Detailed Explanation of Orchid Fertilization Methods and Potting Techniques

After the flower pot, potting soil (or growing medium), and orchid seedlings are ready, potting can begin. The cultivation procedure is as follows:

First comes the pot padding. The principle is that the pot should be padded so as to leave it hollow, facilitating drainage and benefiting the growth and development of the fleshy roots. Usually, 3 to 5 thin tile pieces or broken fragments of old flower pots are selected first to cover the drainage hole at the bottom of the pot. The tiles should be placed with the concave side facing down and the convex side facing up, overlapping in a crossed arrangement, covering the entire hole bottom while still leaving gaps between them to allow smooth drainage. After the tiles are placed, a layer of drainage material is spread on top, usually chestnut charcoal, with the particle size depending on the size of the pot, ranging from 1 to 2 cm up to 5 to 6 cm. First place the larger particles at the bottom of the pot, then cover them with finer particles. Besides chestnut charcoal, walnut shells, chestnut shells, peanut shells, undecomposed leaves sifted out from leaf mold, fern roots, as well as volcanic rock, broken brick pieces, and plastic fragments can also be used as drainage material. The height of the drainage layer can reach 1/4 to 1/3 of the pot height.

After the pot is padded, use a small shovel to add a small amount of sterilized potting soil to cover the drainage layer. Then hold the orchid's pseudobulb with the left hand, allowing the root system to spread out fully in the pot, with the top of the pseudobulb about 1 to 2 cm below the pot rim. With the right hand, use a small shovel to gradually fill potting soil into the pot. When the soil fills to 3/4 of the pot height, use the fingers of the right hand to reach into the root system and stuff soil into the gaps between the roots. Then continue adding soil until it is 1 cm from the pot rim. With the left hand, lift the orchid plant slightly upward, and with the right hand shake the pot so that the soil fully enters the gaps between the roots, then press it firm. The soil surface in the pot should be slightly higher in the center and slightly lower around the edges, about 1 to 2 cm below the pot rim, forming a steamed bun shape. The soil surface can be covered with a layer of sphagnum moss, stone granules, or fern roots to prevent soil from splashing up when watered or rained on and contaminating the leaf surface. This completes the potting procedure.

Soak the potted orchid, together with the pot, in a bucket, with the water level in the bucket slightly higher than the pot surface, allowing water to slowly seep in through the bottom hole until the pot surface covering is completely soaked. Then take out the orchid pot and drain the accumulated water inside. At the same time, use a spray bottle to spray the entire orchid pot and orchid plant, washing off dust on the leaf surface and soil stuck on the pot rim and sides.

Place the newly potted orchid pot in a shaded area for 1 to 2 weeks, then place it on the prepared flower stand for cultivation.

When potting, the entire clump of orchid plants should be placed in the center of the pot, leaving enough space between the new shoots (new pseudobulbs) and the pot rim. That is, the direction of the so-called "dragon head" of the orchid plant should leave room for new shoots to sprout. If several clumps of orchid plants are planted in one pot, the distance between the clumps should be maintained, and the new shoots should face the pot rim.