How to grow orchids? An experienced grower shares 6 secrets to help you become an orchid expert

Everyone says orchids are hard to grow, and growing them well is even harder. I often hear fellow growers say, "I've had my orchid for so long and it hasn't grown at all, it looks listless, let alone flowering." But every time I see someone else's beautifully grown orchids, I'm so envious. So, how do you grow orchids? An experienced orchid grower shares these 6 secrets. Once you master them, you can become a true orchid expert and no longer envy other people's orchids.

1. Take a piece of charcoal the size of a thumb, soak it in water first, then place one piece at the bottom of the pot before planting the orchid. This helps the roots extend and keeps the root color whiter.
2. Generally, in fertilization management, from small shoots to mature plants, the fertilizer components are applied in sequence of "nitrogen" - "potassium" - "phosphorus," strengthening in that order.
3. Old back bulbs (three-growth or four-growth) with intact roots and leaves but that are difficult to sprout. You can cut off one-half or one-third of the leaves to reduce nutrient consumption and direct more nutrients to the growth points, then plant in sphagnum moss or coarse river sand. This way, they sprout quickly and produce large shoots.

4. When repotting orchids near their flowering period, let the orchid roots dry slightly. This benefits flower bud differentiation.
5. Besides the growth points on the pseudobulbs that can be fully utilized, there are also usable growth points inside the leaf sheaths of old back bulbs. If you observe carefully, you will find that growth points are still hidden at the junction between the leaf sheath and the pseudobulb. Simply remove the leaf blade, or use a blade to cut the leaf sheath halfway open, then carefully pry it open with tweezers. With careful care, shoots will surely sprout in the future.

6. Use plant growth regulators with caution. Most plant growth regulators currently on the market are artificially synthesized and cannot be naturally converted within the plant, easily causing the plant to develop in a single direction. For example, a sprout-promoting agent makes the orchid keep producing shoots without growing roots; a root-promoting agent makes it keep growing roots. This means you can only control the growth direction with higher doses, and within a few generations, the orchid plant can no longer bear it. Therefore, long-term use of growth regulators is truly inadvisable, so please use them with caution!

How to grow orchids (a must-read for beginners)

■ How to grow orchids? Growing orchids is really difficult. They die after a while. What's the reason?

Compared to other flowers, orchids are indeed more difficult to grow. The difficulty lies in the fact that orchid roots are quite sensitive to water and are easily "drowned" or "thirsted to death." When the growing medium stays too wet or too dry for longer than the orchid roots can tolerate (specifically, when the duration of oxygen deficiency or water deficiency in the medium exceeds what the orchid roots can endure), it causes root rot or hollow roots. If it persists even longer, the root problems manifest on the leaves, and the plant eventually turns yellow and dies.

Since the orchid's pseudobulbs contain water, and whether the roots are rotted or hollow, the remaining parts still retain some ability to absorb water, the orchid can linger for a while even when root problems occur. This makes it hard to detect problems promptly from the above-ground parts of the plant.

In fact, orchids are more often "drowned" - that is, due to improper medium selection, water retention is too strong or watering is too frequent, causing the medium to stay constantly soggy. When this overly wet state lasts beyond what the orchid can tolerate, the orchid roots rot and the plant eventually dies. Additionally, some people hear that orchids "fear" water and rarely water them, resulting in overcorrection - the orchid gets "thirsted to death." This situation also occurs. Thus, whether you can properly control the moisture content in the medium is the key to successful orchid growing.

Overwatering leads to root rot

Underwatering leads to hollow roots

■ Why can't orchids be grown in regular soil?

Let's first analyze the changes in the dry-wet state of soil after watering: "wet" → "somewhat wet" → "moist" → "somewhat dry" → "dry." Among these, "wet," "somewhat wet," "dry," and "somewhat dry" are all unfavorable for orchid root growth. Only "moist" is most suitable for orchid growth. Regular soil, after watering, stays "wet" or "somewhat wet" for too long, exceeding what orchids can tolerate, so tragedy naturally follows. Therefore, regular soil is not suitable for growing orchids.

From this, it can be seen that minimizing the time the medium spends in "wet" or "dry" states and extending the time it spends in the "moist" state is the fundamental goal of orchid cultivation. Whether it's medium selection, pot choice (pot size and material also greatly affect the moisture changes in the medium), or watering, everything revolves around this goal.

From this, it can also be seen that the water-retaining or water-draining properties of the medium itself largely determine the moisture content changes in the medium, and even determine the success or failure of orchid growing. It can be said that watering is the external cause of moisture content changes in the medium, while the medium itself is the internal cause. To control the moisture content of the medium, the prerequisite is to select and mix the medium properly.

■ How do you judge the effectiveness of a growing medium for orchids?

The so-called effectiveness of a medium for orchid growing is essentially its effectiveness for root growth. If orchid roots grow well, the above-ground parts (leaves, shoots, etc.) will certainly grow well; if orchid roots don't grow well, the above-ground parts won't either. Therefore, from the growth condition of the above-ground parts, you can judge the growth condition of the orchid roots.

For example, after potting, if the orchid recovers its vitality within 1 to 3 weeks (faster in spring and autumn, slower in summer and winter), the leaves are glossy, new shoots grow (noticeably taller), new sprouts emerge (as in spring), and the leaves feel resilient when brushed with your hand, it indicates that the orchid roots are growing well, the medium is fairly ideal, and management (mainly watering) is on track.

If after potting for some time (about 1 month), the leaves lack luster, new shoots stagnate (stunted growth), new sprouts don't appear or appear sparsely (in spring), the leaves feel limp when brushed with your hand, and black spots easily appear on the leaves when temperatures are slightly high, then it indicates there must be problems with the orchid roots, and the medium may not be ideal. In this case, you need to unpot the plant. If you unpot at the time you would normally water (for example, if you normally water once every 5 days, unpot before watering on the 5th day) and find the medium soggy and the roots all or partially blackened, it means the medium's water retention is too strong. You should add some breathable, drainage-friendly medium, such as granular medium, tree fern, decomposed peanut shells, etc. Of course, if you feel the medium's water retention and drainage properties are already fairly ideal, then you don't need to modify the medium - simply extending the watering interval appropriately can solve the problem. If when unpotted you find the roots and medium are in a dry state, or hollow roots have already appeared, you should add some moisture-retaining medium, such as leaf mold, perlite, etc. If you feel the medium is fairly ideal, then shortening the watering interval will suffice.

Judging whether the underground parts (roots) are healthy from the above-ground growth condition of the orchid plant is somewhat difficult. The simplest and most intuitive method is still to unpot and check the roots. There are two types of unpotting: surface unpotting and full unpotting. Surface unpotting means removing part of the medium from the pot surface, to a depth of 5 to 10 cm, to observe the growth condition of roots around the pseudobulbs and at the surface layer of the medium. If new roots have grown or old root tips have crystal-clear "crystal heads," it indicates that both the medium and management measures are fairly ideal. If there are no new roots, or old root tips have turned black or even rotted, it indicates problems with the medium or watering. To understand the growth condition of all roots, you can only do a full unpotting. Whether surface unpotting or full unpotting, be careful not to damage the roots, especially the root tips. Although unpotting is a bit troublesome, it is the most intuitive and accurate way to understand the effectiveness of a medium for orchid growing, and it is also a necessary path for beginners to accumulate experience.

■ The orchid hasn't died but isn't growing new shoots either - it's half-dead. What should I do?

As mentioned earlier, if the above-ground parts of the orchid don't grow well, there must be problems with the orchid roots. If the above-ground parts are half-dead, it indicates the underground situation is grim - most roots are growing poorly, and perhaps only one or two roots remain to sustain the plant's life. In this case, you must unpot and replace with an ideal medium.

■ How can I mix a good growing medium myself?

There are many materials that can be used for growing orchids, and you can source them locally. But to mix an ideal medium, you must follow these principles:

1. The medium's physical structure should be ideal - breathable and drainage-friendly. Use granular medium, with gaps between granules for natural breathability and good drainage. If using powdery medium like leaf mold, add perlite, tree fern, and granular medium to make it fluffy.

2. The medium's chemical composition should be reliable, with no harmful components. Some organic media, such as peanut shells and pine bark, must be decomposed; otherwise, they will break down after use and release substances harmful to orchid roots.

3. The medium should have good moisture retention - both draining and retaining water. An ideal medium should spend a short time "wet" and a long time "moist." That is, after watering, because the medium's physical structure is good (with gaps between medium particles), a large portion of water drains away. Then, because the medium itself has absorbed a certain amount of water, it can maintain a "moist" state for a longer time, and then slowly transition from "moist" to "dry" (note: the medium doesn't abruptly change from "moist" to "dry," but changes slowly, meaning the medium spends a longer time in the "somewhat dry" state between "moist" and "dry"). This has three major benefits: first, the medium spends a short time "wet," avoiding root rot; second, the medium maintains a "moist" state for a longer time, creating favorable environmental conditions for orchid root growth; third, the medium stays in the "somewhat dry" state for a longer time, and the ideal watering time is when the medium is in the "somewhat dry" state. Obviously, this makes watering easier - being a day or two early or late doesn't matter much. If the medium's moisture retention is poor and it quickly changes from "dry" to "wet," with the "somewhat dry" period being short, the watering time must be judged quite accurately to ensure watering falls within the time range when the medium is in the "somewhat dry" state. This is more difficult, and watering is easily too early or too late, which is unfavorable for orchid growth. In short, a medium with good moisture retention not only avoids orchid root rot but also reduces the difficulty of watering. Of course, to mix a medium with ideal moisture retention, before selecting and mixing, you must have a thorough understanding of each medium component's water retention and drainage properties and the fluffing effect it can contribute in the mixed medium.

As long as you follow these principles, you can mix a good medium. Of course, whether a medium is good or not can only be known after using it. It's worth noting that after mixing what you think is an ideal medium, don't rush to repot all your orchids with the new medium. You must first try it on one or two pots, and only after the results are verified should you use it on a large scale.

■ Is there an orchid-growing formula that is easy to source or purchase and gives ideal results?

1. Classic formula: 65% Kiryu stone + 35% Sendou soil.(Volume ratio, same below)

This formula is widely used and generally recognized by orchid growers. With this formula, the medium is breathable and drainage-friendly, orchid roots generally won't have problems, and orchid growing is easy to succeed with. Note: Commercially available Sendou soil varies greatly in quality, so buy reliable quality. Before use, both must be thoroughly soaked - that is, break open a granule and check that the middle is moist before use.

With this formula, because nutrients are insufficient, you can place 30 or so granules of Hi-Control or 10 to 30 granules (depending on pot size) of Magamp at the pot surface. In southern balconies with strong dry winds, the pot can be slightly larger, and a layer of sphagnum moss can be placed on the pot surface for moisture retention.

2. Simple formula: 50% leaf mold + 50% perlite.

Leaf mold (or mountain topsoil) can be taken from the surface soil under broadleaf forests containing fallen branches and leaves (including soil). This soil is loose - when squeezed in the hand it forms a ball, and when the hand is opened the soil crumbles apart. Adding an equal amount of perlite makes the leaf mold fluffier and prevents compaction. Perlite has a very strong fluffing effect, good moisture retention, and low price, making it an ideal medium. On this basis, you can also mix in 20%-50% of other granular media, choosing one or several of: coal cinder granules (granules after sifting out the powder from coal ash), decomposed peanut shells, decomposed pine bark, brick granules the size of soybean grains, small pond foundation stone, small Kiryu stone, etc. The effect will be even better.

Leaf mold from the mountains

Leaf mold

50% leaf mold + 50% perlite

Orchid roots grown with 50% leaf mold + 50% perlite

It's worth mentioning that the leaf mold formula developed by Lin Shengzhou is easy to source, low-cost, and gives ideal growing results. The formula is: 50% leaf mold + 50% sandy loam. Sandy loam is a soil that is half-decomposed into a sandy texture and doesn't easily clump.

Orchid roots grown with Lin Shengzhou's formula

Because leaf mold is rich and abundant in nutrients, no fertilization is needed, and the plants grown are all fairly robust. Particularly note that some beginners always worry that orchids will be "starved to death" and like to apply various fertilizers to orchids, and the orchids often get "rotted to death" by fertilizer.

3. Commercial growing media.

If you find mixing your own medium troublesome, you can buy ready-mixed commercial growing media. The so-called orchid growing soil sold in flower and bird markets is not well-formulated, and it's generally reported to give poor results. Local orchid growers in Fuzhou can buy commercial growing medium from Lin Yong. The medium sold by Lin Yong is mixed according to the "foolproof soil" formula developed by Zheng Weixin (Lanshan Siji). Its components are:

1 part leaf mold + 1 part perlite + 1 part tree fern fiber + 1 part pond foundation stone + 1 part Sendou soil + half part coconut coir (all by volume).

After years of testing, orchids cultivated with this medium have good roots and robust shoots - the results are quite good.

Orchid growers from other places can mix it themselves according to this formula, or adapt it to local conditions by sourcing materials locally and making appropriate improvements or substituting components in Zheng's foolproof soil formula. The author uses Zheng's foolproof soil formula with the Sendou soil removed, and the cultivation results are also very good.

Shoot growth of orchids grown with Zheng Weixin's formula

Orchid roots grown with Zheng Weixin's formula

■ What should I do if my orchid keeps growing black spots?

Black spots on orchids are mostly caused by anthracnose. There are two main underlying reasons:

Anthracnose

1. The orchid plants aren't robust enough, and their resistance is weak. The root cause is still that the medium isn't ideal and the orchid roots aren't growing well. You still need to work on the medium.

Poor roots lead to black spots on leaves

2. The orchid is exposed to direct sun at relatively high temperatures or the environment is stuffy and hot. When temperatures exceed 28°C, orchids should be shaded; at the same time, during hot periods, the environment should be ventilated, and stuffy heat must be avoided. The key is still to improve cultivation conditions - this is the fundamental solution. When necessary, spray 800x diluted Shibaogong (mepanipyrim) or Score (difenoconazole) to stop the disease from progressing.

■ My orchid leaves have turned yellow. What's the reason?

There are two main reasons orchid leaves turn yellow:

1. Yellowing caused by natural aging. In spring and summer, orchid metabolism is active, new shoots keep emerging, and at the same time some old plants that have grown for many years also wither and die. This kind of "old age death" yellow leaf has three characteristics: first, it occurs on old pseudobulbs; second, the pseudobulbs show nothing unusual (such as turning black or rotting); third, the yellowing generally starts from the outer leaves of the orchid plant and then moves to the inner leaves, from leaf tip to leaf base. In addition, there won't be any black spots on the yellow leaves.

Natural aging of old leaves

2. Yellowing caused by disease. The orchid plant develops stem rot, bacterial soft rot, or southern blight. This kind of yellow leaf mostly occurs on new shoots, with yellowing starting from the heart leaf and spreading to outer leaves, and from the leaf base toward the leaf tip, and there are often abnormalities on the pseudobulbs (such as turning black or rotting). In this case, you must remove the diseased plants, soak the remaining healthy roots and pseudobulbs in a broad-spectrum fungicide (such as carbendazim, hymexazol, etc.) for 1 hour, then repot with fresh medium.

Yellowing caused by stem rot

■ I only grow a few ordinary orchids at home, and I've never grown them well. Is there a simple cultivation method?

Grasp the key points of orchid growing, and you can absolutely grow orchids well with ease:

1. Go to nearby hills and collect some loose leaf mold or surface soil with fallen branches and leaves (it's fluffier with fallen branches and leaves). Following the method described in the "simple formula" above, mix in an equal amount of perlite. If you don't have perlite on hand, you can mix in an equal amount (by volume) of sandy loam, or mix in twice the amount of crushed brick granules or coal cinder (mixing two or more types is even better). Mixing a fluffy, breathable, drainage-friendly medium is the key to growing orchids well - do it carefully.

2. A medium-sized orchid pot is fine. Too large and the medium won't dry easily, which can lead to root rot; too small and the medium dries too quickly, making it hard to manage.

3. Place the orchid on a south-facing balcony or in a courtyard (don't put it on a north-facing balcony or keep it indoors long-term). In spring and winter, let it get plenty of sunlight. In summer and autumn, when people feel uncomfortable in the sun, don't let the orchid be directly exposed to the sun. No fertilization needed.

4. Water when the medium is dry. If you're not sure, you can dig 2 to 3 cm into the pot surface medium. If it's dry there, water immediately; if it's not dry yet, wait another day or two. When watering, water the entire pot thoroughly, water for a while longer, and let all the medium "drink" the water.

5. In northern winters, when temperatures approach about 3°C, move the orchids indoors to avoid frost damage; south of Fujian, orchids can safely overwinter outdoors in winter.

Doing these 5 things isn't too hard, right? Growing orchids is actually this simple! Starting now, bring a good mood and confidently set off toward the fragrance ahead! (I hope this humble article can encourage beginners in orchid growing, boost their confidence, and provide some substantive help. Mr. Cai Shimin gave great suggestions for this article - thanks here.)

How to identify good and bad orchids and how to choose orchid growing media