and yellow-green being the most common, but those with plain-colored centers are especially precious. So-called wild orchids refer to those that survive and die naturally in the natural environment. If wild orchids need to be introduced for cultivation, then how should wild orchids be grown?

How to grow wild orchids?

When orchids go from wild to domestic cultivation, due to changes in the ecological environment, certain methods should be adopted in cultivation to gradually change their original wild habits and adapt them to new growing conditions.

1. Care before planting.Wild orchids that have just been collected or bought back should be promptly placed in a cool place and untied to avoid damage from heat buildup. If they are not to be planted in pots for the time being, they can be laid flat on the ground and their roots temporarily covered with wet sand and moist soil. When they look dry, water can be sprayed appropriately on the leaves (as long as water does not drip from the orchid leaves).

2. Remove debris and disinfect.Prune away plants on the pseudobulbs, rotted empty roots, and leaves infected with pests or diseases. Wash clean with water, and after drying, sprinkle the whole plant with 0.2% potassium permanganate or "Dithane," "Carbendazim," or "Thiophanate-Methyl," then plant after drying.

3. Prepare the potting soil.For potting soil, mountain base soil, bamboo root mud, mountain red soil, and gray-black surface soil from mountain hollows are best, and a small amount of river sand can also be mixed in. If it can be sterilized by steam or sunlight exposure, even better.

4. Cultivate carefully.Newly potted wild orchids should first be kept indoors for care, and can only be moved outdoors once new roots have grown to 5-10 cm. Especially in winter and early spring, they must be kept indoors for a period of time; this is the key to survival. In addition, pay attention to temperature control, ventilation, and moisture retention. Room temperature should be slightly low (3°C-8°C is suitable); spray water mist and open windows at appropriate times to keep indoor air fresh. Use simulated sunlight to give them the energy source for photosynthesis, so as to promote recovery and growth. For every 20 sq m room, one 40W fluorescent lamp and two 3W red fluorescent lamps can be used for 5 hours of illumination daily.

5. Supplemental feeding outside the roots.Wild orchid seedlings, after collection, transport, and pruning at planting, are covered with scars on the surface and are in fact already in a semi-dehydrated state. To promote their recovery and growth, they can be sprayed weekly on the leaves as a foliar fertilizer with a 1200-1500 times dilution of "monopotassium phosphate" plus 250 times rice vinegar, or with 25 jin of fertilizer water plus one 100-200 microgram ampoule of B12 and 20 grams of urea. Promptly prune withered leaves and trap and kill pests. Once new shoots grow to 5-10 cm, they can be managed the same as mature plants.

How to choose wild orchids?

1. Seedlings should be neat and elegant:Orchids are plants grown for both foliage and flowers. When choosing orchids, pay attention to whether the seedlings are neat and elegant. The leaves must not have black spots, nor withered yellow leaves; these are signs that the orchid is diseased.

2. Roots should be plump and clean:To grow orchids, first grow the roots. When choosing orchids, pay attention to whether the color on the root system is uniform (if not uniform, it proves there is disease in the orchid roots), and check whether the orchid has empty roots (a small number can be tolerated, possibly caused by too little watering) or rotten roots (it is best not to choose such orchids). After meeting the above points, if the orchid roots have crystal-clear "crystal tips," such orchids are even healthier.

3. Reputable shops:For many beginners, the importance of this point exceeds the previous ones. Because the orchid market is a market with asymmetric information. You should choose a shop with good reputation to buy from. Such shops may be more expensive, but the quality of the seedlings can be guaranteed.

4. Buy orchids out of the pot:One way orchids differ from most other flowers in buying and selling is that orchids are mostly sold out of the pot. If a vendor is peddling orchids, be sure to have the vendor take the orchid seedlings out of the pot and observe the health condition of the orchid plants.

Collection methods for wild orchids:

The collection of raw plants is the first step in the cultivation and domestication of wild orchids. Collecting raw plants first requires good preparatory work, including surveys of wild orchid resources, tools and equipment, and preparation of a cultivation site after collection. Orchids mostly grow under forests, beside ditches, or in tall grass in secondary forests, and a few can also be found on fog-wreathed mountain tops. These places have relatively high temperatures, with shading of 40 to 50%. Woodland that is too dark or receives too much direct sunlight has fewer distributions. Cymbidium goeringii is generally distributed at altitudes of 650 to 1800 m, Cymbidium faberi at altitudes of 1200 to 1300 m, Cymbidium ensifolium at altitudes of 700 to 2000 m, Cymbidium kanran at altitudes of 900 to 1300 m, Cymbidium lancifolium at altitudes of 500 to 1500 m, while Cymbidium sinense is mostly distributed in zones at altitudes between 200 and 1200 m. Second, an appropriate collection time should be chosen. Generally, collecting raw plants from February to April each year is ideal, which helps the raw plants survive cultivation. In addition, collection can also be done in autumn, especially for varieties that bloom in autumn, which can reduce the workload of collection and cultivation and also helps protect orchid resources.

When collecting, if the soil is soft, you can pull the plants up from below with both hands, but do not damage the root system. Because orchid roots are widely distributed, it is best to first loosen the surrounding soil with a small sickle and clear the surrounding weeds before digging. After pulling them up, carefully wash the soil clean, wrap the plants together with fallen leaves in newspaper, and place them in plastic bags to prevent the roots from drying out. Record the habitat conditions of the orchid plants, especially altitude, slope, slope aspect, soil, shading conditions, humidity, and so on, all one by one, to facilitate domestication and cultivation. The dug orchid plants should be kept moist, transported back promptly for cultivation, and prevented from drying out. However, never sprinkle water on the roots and leaves, and even more so never soak the orchids in water, which would cause the orchid leaves to turn yellow after potting, the orchid buds to wither, and the orchid roots to dry and hollow out, thereby leading to the death of the plants. For rare varieties collected, they need to be packaged separately and carefully protected. Never mix them with other orchid plants, to avoid accidental damage or even loss.

At the same time, when collecting orchid plants, attention must be paid to protecting resources. Never take them all in one sweep or dig them out completely in one go. Instead, some large plants should be consciously left on ridges, cliff edges, wind gaps, or high places, and allowed to bloom, so as to facilitate their reproduction.

Summary: That is all the editor has introduced about how to grow wild orchids. The best season for digging wild orchids is around Qingming Festival each year; going up the mountain to dig too early or too late is not suitable. Water skillfully: after wild orchids are potted, the six-character watering method should be followed, namely: dry in spring and winter, wet in summer and autumn. Specifically, in spring and winter, keep the potting soil on the dry side, as too much moisture easily causes orchid root rot and death. In summer and autumn, keep the potting soil moist for a long time, and