How to Grow Orchids: A Super Detailed Beginner's Guide to Orchid Cultivation

Many flower lovers who have just fallen down the rabbit hole want to know how to grow orchids. In their eyes, orchids are really hard to grow, and they always die after being kept for a while. So how can orchids be grown so they don't die so easily? To help more beginner flower lovers avoid detours, this article has specially prepared a super detailed beginner's guide to orchid growing.

How to Grow Orchids (Super Detailed Beginner's Guide)

How to Grow Orchids (Super Detailed Beginner's Guide)

Indeed, compared with other flowers, orchids are somewhat harder to grow. The difficulty lies in the fact that orchid roots are quite sensitive to water, and they either get "drowned" or "die of thirst." When the growing medium stays too wet or too dry for longer than the orchid roots can tolerate (to be precise, when the oxygen-deficient or water-deficient state in the medium lasts longer than the orchid roots can endure), it causes root rot or hollow roots; if it lasts even longer, the root problems show up on the leaves, and the plant eventually turns yellow and dies.

Orchid roots rotting from overwatering

Because the orchid's pseudobulbs themselves contain water, and because whether orchid roots are rotted or hollow, their remaining parts still retain some ability to absorb water, the orchid can linger on for a while even when root problems occur, and problems are not easily detected in time from the above-ground parts of the plant.

In fact, orchids are more often "drowned," that is, due to improper selection and blending of the growing medium, too strong water retention, or overly frequent watering, the medium stays constantly soggy. When this overly wet state lasts beyond what the orchid can tolerate, the orchid roots rot and the plant eventually dies. In addition, some people hear that orchids "fear" water and so rarely water them, overcorrecting to the opposite extreme, and the orchids "die of thirst" - this kind of situation also exists. It can thus be seen that whether one can properly control the water content in the growing medium is the key to success or failure in growing orchids.

Orchid roots becoming hollow from long-term water shortage

Question 1: Why can't ordinary soil be used to grow orchids?

Let us 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," and also "dry" and "somewhat dry" are all unfavorable to orchid root growth; only "moist" is most suitable for orchid growth. Because ordinary soil, after watering, stays "wet" or "somewhat wet" for too long, exceeding the time the orchid can tolerate, tragedy naturally occurs - hence ordinary soil is not suitable for growing orchids.

It can thus be seen that simply shortening the time the medium spends in the "wet" and "dry" states and extending the time it spends in the "moist" state is the fundamental goal of orchid cultivation. Whether it is the selection and blending of the growing medium, the choice of orchid pots (pot size and material also greatly affect changes in the medium's water content), or watering, all of it revolves around this goal.

From this it can also be seen that the water-retaining or water-draining characteristics of the medium itself largely determine how the medium's water content changes, and even determine success or failure in growing orchids. It can be said that watering is the external cause determining changes in the medium's water content, while the medium is the internal cause. To control the medium's water content well, the prerequisite is to select and blend the medium properly.

Why orchids cannot use ordinary soil

Question 2: How do you judge the orchid-growing effectiveness of a growing medium?

The so-called orchid-growing effectiveness of a medium is, in other words, its root-growing effectiveness. If orchid roots are grown well, the above-ground parts (leaves, shoots, etc.) will certainly grow well; if orchid roots are not grown well, the above-ground parts will not be good either. Therefore, from the growth condition of the above-ground parts, one can judge the growth condition of the orchid roots.

For example, after potting, if an orchid regains its vitality within 1-3 weeks (recovery is fast in spring and autumn, slow in summer and winter), the leaves are glossy, new seedlings grow (noticeably taller), new shoots emerge (as in spring), and the leaves feel resilient when brushed by hand, it shows that the orchid roots are growing well, the medium is relatively ideal, and management (mainly watering) is also on point.

If, for a period after potting (about 1 month), the leaves have no gloss, new seedlings stall in growth (become stunted), new shoots do not emerge or emerge sparsely (in spring), the leaves feel limp when brushed by hand, and dark spots easily appear on the leaves when the temperature is slightly high, then it shows that the orchid roots definitely have problems, or that the medium is probably not ideal. In that case, the plant must be unpotted. If you unpot at the time you would normally water (for example, if you usually water once every 5 days, unpot before watering on the 5th day) and find the medium soggy and the roots all or partly blackened, it shows that the medium retains water too strongly, and you should add some airy, water-draining medium to it, such as granular medium, tree fern, decomposed peanut shells, etc.; of course, if you feel the medium's water-retention and water-draining characteristics are already relatively ideal, then without improving the medium, simply extending the watering interval appropriately can also solve the problem. If when unpotted you find the roots and medium in a dry state, or even hollow roots already appearing, you should add some medium with strong moisture retention to it, such as leaf mold, perlite, etc.; if you feel the medium is relatively ideal, then simply shortening the watering interval will do.

How to Grow Orchids (Super Detailed Beginner's Guide)

Judging whether the underground part (roots) is healthy from the growth condition of the above-ground part of the orchid plant is somewhat difficult; the simplest and most intuitive method is still to unpot and look at the roots. There are two kinds of unpotting: surface unpotting and full unpotting. Surface unpotting means removing part of the medium from the pot surface, to a depth of 5-10 cm, to observe the growth state of the roots around the pseudobulb and at the surface layer of the medium. If new roots have grown, or there are crystal-clear "crystal tips" on the root tips of old roots, it shows that both the medium and the management measures are relatively ideal; if there are no new roots, or the root tips of old roots have turned black or even rotted, it shows that there is a problem with the medium or with watering. If you want to understand the growth state of all the roots, then you can only do a full unpotting. Whether surface unpotting or full unpotting, be careful to avoid damaging the roots as much as possible, especially the root tips. Although unpotting is a bit troublesome, it is the most intuitive and accurate way to understand the orchid-growing effectiveness of a medium, and also a necessary path for beginners to accumulate experience.

Question 3: How do you blend a good growing medium yourself?

There are many materials that can be used to grow orchids, and you can source them locally in each place, but to blend an ideal medium, you must follow the principles below:

(1) The medium's physical structure is ideal, airy, and water-draining. Use granular medium; there are certain gaps between the granules, so natural air permeability and water drainage are good. If using powdery medium such as leaf mold, add perlite, tree fern, and granular medium, etc., so that it becomes fluffy.

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

(3) The medium has good moisture retention, both draining and holding 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 (there are gaps between medium particles), a large portion of the water drains away, and afterward, because the medium itself has absorbed a certain amount of water, it can maintain a "moist" state for a relatively long time, then gradually change from "moist" to "dry" (note: the medium does not suddenly change from "moist" to "dry," but changes slowly, that is, the medium spends a relatively long time in the "somewhat dry" state between "moist" and "dry"). This has three major advantages:

(1) The medium spends a short time "wet," avoiding root rot;

(2) The medium stays "moist" for a relatively long time, creating favorable environmental conditions for orchid root growth;

(3) The medium stays in the "somewhat dry" state for a relatively long time, and the ideal watering time is when the medium is in the "somewhat dry" state; obviously, watering is then easy, and it does not matter much if you are one or two days early or late.

If the medium's moisture retention is poor and it quickly changes from "dry" to "wet," the "somewhat dry" period lasts a shorter time, and the watering time must be judged quite accurately to ensure that watering falls within the time range when the medium is in the "somewhat dry" state. This is quite difficult, and watering is easily too early or too late, which is unfavorable to orchid growth.

In short, a medium with good moisture retention can not only avoid orchid root rot but also lower the difficulty of watering. Of course, to blend a medium with ideal moisture retention, before selecting and blending you must have a full understanding of each medium's water-retention and water-draining characteristics and the fluffy effect it can play in the mixed medium.

As long as you follow these principles, you can blend a good medium. Of course, whether a medium is good or not can only be known after use. It is worth noting that after blending a medium you think is ideal, do not rush to switch all your orchids to the new medium; you must first try it on one or two pots, and only after the effect is verified should you use it on a large scale.

Blending your own orchid growing medium

Question 4: Is there an orchid-growing formula that is easy to source or buy and has ideal results?

(1) Classic formula: 65% Kanuma soil + 35% Sendow. (volume ratio, same below)

This formula is widely used and has been relatively widely recognized by orchid enthusiasts. With this formula, the medium is airy and water-draining, orchid roots generally will not have problems, and growing orchids is easy to succeed at. Note: commercially sold Sendow varies greatly in quality, so buy reliable quality; before use, both must be soaked through, that is, when you break a granule open and the middle is already moist, it is ready for use.

With this formula, because nutrients are insufficient, you can place more than 30 granules of Hi-Control or 10-30 granules (depending on pot size) of Magamp on the pot surface. In the south, where balconies have relatively strong dry winds, the orchid pot can be slightly larger, and a layer of sphagnum moss can be placed on the pot surface to retain moisture.

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

Leaf mold (or mountain surface soil) can be taken from the surface soil under broadleaf forest containing dead branches and fallen leaves (also containing soil). This kind of soil is loose; when squeezed by hand it forms a ball, and when the hand is released the soil immediately crumbles. Add an equal amount of perlite, and the leaf mold becomes fluffier and will not compact. Perlite has a very strong fluffing effect, also retains moisture well, and is low in cost, 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 the powder out of coal ash), decomposed peanut shells, decomposed pine bark, brick granules the size of soybean grains, small pond foundation stone, small Kanuma soil, etc., for better results.

It is worth mentioning that the leaf mold formula developed by Lin Shengzhou is easy to source, low in cost, and ideal in growing results. Its formula is: 50% leaf mold + 50% sandbag soil. Sandbag soil is a kind of soil half weathered into sandy quality, not easily clumping.

Because leaf mold is rich and abundant in nutrients, no fertilizing is needed, and the seedlings grown are relatively strong. Special note: some beginners always fear that orchids will "starve to death" and like to apply all kinds of fertilizers to orchids, and the orchids often get "rotted to death" by fertilizer.

(3) Commercial growing medium: if you think blending your own medium is troublesome, you can buy ready-made commercial growing medium. The so-called orchid cultivation soil sold in flower and bird markets is not blended very reasonably, and it is generally reported that the results are poor. Local orchid enthusiasts in Fuzhou can buy commercial growing medium from Lin Yong. The medium Lin Yong sells is blended 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 Sendow, half a part coconut coir (all by volume). After many years of trials by flower enthusiasts, orchids grown with this medium have good roots and strong seedlings, with good results.

Orchid enthusiasts elsewhere can select and blend it themselves according to this formula; they can also adapt to local conditions and source materials locally, making appropriate improvements or substituting components in Zheng's foolproof soil formula. The author uses Zheng's foolproof soil formula with the Sendow removed, and the cultivation results are also very good.

Orchid growing medium formula

Common problems in growing orchids

1. The orchid always looks half-dead - what should I do?

As stated earlier, if the above-ground part of the orchid does not grow well, there must also be a problem with the orchid roots. If the above-ground part is half-dead, it shows that the underground part is in bad shape - most of the roots are not growing well, and perhaps only one or two roots remain to sustain the plant's life. In that case, you must unpot it and switch to an ideal medium.

2. What should I do if the orchid keeps growing dark spots?

When orchids grow dark spots, it is mostly anthracnose, and there are mainly two deeper causes:

(1) The orchid seedlings are not strong enough, and the seedlings' resistance is relatively weak. The root cause is still that the medium is not very ideal and the orchid roots are not growing well, so you still have to work on the medium.

(2) The orchid is exposed to the sun at relatively high temperatures, or the environment is relatively stuffy and hot. After the temperature exceeds 28°C, the orchid should be shaded; at the same time, during high-temperature periods, the environment should be ventilated, and stuffy, hot conditions must absolutely be avoided. The key is still to improve cultivation conditions - this is the fundamental solution. When necessary, you can spray an 800-fold solution of Shibaogong (prochloraz) or Score to stop the disease from developing.

Orchid growing dark spots

3. The orchid leaves have turned yellow - what is the reason?

When orchid leaves turn yellow, there are mainly two reasons:

(1) Leaf yellowing caused by natural aging. In spring and summer, orchid metabolism is vigorous, new shoots keep emerging, and at the same time some old seedlings 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 abnormal (such as turning black or rotting); third, leaf yellowing generally starts from the outer leaves of the orchid plant and then moves to the inner leaves, from the leaf tip to the leaf base. In addition, there will be no dark spots on the yellow leaves.

(2) Leaf 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 seedlings; leaf yellowing starts from the heart leaf and moves outward to the outer leaves, and from the leaf base toward the leaf tip, and the pseudobulbs often show abnormal conditions (such as turning black or rotting). In that case, you must break off the diseased plant, soak the roots and pseudobulbs of the remaining healthy plants in a broad-spectrum fungicide (such as carbendazim, hymexazol, etc.) for 1 hour, then repot with fresh medium.

Orchid leaves turning yellow

Daily care of orchids

1. Go to nearby mountains and take some loose leaf mold or surface soil with dead branches and fallen leaves (it is fluffier only with dead branches and fallen leaves), and mix in an equal amount of perlite as described in the "simple formula" above; if perlite is not available for the moment, you can mix in an equal amount (by volume) of sandbag soil, or mix in twice the amount of crushed brick granules or coal cinder, etc. (mixing two or more kinds is better). Blending a fluffy, airy, water-draining medium is the key to growing orchids well, and you must do it carefully.

2. A medium-sized orchid pot is fine. If it is too large, the medium does not dry easily and can easily cause root rot; if it is too small, the medium dries too easily and is hard to manage.

3. Place the orchid on a south-facing balcony or in a courtyard (do not put it on a north-facing balcony or keep it indoors for a long time). In spring and winter, let it get more sunlight; in summer and autumn, when people feel uncomfortable in the sun, do not let the orchid be directly exposed to the sun. No fertilizing is needed.

4. Water when the medium is dry. If you are not sure, you can dig two or three centimeters deep into the pot surface medium; if it is dry there, water immediately; if it is not dry yet, water after another one or two days. When watering, water the whole pot thoroughly and water a little longer, so that all the medium "drinks" the water.

5. In the north, when the winter temperature is around 3°C, be careful to move the orchid indoors to avoid frost damage; south of Fujian, orchids can overwinter safely outdoors in winter.

Grasp the key points of growing orchids and do the above 5 things, and you can grow orchids easily and effortlessly.